dogshit said:
Hmnn Silent you are an interesting guy. First I like "measure with yardstick, mark with chalk, cut with torch" I understand that completely. "People need to stray away from the rest of the sheep more often" like that to, I always say "break from follow the herd mentality". Although I can't say there are not times where the attributes of a sbc make it the best choice especially for certain people. When it comes to hot rods mine has to be at least some what fast. Then again I can respect somebody who builds something to be different and cool even if its not a hot rod. Since I am not the super welder fabricator and I have to feed the kids and bills to pay first I have to have projects that I can afford and complete before my 200th birthday. I need projects that are hmm feasable and can respect others with the same challenges. It at least partly why many of us have chosen the g-body.
Naturally I really like the 425 trip powered Cutlass idea even if its already been done its at least not so done. Its also a somewhat practical project car which will be great fun should be relatively fast & reliable. Who likes to have to fix something everytime you drive it or tow it home or rebuild it frequently.
On the 200-4r transmission you just missed the point entirely. Its not at all about tada they'll take as much power as a stock Th400. As long as its strong enough to do the job for your particular project thats only one requirement of the objective. Mine was about controlling the rpms on a quarter mile geared large rod & main bearing big block that does not like haveing the snot spun out of it. It needs to live in the enviroment I am going to use it. Second was ideal gearing for my particular project goals. I could go on about this. Third was practical & cost effective for my particular project and a distant fourth was reasonable mileage for my interstate jaunts since I live at the cross roads of two interstates.
The SBC actually probably is one of the best engine choices really.. Probably followed closely by the BBC, SBF, and BBF... And that is why you see so many.. But I still like the idea of different... If being different meens one of my projects is going to take longer because it takes a little more cash and time so be it.... I like making people scratch their heads and ask why??
I like my sig, my ol' man uses it all the time... My name came from a quote from my grandpa when I used to talk his ear off... "A silent orchestra plays for no one to hear, yet it's music is greatly appreciated"... and then there is my veiw on my ol' dodge and the rest of my projects "I built it with what I had layin' around, to bad there wasn't any cash in that ol' barn"
The Cutlass is a project I can't wait to do... But it will probably be a while since the little 260 still runs great (hell she's got 69,000 on the clock)... The plan is 425, .030 over, different cam (not sure on specs yet), headers,3x2, switch pitch 400, 9 inch, and rework the brakes.. Top the engine off with Olds stamped valve covers, and a coat of the same blue that's on the 260... Find an air cleaner that looks some what factory, ditch the ac, heat only box, and repaint a few things under the hood.. and top it all off with factory looking decals under the hood... I want it to look like it was supposed to be there, and I actually hope people walk by and don't really pay much attention, except for that one guy that notices something odd...
As far as my taste in hot rods the only reason I have a G-Body is because it was a christmas gift from my dad about for years ago, I've always like them just never though I'd have one, or at least as nice as my Cutlass... and I just like different... as far as project $$ goes my '22 Dodge so far has about $400 wrapped up in it, aside from the split header, and intake from Offy and Clifford... So far all the parts have come from a farm out in western NE that has been in a freind of my dad's family since the teens. Which has to be one of the most amazing places I've ever been.. But if it wasn't for the ol' farm I wouldn't be building a hot rod right now.. Everything for my Dodge has come from that farm, or with money I've made from the farm.. My only reasoning for using the 223 is that I liked the truck it came from, and I wanted part of it to live on through something else.. It's far from high tech, with old lever shocks, leaf springs, manual steering, a sloppy gear box, drum brakes, mechanical gauges, a gas heater, and a tube type radio and that's just the way I like it.. and hopefully one of these days the pile of cast off parts will be road worthy.. I could of made it easy but I didn't feel like it..
And finally the 200 deal... I probably missed the point but that's mainly because I get hung up on the idea of some one slamming a stock 200 behind a big block and blowing it to bits... I've seen what the trannies are cabable of when they are built up a bit, but I just can't get over the fact that they weren't the greatest trans. new... Then again my 223 has an 80's 4spd od top loader that wasn't a very healthy transmission either, but my ol' sixer shouldn't hurt it any..