showdog75

iTrader: (8)

I see a Miller 211 in the background... I have one just like it. You can sell them today for more than we paid. For what it is probably the best welder ever made in it's class.

Bspeck82

That cam is very lazy for a carb setup. I'd put at least another 10 degrees intake and exhaust into it, drop lsa to a 108 or close to it and do a solid roller. Swap Intake for a super vic. Gear it appropriately. Unless this is of course going to be a lame cruiser but I dont see why it would be since you spent all this money....

DualQuadDave

iTrader: (6)

You need more compression for sure, and if you keep the intake, port it and put at least an 850/950hp carb on it. Nobody on this forum knows this, carbs/dual planes are like pig latin on here. I actually like a big carb on a ported dual planethey have great powerbands and make solid flat torque usually. I build a lot of other stuff than LS's so I get to try different things. If you do go single plane intake, stick w/ the 750 for now. ANY intake you get, port it. If you need it ported, DM me or one of the other builders on here and we'll get you setup.

Kim Melander

I've been all over the place on color. Last iteration was metallic grey with flat black factory stripes, blacked out chrome and wheels. It is an SS 4-speed car originally. Now I'm seeing metallic grey cars all over the place it seems so...it could change. I don't really want a loud color but I do like the Sebring orange on the new corvettes. I don't really know what system but as it stands now, I'll be spraying this thing myself, in my garage. A guy over on the Nova forum did some basic photoshop renderings (using a picture of someone else's car) for me which was very cool of him. It was helpful for a general idea of what the color scheme would look like.

Kim Melander

I love that welder. Seems like everything used is way up in cost these days. Have not looked at welders in a while but I know used cars and trucks are silly high, especially trucks.

Kim Melander

That engine is off the dyno only a few day now. There are no changes planned until it goes in the car and I get a chance to drive it. I don't agree with the "lame" statement, but I understand how it would be considered that by some max effort guys. It was specd as a pump gas, max torque, street engine and that's all it is. I think it will have excellent manners on the street and I won't have to wind it up to enjoy it. 22 gal fuel cell, nice stereo, AC and a six speed should make it comfortable to cruise anywhere...I hope. I guess that makes it a pro-cruiser?

Kim Melander

Thanks man. Appreciate the offer. No mods planned until I get to drive it. I'm hoping I'll be happy with it.

Bspeck82

I dont mean to diss your combo. I'm just reflecting on my personal knowledge and experiences. You could achieve much more torque and have a rowdy car that sounds the part without sacrificing much. However your builder did this is not what I would agree with at all. You could really bump up that torque curve and make it come on way harder at around 4500-5000 and carry hard up top to 7 and keep it on 91 pump.

For comparison to my LS I have a 402, 98 computer efi, msd intake, 236/245 111 cam, 225 heads, 3.70 gears and a 3600 stall and the car is boring. It pulls hard, dont get me wrong it moves out but if I had to do that car again I could get more out of it. I'd go bigger cam solid roller, mast small bore heads, super vic efi or something similar. More stall and gear. Made 500 wheel hp and 450 wheel tq the way it sits. Unlocked.

I also have a built 408 sbc 9.5cr, 210 heads, pro systems 750 carb, 24x/25x 110+4 solid and a vic jr, 4000 stall and 4.56 gears and a th350 and that thing has more than enough torque everywhere. Idk what it makes waiting for cooler weather to really beat on it.

But at the end of the day if you are happy with it that's all that matters. The dyno could also be wrong.

RedXray

Color is interesting... IMO if you color match the bumpers it will give you a lower and meaner stance. With the bumpers blacked out they almost look missing and hurts the Nova's lines but like I said it's only an opinion.

I've shot a lot of paint systems through the years (since mid 70's) from DuPont (now Axalta), PPG, BASF, House of Kolor etc. The best clear I've used is from a company down in Georgia called SPI (southern polyurethanes inc). Their Universal Clear flows out nice and cuts & buffs very easily. I also like their epoxy primers, you can lay down a coat and have a 7 day window to add more coats before sanding. The epoxy also has a long pot life up to 120 hours in a sealed container. They ship free and I usually get my products the next day.

jasons69chevelle

I’d put the windage tray back in. I used a improved racing crank scrapper and windage tray with a Holley 302-2 oil pan. The windage tray did require some trimming. I have photos of where the trimming is needed.
Like others have said the manifold is holding it back.
What lifters and pushrods did they use?
Are those MSD plug wires.
I had a problem with some MSD wires I installed.
I had replaced a intake, valve springs, and installed some new plugs and wires. Drove the car and had a issue with low power. Went back over the components I installed. Finally I installed the old wires, and the car ran great. I tested the MSD wires with a ohm meter and a couple of them had a little higher resistance(I don’t remember the numbers) but I know they weren’t that far off from the ones that matched.

Kim Melander

Thanks for the heads-up. Admittedly, I was worried about the coils. I realize that the cam and intake are limiting the engine's peak output but I think it is shifting the torque curve down the rpm scale and flattening it out. That was the desired characteristic for my application and budget. This is a 99% street driven vehicle. Basically, I wanted big block torque without the penalty of big block weight. When I say big block, i'm referring to a mildly built big block. Obviously I could have bought a crate BB that far exceeds the output of this 408 for similar money, but I would have had to accept the weight penalty.

Lifters are GM factory style with the plastic retainers. I offered to buy quality link-bar type and the builder discouraged it. I don't know what pushrods they used but I do know they were special length. The coils are factory from the core engine and the wires are Taylor race 409. Ignition controller is the MSD-6014.

I probably will put the windage tray in. I can't remember where, but I know I've seen some talk about windage in these blocks due to the small windows at the main bearing webs. Increased stroke is only going to make that worse I suspect. GM put it in there from the factory for some reason. They obviously thought it was necessary. I noticed that they didn't connect any of the PCV/valve cover evacuation stuff on the dyno, but they did recommend that I do use/connect it on the car. This came up when I had to order tall valve covers because the OEM pieces wouldn't clear the rockers. Not sure if that hurt or helped output on the dyno.

jasons69chevelle

For a pcv check out the mewagner adjustable valve you can put it inline with the correct adapter. You can adjust it to what your engine needs. They are a little pricey though. There maybe a better option for a pcv valve. Them not recommending link bar makes me wonder what length the pushrods are. I wonder if they just guessed. I believe you said you had the TFS heads that would increase the pushrods to a 7.5 ish with stock lifters.

Kim Melander

I just submitted a request to MightyMouseSolutions.com for help with PCV/venting/evacuation system selection. It looks like they have nice stuff and I found them on this forum. Sealed or vented can? Oil fill connection vs. valve cover connections? I assume I'll need a air filter assembly that will allow a connection for clean air, and the "dirty" air goes into the intake manifold port after the can?

Bspeck82

If it has an ls2 valley tray you go from that to a catch can to intake. TB to valve cover.

Bspeck82

Sealed system. I'd get one from ws6store.