build advice

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Kind of hard to answer when all you want to do is a little cruising and "showing off" in a light weight car. I can say the build is misguided (mainly a hyd. cam and the stealth intake, the heads would need some $$$ put into them), but cannot give a good answer as 545 ci in a light car will do what you are wanting based on what you say.

Personally I'd ditch the heads, cam, and intake. A set of FRPP SCJ-A heads, proper solid lifter cam, victor intake and a dominator. Just know you will have to have your pistons notched for the intake valves which is no big deal.

466cj wrote:Kind of hard to answer when all you want to do is a little cruising and "showing off" in a light weight car. I can say the build is misguided (mainly a hyd. cam and the stealth intake, the heads would need some $$$ put into them), but cannot give a good answer as 545 ci in a light car will do what you are wanting based on what you say.

Personally I'd ditch the heads, cam, and intake. A set of FRPP SCJ-A heads, proper solid lifter cam, victor intake and a dominator. Just know you will have to have your pistons notched for the intake valves which is no big deal.

What is wrong with a hyd cam and Stealth intake?

466cj wrote:Kind of hard to answer when all you want to do is a little cruising and "showing off" in a light weight car. I can say the build is misguided (mainly a hyd. cam and the stealth intake, the heads would need some $$$ put into them), but cannot give a good answer as 545 ci in a light car will do what you are wanting based on what you say.

Personally I'd ditch the heads, cam, and intake. A set of FRPP SCJ-A heads, proper solid lifter cam, victor intake and a dominator. Just know you will have to have your pistons notched for the intake valves which is no big deal.

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73stang wrote:

466cj wrote:Kind of hard to answer when all you want to do is a little cruising and "showing off" in a light weight car. I can say the build is misguided (mainly a hyd. cam and the stealth intake, the heads would need some $$$ put into them), but cannot give a good answer as 545 ci in a light car will do what you are wanting based on what you say.

Personally I'd ditch the heads, cam, and intake. A set of FRPP SCJ-A heads, proper solid lifter cam, victor intake and a dominator. Just know you will have to have your pistons notched for the intake valves which is no big deal.

WOW..."all you want to do is a little cruising and "showing off" in a light weight car"

You should be so lucky to have your only goal to be to have a little fun.

I picked up the whole mess for less than the cost of the crank, rods and pistons so I certainly wouldn't mind making changes. I was looking for something a little more specific....a little more "contructive" with the criticism. Some specific suggestions would be nice.

If you want a better anwser try giving some goals to shoot for. Are you going ot drag race this? If so what is your ET goal? Is it just street/strip? what stall is the converter? what rear gear? what tire size? what is the car weight? just a little fun you can have with any big block.

As for my answer, by the time you get done with the D0VE heads to make them work and make power on an engine that size you can buy a set of the SCJ heads for too not much more. The Victor and dom, well on a engine that size in a light car you have enough low end torque and an engine that size will make use of them. The cam I don't like hyd. cams unless it is an everyday deal. Simple is reliable, plus a solid lifter cam put more area under the curve. As for grind, let a cam guy pick it.

IDT-572 wrote:
What is wrong with a hyd cam and Stealth intake?

Hi Blake,

Not a fan of the Stealth intake, I know lots of guys like them, but not one of them. Is my preference. In a light car with a big engine don't see a need for a dual plane anyway. Has enough low end with 545 ci and that big engine will use a Victor and Dominator IMHO.

Hyd. cams I just do not like them in a performance engine, one more thing to screw up, plus a solid lifter can get the valve off the seat better. Guess I'm just old school LOL

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73stang wrote:Howdy I'm new to this forum but have been lurking in the background for a little while.

I just bought someone else's abandoned 545 project build at a "feel guilty" kinda price. All parts are new in the box. I am new to BBFs and need some advice. Here's what I have:

D0VE-A block
D0VE-C heads (un-touched, as FOMOCO built em) I know these heads will need bigger valves and port work.
Eagle forged crank 4.5 stroke
Eagle 6.70 h-beam rods
Mahle flat top pistons 3cc 1.35 pin height 0.30 overbore (my calculator says 13.6/1 CR @ 0 deck)
Lunati voodoo 61605 w/ lifters, springs, retainers
241/249 @ .050, lift .582/.600, LSA/ICL: 110/106
scorpion 1.73 roller rockers
8021 stealth intake
Holley 130 gal/hr mech fuel pump
MSD 6al and 8580 dist.

I aim to put this in a '28 model A RatRod w/ C6 and 9" rear
110 race fuel is not a problem.
I live <20 feet above sea level.
I will never spin this over 6500rpm and could care less about street manors. Short cruising/showing off will be it's use.

Questions:

1. Are these parts a good fit with one another? Where were the flaws in this guys plan?
2. What size carb would work with this combo?

If you try to bolt it together it won't even run; it won't even turn over witout some cylinder head modification.
That intake is for CJ sized intake ports.
The camshaft provides much more valve lift than the OEM iron cylinder head will accept without at least some valve guide modifications.
IF you have no intention of putting it into any competition and simply wish to, (as you say), cruise around and show off, finding a good set of A429 heads would be your best avenue. They probably won't cost you any more than what modifying your heads would end up costing you and you would be a LOT better off..

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73stang wrote:Thanks for the honesty, sounds like time to look for a good builder in So. Florida, keep the rotating assembly and block and go from there.

There's a Forum member that lives just East of Tampa called Fatback that builds competition engines. Nice guy w/awesome facility. I can get you his # if interested.

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73stang wrote:

"just" street/strip mostly street
rear is 9" 4.10 w/Detroit lockers
car + my 320lbs = +/-3100lbs
tires will be 32" drag radials
I would like to make 650Hp/700tq < 6500rpm
stall converter, well, I have no idea what's appropriate.

Biggest issue is the heads. To make those numbers would require a good bit of work to the heads you have. A set of FRPP SCJ-A heads can be had for less than $1,800 and will do the job, even with the cam you have. If I was doing it I'd get a custom ground solid lifter cam made for the application. You would have to have the pistons notched for the intake valve, but that is not hard nor expensive to have done.

I know RM mentioned getting some A429 heads and I like those heads, but there is a big wild card in that all that you will find is used. Unless you know what you are buying you can get burned. Usually can expect whatever you find will need some work, that has been my experience. So best bet is find a bare pair and have them built up and ported right. All said and done unless you find a screaming deal better off just buying a set of the SCJ heads new and ready to rock.

As for the intake a Victor and Dominator be my choice. I'd put about a 3,500 stall converter in it. OK now I see the mostly street. In that type of situation I'd give up a few ponys for the street. Bring the CR down to about 10 - 10.5 (unless you have an endless supply of 110), BT dual plane with a dominator carb and cut the stall back to about 3,000 rpm. The stealth you have will work ok too, but to me the BT is a better piece, although pricy.

Here's a good deal on a set of SCJ-A's. http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/pts/3171677184.html If you are interested and he doesn't want to ship them I'd be happy to help out.