dr_hunt

Given the weather circumstances, I'd give him some leeway. I have known him to come through eventually, which is probably just his lifestyle. He'll be late to his own funeral as he seems to be late for everything.

Do you have to stamp the dwgs? If so then do it by the job plus commish would be your best bet. Figure what a big house would charge and charge just as much or maybe a little less if your going to go by the job. Figure hours, $150/hr for time on spec's. Do you have Masterspec? I paid 10K for Masterspec on disc years ago. I paid 20K for ACAD not to mention upgrades. I paid 20K for WaterCAD not including upgrades. I charge 2 to 3K per sheet of dwgs depending on detail. 3D rendering is extra 3 to 5K depending on format on disc, dwgs, or what level of detail that involves.

If you really think about it, impaling is the one thing all race cars do not protect against. More of a track safety issue IMO. That's why dragstrips typically use concrete barrier walls instead of fences.

A buddy of mine's semi is called dragginfly, cause he's draggin butt up hill and flying down the other side. Sassy Lassy is the one for Bryce's z.

Well, anything that is bent, is going to bend more when subjected to more force along its longitudinal axis. A force tangential to the longitudinal axis would be a different kettle of fish depending on direction. I think that sounds good, but in laymans terms, no, a bent cross bar form side to side on a chassis isn't as strong as a straight bar when subjected to a side impact. In reality though, any cage is an improvement over no cage provided it's designed and built right. finite element analysis is ok, but way beyond most of the general public. I hope nobody has to go through a side impact in any car, let alone a z.

All except the bowtie blocks, which are all siamesed. no, you can't bore a 305 to a 4.00 inch bore and have it work or if it worked, it wouldn't work very long. I knew a guy, Ray Zamora, who bored a 350 to 4.125, lasted about 2 weeks before cracking a cylinder lengthwise from top to bottom. I measured a piece of the cylinder wall and it was .080 thick. Cylinder wall thickness along the wristpin centerline is of no real asset, the thrust faces of the cylinder wall are what take the most stress, and the goal is to achieve the maximum stiffness. If the thinnest portion of the cylinder wall is .800 long where the siamese portion is versus 12 inches long for the 350 (Pi x Dia), which is entire circumference of cylinder, which will be stiffer? So what you get with an aftermarket block is; 1. New std. bore, 2. More material in the cylinder walls at max bore than stock blocks have at std bore., 3. Better oiling., 4. Clearance for stroker cranks up to 3.875 and 4.125 is a breeze without hitting the bottom of the water jacket., 5. Better cam brg oiling for roller camshafts., 6. Blind head bolt holes so you don't have water leakage problems normally associated with studs., 7. Handles more HP!, 8. Dead nuts lifter bores and overall tolerances are better than production blocks., 9. It doesn't make you faster, but it sounds cool to your hotrod buddies when you say, "I have a Dart block". I call it the Ooooooooo factor., 10. You don't end up throwing away $1000 on a production block like Pete did, although he didn't pay $1000 for the block, but somebody did and it could be YOU! There are more little things, but that's what I can think of off the top of my head and #10 is a biggie. Now then why doesn't somebody get an aluminum aftermarket SBC and really shave some weightk, it could have it's own hybridz category "Aluminum Blocks". Deck height is the distance from the crank centerline to the cylinder head mounting surface or deck. Quench head engines like the sbc require .045 or less to achieve quench, at least that's what they say, and .040 or less is preferred. To get that most people in the know deck to 9 inches, which allows you to run an .041 head gasket and still get the quench you need. You don't know it yet but Pete asked santa for a NOS pro shot Fogger system for christmas and he's going to spray 700HP of NOS if he's been a good boy. Rumor has it that he's not been that good, so my money is on a 250 shot.

I've seen the same thing a couple of times, it is my theory that that cylinder wall is thinner than the others in the same block as cast. You know that everything is not always perfect in the GM world. I guess sonic testing blocks is a good idea, but my machinist says that while leaning on a new dart block and he always says, "You could of course spend alittle more and get this." The dart is a step in the right direction and after all the money you poured into the stock block, plus the gaskets, rings and aggravation, doesn't it seem so simple to go Dart????? I think that if Grumpy and I, and I'm sure some others, could combine experience and knowledge and pass it on to you all, we'd all be better off and money ahead. I had 5, count 'em, 4 bolt 400 blocks, been buying them and saving them for years starting in the '70's. Now, I'm getting rid of them all to a buddy for $300 each and you guessed it, buying another dart block. The other big problem I've experienced with the 400's is stripping head bolt holes, and of course you only do that when your installing the heads. So, after decking, align honing, boring and honing with plates, you end up with $650 in the block in machine work alone, probably $1000 when you take into account the block and vatting. Then to run into problems like what you've got there, it just doesn't seem worth it, at least to me and I'm old and busted. The new young guns might like ripping motors back out and building and rebuilding, but I'm just loosing my ability to accept the potential problems with the production blocks especially now that I can work hard and find the $$$ to get it done. The other really nice feature you'll notice with the dart blocks is the blind head bolt holes, no longer will you have to deal with leaking head studs! Whoooppppeeeeeee!!!!!!

Well, it makes sense that it would matter, how much I don't know, I think it would be alot easier to do on a mill rather than a lathe, but I do know about that indexing fixture. How many notches have to be in the pulley to work and how many degrees apart are they? I like the EDIS, and I'd like to try it.

Pete, first of all the cylinder head is off the motor so if you had it honed with deck plates it won't be round anyway no matter how you measured it. Second, that's the problem with 400 blocks especially if you use head bolts instead of studs. Some blocks get good ring seal, others do not and I've seen "eyebrows" near the bolt holes where the rings weren't even touching the cylinder wall. Doing a short fill on the block seems to help alot in my experience. Another thing is head torque, 65 lb-ft seems to help alot vs. 70 lb-ft. With aluminum heads, you really only want to go 65 anyway due to the expansion factor of aluminum. The dart sportsman block is supposed to be good to 1250HP, so I guess if you really need the heavier duty block then I'm grinnin' cause I know you have something up your sleeve that we'd all be proud to see, let alone have for our own. If your using S&S full length headers, they won't clear the block. Also get the dipstick and tube from Chevy, the instruction sheet gives you the GM part #. Weld a nut to the header flange and the dipstick will bolt right to it and keep it in place. Oh, and try to contain yourself when you get the block, better get the wifey some flowers cause you'll spend several hours if not all night admiring the quality piece of work.

I had the NA version in a dune buggy. I think ou can still get block kits, but finding other parts isn't that easy. I have to agree with Quik240z this is not a must have. I never had any problems with mine, back in the '80's I put a mild cam, did some port work and just basically rebuilt it. Worked good for me for a number of years.

I think there was another thread where somebody claimed you filled the intake system with water 100% and then run the engine off the rev limiter.

Well, it depends on several factors, Grumpyvette may have some additional tidbits of info. One factor being the HP of the engine, if it's mild, say 350 or less with a hydraulic cam, then you probably don't need one. Instead, put the high pressure spring in the pump and that'll get the pressure up to about 55-60 and things will work ok. If your running more HP and solid or roller cam, then you'll need more oil, bigger pan, etc. If your road racing you may want to limit the oil to the top end if your running roller valve train. Two schools of thought here, oil cools the springs, but too much fills the valve covers cause it doesn't drain back fast enough and you start starving for oil, also pumping alot of oil builds heat in the oil and aerates it, which is not good. Circle track pans are usually 7 quart jobs at the min. Dry sump systems usually hold alot more but mainly due to aeration and length of the race. The stock chevy rockers have the oil hole offset from center so that it only oils the rocker at lift. Aftermarket rockers have the oil hole in the center so it oils all the time unless your running alot of lift and the lifter gets out of the oil groove machined in the lifter. This puts more oil in the top end all of the time so you have to account for that as well as watching total oil volume and pressure. Bearing clearance is another factor. Every additional .001 clearance roughly doubles the volume of oil that will pass through the bearing at a given pressure as long as the pressure remains constant. So, if you run .002 or more on the mains and rods IMO you should be looking at HV oil pump and bigger pan. Get a good pan like canton, B&B, moroso it's worth it. There is really no need to run more than .002 clearance IMO unless your building qualifying motors. I like .00125 to .0015 for street use and .002 to .00225 for HP or race on SBC's. If your machine shop is quality then they can check the mains and rods torqued with bearings you'll use and grind the crank to get you spot on. You still have to check clearances though and that doesn't mean plastigauge. Usually runs about $115 at my machine shop vs. $65 for the regular HP grind. On a stock crank, don't worry about fillets, unless you grind .020 off of the journals you can't really influence the fillets that much. Don't use a welded up cast crank ever! There ends up being little pits in the surface that have sharp edges and they will microsurface crack and you'll loose the bearing and journal. And for what it's worth, melling makes a 5 bolt pump for a sbc that number is M55HVS, this baby pumps all the oil you'd ever want or need, just make sure you have a 7 quart pan or larger and limit the oil to the top end. You can get 100psi out of that pump if you really feel you need it. I have run it on several circle track motors that used .003 bearing clearance and I have one in my welding truck that has a completely worn out engine and it only makes 50psi cause it's soooooo worn out.

If it's a 9.5 to one motor, then you could certainly use a stock starter without concern. Just my advice, but don't use used parts on a new install, get a rebuilt starter, fuel pump, water pump, hoses, belts, wires, cap, rotor, etc, unless your using something you know is relatively new or new HP parts. When I do engines in street cars they get everything listed plus pressure check and flow rad, new TC seal in trans, rebuilt carb, new or rebuilt alternator, new fuel lines (rubber) and complete tune. I'd bet that 383 is a cast 400 crank not an aftermarket steel crank. If it is it'll be expensive to go internal balance, cause last time I checked, mallory metal was about $100/inch installed. I've never used the TCI rattler, but what Mike is telling you is get ready to spend some $$, Probably $350-$400. Of course if you'd known then what you should know now it'd been cheaper in the first place. Since you have a computer, get on EBAY, you can find things alot cheaper if you pay attention. Don't pay more than you can buy it eleswhere in stores and if you need it in a hurry, use items that have a "buy it now" price if it suits you. Distributor should fit fine. Post your other questions on cam and rockers, somebody will get them answered for you, that's what everybody tries to do.

Damn grumpy you had to go spill the beans, starting fluid is what I use, with the little long plastic tube that you use on WD40 cans. Really anything flammable will work, just do little spurts and use in well ventilated area. Just propane and starting fluid leave no mess. Hairspray leaves a mess. Is it wet in Fla yet grumpy? Seems you've had your share of rain this year.

I've seen that before, although I've never experienced that problem. Get an SFI flexplate and you should be set.

The 153 tooth flywheel has some fitment issues with some converters and I don't know of any that are balanced for the 400sbc. If you had a 153 and took it to your machine shop they could make it work by adding a weight to the flywheel to get it right. I've done that before for circle track motors with low ground clearance issues. I don't know why you would want to do that when the regular flexplate can be had for around $70. You'd have to be running alot of compression to need a gear reduction starter, and yes most will fit either flywheel depending on mounting holes used.

You need to get a good balancer, I like fluidampr, some people don't. There are several good SFI flexplates for the 400SBC and you'll need one of those in the 168 tooth version most likely. They made a 153 tooth version but it takes a different starter. Sounds like a nice combination.

I'd answer that but then I'd be giving away all my secrets.

I think what your asking for is a SFI certified flexplate, there are several manufacturers of those, but none for a bombproof flexplate.

Well, seems that nobody changes thier own oil so that's not really a suprise. Tuning is almost an art. It's really forgotten, really it is. Name the parts you are supposed to change in a tune up. Everybody always forgets the PCV valve. I doubt anybody really measures spark plug wire resistance anymore anyway, just buy new wires, they probably needed replacing anyway, at least that's what they think. If they ever put a vacuum gauge on the intake to adjust the carb, they would have known they had a vacuum leak in the first place or at least would have been more likely to suspect that. But how did they adjust the idle on the carb without one? Go figure! Plugs, you mean they don't come pre-gapped from the manufacturer? Get out of town, first I've heard of that, what will they do next to screw the do it yourselfer? Oh, and don't forget that just because plugs are new means that they are also good. Don't forget reading plugs either, but then that leads to jetting, power valves, metering rods, accelerator pump cams, squirters, air bleeds and that whole can of worms, better to take to to insta-tune and let the flunkies do it right. End play on the distributor shaft is bad, crap. Timing, what about total advance and when it gets to full advance, really nobody plays with timing unless they go dizzyless and even then they just plug in some curve that looks good and go with it. Valve settings, do they really have an effect on things, like make it run better on top or provide more low end? You are saying that they should be all the same? What's .010 between friends these days? Used to be the day when we had to tune every week, cause those of us who remember dual points and solid lift cams as being the hot setup, know that you had to really tune it every week, not once a year or two. Sorry, grumpy, I'm feeling grumpy, cause the whole world has the credit card tune attitude and pocketbook to back it up, but in reality they are missing the essence of hotrodding and undoubtedly will get whipped at the strip by a lessor engine that is properly tuned. I hate to see a good engine go to folks like that just cause they can afford it. What about tuning plug gap for best ET, nobody probably has ever taken the time to do that or play with timing the same way either. Your right grumpy, tuning is a complete waste of time, kind of like changing oil, don't like doing it so let's just get bigger heads and more carb. Oh, by the way, what will they do when the plastic is maxed out?

Now that is funny! LMAO

I do it all, cause I want it done right and I sleep better knowing it's done right instead of wondering if some monkey butt remembered to tighten the oil pan plug or if he tightened the filter right just to name a few things.

It's only trickery if your on the receiving end. That's the way we suckered the out of town guys in for $$$$ and a buttwhoopin! I never raced for less than $100 back in the day just to make sure they were serious. Most I've ever won was $400 off two black guys in a porche 911. That sucks about the track, Alb. National is going the same way. I offered to design the new track, plans and spec's for $25K and they turned me down, cause the new land commissioner opened up the old track for another 5 years. I did a traffic and pedestrian control plan for the existing track and never got paid either. Roswell, went tits up as well, El paso is rough with little track prep and hardly any races. Desert Demonz is a street venue at an airstrip with 10 second cars being about the fastest thing they see and they have wrecks as well.

It's listed in my parts book, if they are a holes, tell them yours broke.

How many of us wrecked their first car? Ok, so I see most of you have your hands up. Safe car, like a '72 Caddy deville with an L28 engine and automatic. JK!! DSM's, the 6 bolt motor is better than the 7 bolt motor from what I've heard. Crank walk is clutch installation problem that causes the thrust to wipe out, buddy has one, so I've heard all the horror stories. I'd lean towards a car that she'd be safe in first. Personally I'd buy her a truck, regular cab, 6 cyl, 5 speed. Besides, if she still has it when she goes to college, she can move her stuff alot easier. JMO.