New to me El Camino

[kornball426]

I have an 84 camino in my shop under about three tons of crap. Useful crap but crap just the same. Hopefully, this summer I will get a chance to put it on the road. About 14 years ago, I took two 4 bolt main 350s and built some really nice stroker bottom ends. I never finished them because work kept sending me places away from home. I did however manage to keep the engines lubed and in good condition. I recently (a couple of years ago) bought an inexpensive set of aluminum closed chamber heads, I will work them some and they will go on one of the strokers, which will then go into the camino.

Like you, I don't like a non-overdrive trans, so I bought a built 200-4-r. It's rated at 500 hp. I plan to hook that to the stroker for the camino.

I personally don't fool with a lot of computer controlled equipment. I think the power gains over old style stuff is not worth the crap you go through figuring out what went wrong when they break. I don't plan on spending the money to buy the diagnostic equipment needed to do that. Anyway what I have in my 78 Malibu is a gm roller motor from 87. It runs well and makes plenty power for the money I put in it. Eventually, the second stroker will go into the Malibu.

This stuff takes time.

Sounds like it's going to be pretty badass.

I'd like to run a TH400 and a gear vendors overdrive but that's a much more expensive way to get overdrive in a really beefy transmission than just building a 4L80E. I've heard (and believe) the 2004R can handle big power, but I trust the 4L80 more since they're so similar to TH400's which are just about the last word in tough. Also they're so common I bet more transmission guys can build a really good 4L80 than the 2004r.

I hope to have this car engine/trans/rear swapped by fall first I have to get it registered and inspected which is proving more difficult than any car I've ever had before because of the coronavirus, Penn DOT isn't open to receive/process paperwork for title transfer and new registration according to like 5 tags places I called this morning. Think I have to wait till June apparently.

 

[Max Headroom]

Hope it goes smoothly for you. Transfer paper is a bigger headache than pulling the motor/trans in my opinion. Please keep posting pics and good luck.

 

[airboatgreg]

Good move