Recipe for breaking 12s with a 355

[stomis]

I went thru my post again and I noticed I drifted off topic a little...
I mentioned that my build is very "old school", as in it's a simple way to get power from back when not many parts were available.

If you've done some reading, you'll notice that engine building today (compaired to back a few years ago) is all about efficiency now, rather than blunt force and bigger parts.

You can free up lots of HP from simply running better parts.

Getting some H-beam connecting rods, and better pins & pistons will help you rev quicker and higher. A roller cam, will free up some friction in the valve train. Valve springs are another area where people over-indulge and get springs that are too stiff, so look out for that. Port work also works, but if you're like me, and you're not too handy, even a gasketmatch port job will go a long way. Take a shot at polishing your ports and chambers. Running an electric water pump and a more efficient streering pump will take a load off your rotating assembly. You can beef up your ignition too with an HEI system, better wires, and maybe even a programable timing box (check out some MSD systems).

Good induction also frees up some ponies. Run a simple cold air system, even with some plastic ducting hose clamped to an old fashioned snorkel aircleaner. And if you're not worried about hood clearance, run a highrise-airgap-singleplane intake. You can even use a carb spacer if you're running a cowl or a tall hood.

anyways... that's what I wanted to add to my post... money permitting, take a look at what you can do, and look at ways to improve efficiency, rather than cramming in bigger parts.

Yeah I hear ya. The problem right now is I'm on a budget. As in a dont touch my good bottom end budget, throw in a decent flat hydro cam, used decent heads, and run it.

So far its looking like:
9.5:1
Vortec 906s that I'll probably polish up and gasket match, screw in studs, bigger springs
Lunati 60103lk

"Cam Style Hydraulic flat tappet
Basic Operating RPM Range 1,800-6,200
Intake Duration at 050 inch Lift 227
Exhaust Duration at 050 inch Lift 233
Duration at 050 inch Lift 227 int./233 exh.
Advertised Intake Duration 268
Advertised Exhaust Duration 276
Advertised Duration 268 int./276 exh.
Intake Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio 0.489 in.
Exhaust Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio 0.504 in.
Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio 0.489 int./0.504 exh.
Lobe Separation (degrees) 110"

Edelbrock torker II
Summit 600cfm square bore
stock converter (for now depending on whether it stalls at 2000 or 2400)
megashifter and a shift kit to control el trans
stock 3.73 8.5 rear w/ 275/60 tires

Personally I think this will take me like 13.2-13.3

Getting an air gap would probably shave .1 or at the very least get me a better launch which may very well bight me in the *ss.

 

[khan0165]

that sounds very similar to the motor my brother had in his last car, an 87 Firebird.
his cam was very similar, maybe a little more agressive. His compression was similar too, but in a different way. He used low compression heads (I think 74cc) with 11:1 high comp pistons. This combo flowed very well, and it was ready for a turbo. He added a dual plane airgap from Edelbrock RPM series and ran a Holley 750 carb.

... now the bad news... with a lighter car, he was barely in the low 14s.

I think you can still break 13s, cuz you're running an auto trans and bigger gears... but I think it'll be tough to break mid 13s.

 

[stomis]

that sounds very similar to the motor my brother had in his last car, an 87 Firebird.
his cam was very similar, maybe a little more agressive. His compression was similar too, but in a different way. He used low compression heads (I think 74cc) with 11:1 high comp pistons. This combo flowed very well, and it was ready for a turbo. He added a dual plane airgap from Edelbrock RPM series and ran a Holley 750 carb.

... now the bad news... with a lighter car, he was barely in the low 14s.

I think you can still break 13s, cuz you're running an auto trans and bigger gears... but I think it'll be tough to break mid 13s.

Yeah but heads are all the difference. With a cam that size and supporting air/exhaust the vortecs should put down 400hp/400ftlbs on a bad day.

Only time will tell as we all know. The exact same setups can yield variations...

I honestly would expect that combo to be a 13.5 car all day though.

 

[khan0165]

I'll be rootin for ya!
keep us posted

 

[stomis]

I'll be rootin for ya!
keep us posted

Thanks dude 🙂

I started puttin my ratchet shifter in today. Hopefully going to get my vortecs tomorrow. I found a better cam that lunati recommends for vortec heads so hopefully that will put me a step over the 60103 I was looking at.

 

[khan0165]

sweet! is that cam something they recommended, or did you find it yourself?
What's the part #, I wanna check it out.

What kinda shifter are you installing? Are you installing it in the stock console, or just on the floor? Be sure to post some pictures.

I just installed a QuickSilver in my GP, check it out: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=20509

 

[stomis]

sweet! is that cam something they recommended, or did you find it yourself?
What's the part #, I wanna check it out.

What kinda shifter are you installing? Are you installing it in the stock console, or just on the floor? Be sure to post some pictures.

I just installed a QuickSilver in my GP, check it out: http://gbodyforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=20509

The cam I saw was recommended by lunati for a street driven vortec headed 350. The guy said the 60103 was his second choice but the 07102 would get the car down the track fast overall.


As far as the shifter its a b&m megashifter. Yes its going in the console. 1 hole lined up in the front from the stock shifter so I threw a bolt in it and marked where to drill for the second front hole. Then the rear was cake. I just took a piece of 3x3 1/4in flat stock, welded it under the back of the rear bracket they provide you with and drilled it to bolt to the stock rear bracket with all the stock hardware.

As far as a top plate I havent really gotten that far. I ran out day light and have no room in my garage cause I'm waiting for my toolbox (today whew!) to get everything off the floor and organize.

 

[shotgun]

Suspension suspension suspension

 

[stomis]

Suspension suspension suspension

Ah yes I know. I'm probably gonna maker adjustable arms with heim joints and dom tube when I get bored 😀

I like to fab and weld 😀

 

[stomis]

Well I picked up vortec heads tonight. 906s drilled and tapped for traditional bolt pattern manifold (that made me really happy), cut for lift (still need to measure how much), and after market dual springs installed (rate/company unknown).

After speaking with the guy I bought them from I'm steering clear of lunati. He said he had a really bad experience with them refusing to warranty things that were clearly defective and I want to stay away from companies like that.

At this point the comp 274xe is looking like my golden ticket to 400 ponies. As said previously take magazine dynos with a grain of salt but I read a build up of stock vortecs, 9.5:1 bottom end, and a comp 274xe yielding 440 on the dyno.