macs_forever

jmilz28,

You and I will simply have to disagree on some of your points. I'll Address only a few, the rest will have to go wanting.

• Budget: 9-12k. The less I spend on the engine, the more I have for other goodies. I can afford to spend 500 to 1k per month after that before it starts eating into other priorities.
• I'm not going to use a gen 3 engine. I don't want to cut up the frame. it isn't worth it to me. I may not have said it this bluntly before, but prior posts in thise thread should have given you that idea.
• There are also EPA regs that start becoming an issue depending upon what state you are in and how agressively they enforce the laws. As long as I use the LT1, I'm in compliance with the Federal Regs. This is important to me. If I want to go Gen 3, I'll need to buy a new car.
• The LT1 was "dropped" in my lap for $100. If something is wrong with the block, I may reconsider.
• I started working on cars when I was 9. I started rebuilding engines when I was 11. I don't need help with the fundamentals but I have had to do some research on the newer tech. This is another statement that implies that you didn't read the rest of the thread.
• Goals are best set a little beyond what you expect is possible. Most humans underestimate themselves. Those who live with underestimates, tend to under perform.
• Don't go into your neighbor's garage look at what he is doing and say "it won't work". It is rude, arrogant and extremely poor social behavior. There are far more tactful, constructive ways to voice doubt. There are examples earlier in this thread. xbrokex failed to read or comprehend those examples prior to posting his comments.
• Consider the age of the person you are dealing with. On average, older folks know more than younger folks simply because they have had more opportunity to experience a greater variety of situations. I doubt xbrokex would take it well if a 12 yr. old gave him the same attitude he gave me in his first post. I had rebuilt a lawn mower, a 2 stroke Yamaha dirt bike, a 4 stroke Honda "Trail 90", and a ford flathead 4cyl tractor before he was born. I finished my first 350 rebuild before he was out of diapers.
• If you choose to ignore the prior 2 points, don't be surprised if your words are not well received.
• My degree is in Computer Science, not engineering. I've got a cousin with an engineering degree and a coworker with a doctorate in physics if that makes you happy.
• Are you defending xbrokex because he's a Texan? or because you two share the same body? I am truly surprised to see anyone carry his water.
• I was getting 27mpg on the highway with this "2 ton beauty". I was getting 20 mpg in town with a 79 firebird using an engine I built. A lot of hot rods would get good mileage if they are geared for it and the drivers had "a light foot". The milage goal is challenging, but very possible.

macs_forever

hammertime,

Well said. I do intend to put more time into the heads/cam/valvetrain than any where else. That said, the bottom end is getting splayed 4 bolt billet mains and a lightened crank, lightened 6.2+ connecting rods, and Thermal coated pistones (top coating, not the teflon side coating). Never liked basic cast pistons. Too much risk of flaws. I put them in the engine I built for my father and they worked fine, but that was a low torque sub-400hp motor. He loved that motor so much, he drove the '75 truck until '93. Now he has a gen 3 based truck, but complains that it doesn't perform as well as the motor I built for him. One of the trucks he had between the 75 and the 2004 (?) was a 94 with a 454. He'll tell you that the TBI "Tonawanda" 454 was the worst truck motor he has owned. He liked his L05 in a '91 "Z71" better than the 454. More cubes isn't always better. It is better to get the right cubes and valvetrain for the intended purpose.

The only "weak link" I see is ironically, the LT1 intake since it sacrifices low end torque for more high end torque. For now, I'll stick with it, and try to compensate with the cam. I've seen a 4-barrel intake for the LT1, but it does not come with EGR.

This weekend I've been dealing with the conversion from a belt driven fan to an electric one. I have to machine a new bottom plate for the radiator to rest on since I removed the shroud. It's a good thing that I have a small mill because I don't like any if the mounting hardware. The fan comes with it's own shroud at least. I'm basically using the proform mustang fan pulling on the passenger side. I wanted to use 2 of them but I'd have to cut/merge the shrouds to make them fit. Before it gets warm again, I'll have an external engine oil and trans cooler with a pusher fan on the driver's side.

hammertime

iTrader: (1)

One thing that has changed a great deal over the last 20 years is the intake manifold and the RPM ranges they are deisgned to operate in. Most EPA regs allow you to replace a car engine with a newer model year car engine. In your case, the best setup for your application may actually be a '92 L98 engine from a Z28 or T/A. That long runner intake would make a significant increase in usable power in the RPM range you are looking at. I do agree with your decision to start with the $100 foundation you have.

You'll have one hell for stout shortblock. The main reason anyone questions those parts, is they are all designed to support 500-600 hp, which you'll not likely reach. You could easily build three realtively stock 350 short blocks for the investment you'll make in the splayed caps, lightened crank, long rods and Thermal Barrier Coatings. I'm afraid your return on investment will be a long time in coming, at least on the fuel economy side of things.

Best of luck to you in your build!

Hammer

macs_forever

The stout bottom end is for a turbo later on. E85 needs lots of pressure to run it's best.