Seeking advice
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Seeking advice First, does someone know the drag co-efficiencies for older Camaros (1970's - mid-1980's)
(someone please tell me - I need to know...)
Anyway, here's why I write: My beloved, expensive 4-year project car (71 Camaro) was feloniously stolen & illegally sold by the San Diego Police 19 years ago (Yes, an american Police Dept. actually committed Felony Grand Theft Auto and then covered it up {overt & harrowing police Crimes are not uncommon in San Diego, Ca.) and I'm confident they may finally settle with me - so I finally hope go out and buy something else and start a new project car. But this is what I'm trying to achieve: {apart from knowing drag co-eff's with various older/newer GM cars...}...
I need recommendations of some fairly inexpensive used older/newer car(s) with good potential; but in attempts to eventually closely match the Autobahn's Ferarris, Porsches, & Lambos, etc. here in Europe where I live now. I was quite successful at this very same contest in Southern California 19 years ago with my 71 'super' Camaro - I was liked, & disliked, by the super-rich 'oil-familys' youngsters who could not out-drive me nor catch me in my Camaro while they drove their super-expensive, impressive exotic Italian iron back then.
But now that 19 years has past I'm not sure if another 70's car has much overall potential against today's exotics. The last time I saw US muscle ripping the Autobahn [here] was when it was popular for a motor-head to have a Banks twin-turbo setup in a 1980's-1990 Trans Am or Firebird (because they supposedly had a favourable drag co-eff's., & Corvette-like handling potential especially with common, easy mods & VR/ZR tyre's). Now, the only American 'muscle'-car I see here is the Corvette - but they are somewhat common, expensive [here], and they only have two seats.
Okay GM brothers, & seasoned enthusiasts: What fairly inexpensive car(s) now can be a good start for me here if I intend to use a power-plant based on the common older iron chevy 400 sb (with mods of course)? Also, can someone please tell me if it is easily possible to use the cheaper-available older iron blocks with the (newer?) cars? And, what about the existing trannys & rear-ends in post-1990's GM cars if one is using 450-550 ft.lbs.tq? - or do I now need to shovel a bunch 'o money for a newer, much more expensive engine casting/block (& tranny?) to easily fit into post-'90's cars? Also, 19 years ago I was just getting ready to graduate from Carburetion to more practical fuel-injection exploration, but due to the trauma & unspeakably painful theft of my pride & joy (Camaro) long ago I never owned another muscle car since. Is EFI nowadays pretty easy & relatively inexpensive to run on my (envisioned) 400sb with low-profile mini-blower (or even without the blower)? Should I stick with a Carb if/when using any (cheaper) under-the-hood Blower?
Also, does anyone know of any similar GM enthusiasts like myself (or informal/formal GM {not-exclusively Corvette} Clubs/Organisations), but here in Europe that I could also meet & talk to?
Lastly for the moment, can an 'experienced' person please constructively critique my envisioned motor-build idea(?); In my next 'sports' car I'd like to easily duplicate/surpass the hp/tq. of a lightly modified 454, but using a 400sb. Yes, I know of the 400's siamese design, & it's 5.65 rod length/rod-angle, etc., however, I built many 400's in the past and I was much happier with them than their 383(350) or 377(350) counter-parts mainly for the increase in inches making up for everything else as long as I didn't rev over 6,000-6500. But(?), are there now (cheap(er) 400sb mods (5.70-6.00" rods, forged crank, etc.) that will make the 400 {or a mild-stroker 420(400)} very usable, reliable & streetable like a 350 or 454, but with the 400sb using (with, or without) a smaller B&M, Weiand, or other 4-71(144cu?) blower? Keep in mind I don't want to spend a ton 'o money just on my engine. In the past I had around 450lbs/tq. for well under $2,000.USD, and I could have simply added a mini-blower (after reducing my compression/r) for another $1,500.USD {used} back then. I think I want to try something similar now here - but I'm wide open for suggestions.
Oh: every gas-station [here] has 98 Octane, and I can also very easily buy newer-generation LL-100 AV 'blue' fuel for the same price (or cheaper). Here, high-compression or high-boost are practical. :happyanim: So; being that petrol quality and speed limits are not a problem here - what would you do with a somewhat limited budget over a 2-year period? Thanks!
(someone please tell me - I need to know...)
Anyway, here's why I write: My beloved, expensive 4-year project car (71 Camaro) was feloniously stolen & illegally sold by the San Diego Police 19 years ago (Yes, an american Police Dept. actually committed Felony Grand Theft Auto and then covered it up {overt & harrowing police Crimes are not uncommon in San Diego, Ca.) and I'm confident they may finally settle with me - so I finally hope go out and buy something else and start a new project car. But this is what I'm trying to achieve: {apart from knowing drag co-eff's with various older/newer GM cars...}...
I need recommendations of some fairly inexpensive used older/newer car(s) with good potential; but in attempts to eventually closely match the Autobahn's Ferarris, Porsches, & Lambos, etc. here in Europe where I live now. I was quite successful at this very same contest in Southern California 19 years ago with my 71 'super' Camaro - I was liked, & disliked, by the super-rich 'oil-familys' youngsters who could not out-drive me nor catch me in my Camaro while they drove their super-expensive, impressive exotic Italian iron back then.
But now that 19 years has past I'm not sure if another 70's car has much overall potential against today's exotics. The last time I saw US muscle ripping the Autobahn [here] was when it was popular for a motor-head to have a Banks twin-turbo setup in a 1980's-1990 Trans Am or Firebird (because they supposedly had a favourable drag co-eff's., & Corvette-like handling potential especially with common, easy mods & VR/ZR tyre's). Now, the only American 'muscle'-car I see here is the Corvette - but they are somewhat common, expensive [here], and they only have two seats.
Okay GM brothers, & seasoned enthusiasts: What fairly inexpensive car(s) now can be a good start for me here if I intend to use a power-plant based on the common older iron chevy 400 sb (with mods of course)? Also, can someone please tell me if it is easily possible to use the cheaper-available older iron blocks with the (newer?) cars? And, what about the existing trannys & rear-ends in post-1990's GM cars if one is using 450-550 ft.lbs.tq? - or do I now need to shovel a bunch 'o money for a newer, much more expensive engine casting/block (& tranny?) to easily fit into post-'90's cars? Also, 19 years ago I was just getting ready to graduate from Carburetion to more practical fuel-injection exploration, but due to the trauma & unspeakably painful theft of my pride & joy (Camaro) long ago I never owned another muscle car since. Is EFI nowadays pretty easy & relatively inexpensive to run on my (envisioned) 400sb with low-profile mini-blower (or even without the blower)? Should I stick with a Carb if/when using any (cheaper) under-the-hood Blower?
Also, does anyone know of any similar GM enthusiasts like myself (or informal/formal GM {not-exclusively Corvette} Clubs/Organisations), but here in Europe that I could also meet & talk to?
Lastly for the moment, can an 'experienced' person please constructively critique my envisioned motor-build idea(?); In my next 'sports' car I'd like to easily duplicate/surpass the hp/tq. of a lightly modified 454, but using a 400sb. Yes, I know of the 400's siamese design, & it's 5.65 rod length/rod-angle, etc., however, I built many 400's in the past and I was much happier with them than their 383(350) or 377(350) counter-parts mainly for the increase in inches making up for everything else as long as I didn't rev over 6,000-6500. But(?), are there now (cheap(er) 400sb mods (5.70-6.00" rods, forged crank, etc.) that will make the 400 {or a mild-stroker 420(400)} very usable, reliable & streetable like a 350 or 454, but with the 400sb using (with, or without) a smaller B&M, Weiand, or other 4-71(144cu?) blower? Keep in mind I don't want to spend a ton 'o money just on my engine. In the past I had around 450lbs/tq. for well under $2,000.USD, and I could have simply added a mini-blower (after reducing my compression/r) for another $1,500.USD {used} back then. I think I want to try something similar now here - but I'm wide open for suggestions.
Oh: every gas-station [here] has 98 Octane, and I can also very easily buy newer-generation LL-100 AV 'blue' fuel for the same price (or cheaper). Here, high-compression or high-boost are practical. :happyanim: So; being that petrol quality and speed limits are not a problem here - what would you do with a somewhat limited budget over a 2-year period? Thanks!
