Mike C

Do you mean the double hump heads? A 283 with 64cc chambers and flat tops is about 8.5:1 compression. Most .480 lift cams are in the 280 degree duration range, 228-232 @ .050. The small bore means your "fuelie" heads are at most 1.94/1.50 valves but if the are 283 heads chances are 1.72/1.40 valves. Assuming you turn the motor 7000 rpm or so, hp is probably in the 300 flywheel hp range, but low speed torque will be minimal. Not a good combo IMO. I ran the Cam Dynamics 284/.480 cam in my 331 with 1.94/1.5 valves, and it never ran as good as it should have. Some of that can be attributed to the 112 deg LSA. With the 266/.440/110LSA cam in it now, seems much more powerful, albeit at a significantly lower RPM. Small displacement needs big compression and with SBC, the sub 4" bore block limits valve size and subsequently limits high speed flow. I am making some assumptions as to your motor, really need to know more about your combo. The 283 could be a reasonable Z motor with parts matching. Especially attractive with 3.90 diff and a T5 and the 7000 rpm capability. I would want 11:1 compression, maybe some Vortec 305 heads with their 58cc chambers and a Comp 270 Magnum cam. But once you start spending more $ on it, might as well have bought a bigger engine. A complete Vortec 350 can be had from a dismantler for about $800. You get FI, late model accessories, and a hydraulic roller cam. The stock Vortec will make more power than a very radical 283. I like small displacement, high RPM small blocks, just be prepared to spend big bucks in order to make any power.

Wow. Scary. I have an older lift that I personally pulled from a buddies shop when they got new ones. Regreased the cables and refilled the fluids. Haven't had any scares like that fortunately. All to the tune of $500. I did have to redo the rubber pads. Made mine from a new mudflap I got at a trailer dealer for $10.

I've got a couple. No, I guess that is an understatement... Hi, my name is Mike. I have an addiction to internal combustion... At least I know there are a few other guys here in the same boat! 2 650 Jetskis (PJS 650 cylindered, Factory Pipe, twin carbed SX and a 44 Mikuni/Westcoast piped X2. Both have headwork, pump impellers, rideplates,etc.) 85 FJ1100 has a pipe and carb kit. 11.50's @ 115 takin' it easy. 95 Malibu Echelon 265hp skiboat. 77 twin shock YZ80 waiting a resto. 72 Jimmy 4 wheel drive, the truck I learned to drive in at 12. 70 GMC big block truck 69 Camaro that I've had since high school. 68 Camaro convertible, MAJOR project. Sitting on a dolly now with all of the suspension stripped out. Floor pans and interior paint soon... 64 Corvette, waiting to replace the convertible... 51 John Deere Poppin' Johnny Model A. 320ci TWO cylinder! 44 Willys MB, mostly restored and used as a hunting vehicle. And my latest "toy" a 200 amp Lincoln SA200 pipeliner gasoline powered stick welder on a trailer. Just the thing for fence work on the farm! One nice thing about buying old cheap stuff is you don't have to sell it to buy something else! Never had a new car, just opted to buy a different old car every year or two. My buddies were always getting involved in the latest and greatest fads. They'd buy an expensive car to go fast, I'd buy a cheap one. They got expensive dirt bikes, street bikes, trucks, etc. and I'd just buy a nice used one. Each time they changed hobbies, they had to unload the old one to buy the new one. I guess the advantage to that is they wouldn't have to maintain and store all of the crap I've acumulated

No way 400hp gets a front drive sedan in the 10's. Probably take 500 because of poor launch. And only 9 idiots, 3 of which are mega-idiots trying to outbid each other, have participated. Nothing like running the price up, we'll see who wants it more, jennifer72180 or hytonen. maybe Marquiscruiser will step up? This could be a new reality program.

I think the WRX/STI cars are really cool. But $31000 cool? Not to me. $10k buys a really nice used truck (which it sounds like you have), another $10k gets a skiboat, $3k for a dirtbike, $5k for a street bike and that leaves $3k for gas...or Z parts, or beer, or.. But I coined a saying, "You can't tell people how to raise their children or spend their money." Well, I guess you can TELL them, but results speak loudly! A new car is a good deal if you plan on keeping it for at least 10 years. Maybe 20 as prices get higher and higher, but it has been my observation that buying late model hot rods is a good way to make your wallet REALLY thin. Becuase you KNOW you won't be able to leave it alone, and big boost and broken pistons won't be covered under the warranty. Better to have only $1000 invested if it's going to sit beside the garage broken and not making $500 a month payments. JMHO...

Popping out the intake? Usually a sign of running too lean, at least on carbureted cars. Popping out the exhuast most likely too rich. I would check fuel pump performance and the status of your filter.

I agree with DCarrow. Be careful with the terminology above: Most triple setups DO have conventional enrichment chokes for cold start, they just don't work very well usually and are not hooked up by most people. However, in most climates they are not needed since they have accelerator pumps. Just mash the throttle two or three times, then turn the key. Once it fires up, usually keeping it running for 30 seconds or so with the throttle will allow it to idle on its own. The SUs found on 240s DO require a choke for cold start on cool/cold days because they have no accelerator pump. The side draft carbs have interchangeable venturi sleeves. These are called "chokes" as well. They are another tuning device for these infinitely adjustable fuel mixers, but they are not a cold start enrichment feature and are NOT optional. http://www.motorbooks.com has books on Weber and Del'Lorto carburetors and one book that covers both. Highly recommended for your edification regardless of whether you choose the triple route.

Patriot makes a block hugger designed for d-port heads and angle plugs. Also uses a flare fitting to eliminate the gasket from the collector to pipe juncture. Summit and Jegs both sell Patriot (A Pertronix co.) in painted $149, and coated $229.

I don't think GM gives a rats A$$ about the "muscle car" crowd. Old car guys for the most part aren't supporting the big 3's existence. As the old saying goes, GM is in the business of making money, not cars. And for the last 10 years, that has meant building trucks. Why not call the car a GTO? After all, it is in the same mold as the original. Plain vanilla 2 door passenger car sedan with powerful V8, rear drive and manual trans. What's not to like? (Except the 2 year old Corvette price.) The '94-'96 Impala SS was a complete success but a watered down knockoff as well if judged on the same criteria. If you don't like Pontiac styling you may be screwed, but kind' I like the last gen Grand Prix, although I wouldn't buy a Wrong Wheel Drive car. And this car ain't so bad, either IMO. At least compared to Grand Ams, Sunfires, Cavaliers, Luminas, Tahoes, Avalanches, Aztecs, etc. that GM has been churning out since the demise of the Impala and the F body. Even the new pick-em-ups have a goofy crooked headlight look. But my guess is they will sell plenty of new " GTO"s to the retro-crazed bulk of the population. Kudos for GM for actually trying to sell a performance sedan again, let's wish them success so that MORE options will come online for consideration.

I have a friend whose engine builder talked him into same thing. He had a 434 small block in a '67 'vette rag top. About the timing lights, the motor locked up and caused the car to spin.... destroying the motor and causing significant damage to the car when the front hit the guard rail. I don't know about you, but compared to the pain suffered in the complete loss of a $10k small block and ANOTHER $10k in damage to an expensive car, even "significant" HP gains seem anticlimatic. So it seems he may be trying to sell more GM engines! Or he owns a body shop.

That's not too awful bad! The gear ratios ROCK!

In a highperf application, the fuel line is not the first source of flow restriction, but the needle and seat. Dual inlets double the flow area into the carb.

It means I don't see this as a legitimate or even serious question but an attempt to get some sort of off-topic conflict started, ie trolling. Mounting a solid fuel JATO to a car is not a means of improving performance, just shortening your life. And if this WAS an honest question, it definitely doesn't belong in the SBC section.

No trolling...

They can be switched front to rear. Aftermarket springs are same length L/R, but not sure F/R. But the back of his car is too low, the front too high, the back too soft and front too hard. Seems like a good place to start for a little time and no money. If the springs did not come labeled originally, someone could have installed the wrong ones in each end of the car.

Not familiar with those, but you may want to swap your current springs F to R and see what happens.

Not sure about the Mustang, but those other cars loaded are around $24k. LS1, 6 speed, a useable backseat, and performance image is all excellent in the GTO. I don't think the styling is THAT bad (Aztec, Avalanche, could be worse, huh?) without all the idiotic cladding. But $35k is where they missed the boat IMO. That was the ONE thing they got right on the last gen Camaro. The ergonomics of the car sucked (Foot wide A-pillar, giant converter hump in passenger footwell, GIANT windshield and mile long dashboard, absolutely useless rear seat. And T-tops on nearly EVERY Z28 unless you special ordered) and as a result they didn't sell very many. The Impala SS did well in the mid $20's, but mid $30's just too damn much for an American car. (Much less a truck...)

I found that price list as well, but it didn't have the T5 prices, just the other 5 speeds that are based on the Richmond.

I have 3 T5's already, one WC. 4 if you count the Nissan. But my guess is just the gear sets alone will be well over $1200. Be interesting to see. I wouldn't want a blown up T5 to go through for this is it might have a stretched and damaged case. I really like the T5 and would like to see a cost effective way to upgrade one. An adapter bellhousing and brand new Motorsport Mustang T5 combined with an easy clutch foot seems most $ effective way of overdrive harnessing reasonable power. I think 500# ft would be no problem as long as you stay away from clutch dumps and drag radials/slicks.

I am making an assumption, and that is the Holden 6 speed is a T56.Any of you Aussie guys verify that? This link that Pete posted to the ultimate hybrid, (RollsRoyce Merlin powered 57 Chebbie) has engine swap bellhousings and adapters for engines to different trans: These are the engines to trans adapters: http://www.rodshop.com.au/transmissions.htm These are the custom bellhousings: http://www.rodshop.com.au/bellhousings.htm This is the most extensive listing of custom bellhusings and trans adapters I have ever seen! EDIT: I think I may have read this wrong, that it adapts the Nissan trans to the Holden motor? ANyway, this company looks like a potential source for T56 to L6 adapters, or any other combo for that matter!

Those are some awesome looking transmissions! All sorts of applications including reverse cut gears for Hondas? Cool. But the prices make a Richmond 6 speed look cheap... I couldn't find the T5 pricing, but it is an amazing looking trans. Actually, it appears that most of their trans are modified Richmond 5 speeds and the 4 speed a modded Super T10.

Obviously it needs to be custom, or he would'nt have done it! Check out this website that Pete posted, they have tons of adapter bellhousings, and depending on the pattern on a Nissan S22 diesel, you might be able to use the Supra 6 speed: (Doesn't the Supra come with a 6 speed? The bellhousing says 5 speed.) http://www.rodshop.com.au/bellhousings.htm

I do another board, http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com and there are are many vendors there that can help you out. I think I have done business with all of these vendors. These guys are all truck nuts as well as parts dealers: http://www.gmcpaulstruckparts.com/ http://www.classicheartbeat.com/ http://www.christiansclassics.com/ http://www.mothertruckers.net/ And some big commercial vendors: http://www.earlyclassic.com/ http://www.chevyduty.com/ http://www.brotherstrucks.com/ http://www.lmctruck.com/ And http://www.northernautoparts.com usually has good prices on stuff like motormounts.

All of MSD's distributors have a .500 shaft. The large cap HEI has a .500 shaft, the small cap HEI a .410 shaft, and the old points type has a .490 shaft. Sounds like the Vertex uses the same gear as a points distributor. That should make it easy enough to find.

Who cares? They are all GM employees. Just because cars are assembled in US doesn't mean they are American Made anymore IMO. The Camaro and Firebird have been made in Canada since the 80's. At least it ain't a Wrong Wheel Drive car and they have NIXED the plastic cladding! I just can't believe the price...