Kevin Shasteen

JKD, Give us all a quick book report...curiosity is killing me. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Most dealer owners didnt get their start yesturday. Most of them have been around for decades-then they sell to someone else who comes along and the dealer name changes: still the building, customer base, and business contacts have been there forever...so dont get to down on yourself just because your boss plays golf during business hours & you dont. Instead, use that as motivation to take the next step. If I were going to change jobs, do a complete 180, I would have to jump both feet into the Computer IT world. Seems the business world cant get enough "Competent" computer tech's: emphasis on the word competent. I'm not that computer literate-but if I was tired of busting my knuckles and the rest of my body, the computer field is where I would go. FWIW: if you are not computer lit either-there is going to be a lot of reading before you are brought up to speed: and then there will be a time period where you pay your dues. Atleast during this time period you will be in an office and not under a greasy, cold, & sometimes hot car. Yet, once you have passed this time of "paying your dues" and grasped the basics-you can pretty much go where you want to go-and afford your car/boat hobby at the same time. If you choose to go this route a great place to start would be to locate a company that offers a computer 1-800 help line to softwhare/hardware that people buy off the shelf. You dont really have to know much to get a job at one of these places-as their manuals will direct your answers based on the customer complaints. This way you mind gets engrained with the diagnostics involved between computer moniter, hard drives, fax's, motems & phone lines. Diagnostics is where most "Competent" tech's fail. Work there while you are working on your Microsoft Certification: this way you get the training on/off hours. My only experience w/this filed is that my brother is a Microsoft certified IT Tech...once he got his certification his pay doubled over night: simply because his certification now put him in demand. You know the ole saying-nothing will change until something changes: because it is your life the decision when and what to change is always yours. Good luck & hope this .02c's of mine meant something. Kevin,

To the victor go the spoils 8) Good kills...3 & 0: undefeated so far. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

That was pretty impressive. Download time for me was @ 45 minutes-for anyone else contemplating watching it. After watching the vid I looked up the car on the net-it has a Cd of .28: not to shabby. Still, for the price you could still build a TT anything and still have money left over...guess it just depends on what you need, like, or can afford. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I just love the way American's express themselves One needs to buy an engine....American Xpress is there. One needs to buy a Z, paint it, and shoehorn your engine in it....American Xpress is there. Blipping the throttle of an American Rice Killing V8 in that Z & blowing those rice burners away....PRICELESS! Wish you could have captured the look on their face when they first heard the beast roar. Must've been something similar to the deer in the headlights or a dog when it tilts their head as if they are trying to understand something they obviously dont understand. Good story. Looking forward to another Texian coming home safely: oh yea-dont forget to bring your car. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Great numbers! Congrats on getting to this point-you've certainly paid your dues to get this far. Have you ran it on the street yet? I cant wait to hear some stories about the rice burners losing their way in a rubber burning cloud of smoke. ....yea-yea-yea..tire smoke Gooood! Speaking of the traction impairedness of our light Z's-what consideration for gearing have you made? If you have not ran it on the street yet-what is your ETA? Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Dont concern yourself w/brand changing: what matters is that you are happy w/what you are driving. I remember the only other sports GT, non-Amercian, car I have ever driven: it was a Porsche. I dont remember what model it was: it was in the mid 80's. It was white with one of those whale tales in the back. My sister's boyfriend drove it up the drive and threw the keys at me & told me to take it for a drive. That was an eye opening test drive. 60mph and only in 2nd gear(?)! I too experienced the feeling of doing 100+ w/out actually feeling like the engine was under a strain. It was also humerous how brainless people are. People that wouldnt give me the time of day (in my fist Z at that time) were now giving me the time of day. I remember that test drive. That was a fun car: very well balanced. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

RJ, Every bit as nice as the other engine. Dont you wish there was a special TV Engine Stand/Tray that allowed us to eat off our enignes while watching the tele this way we could enjoy all that alluminum more often : up until we install the engine into our cars...of course. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

That is a work of art-has he tried selling it to an art museum? What are the: 1) Connecting Arm Lengths 2) Piston Compressrion Height 3) Stroke in inches 4) Block Deck Height 5) Cam Duration "Seat to Seat or Advertised measurement"...not the @ .050" measurement That really is a real piece of work: very nice. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I know this is kind've off point-but has anyone seen the "Hot Rod" Sept 2003 Issue? It has an article on a 450ci C5R (of the LS Engine Family Series). If you have deep pockets and want cubes...check out the magazine: needless to say it produced some incredible tq/hp numbers. The article gave all the required data & progressive dyno runs w/a handful of different metering bodies & air cleaners; it was a good article. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

What is needed to determine your actual DCR/SCR are the following from your current set up: a) Swept Volume = Bore x Stroke Block Deck Height (BDH) = Factory SBC BDH is 9.025" c) Connecting Rod Length" d) Cyl.Head Combustion Chamber Volume e) Piston Compression Height f) Piston +Dishcc's or -Dome cc's g) Ring Land cc's = Assume 1.5cc for a SBC h) Crushed Cyl. Head Gasket Volume i) Bore of Cyl. Head Gasket (Slightly larger than Block Cylinder) j) Seat to Seat Camshaft Duration Spec Once you know these items then we can begin playing with the DCR/SCR#'s. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I agree with CZ. If you are not prepared to do a complete engine make over for an extra 100 tq/hp then you should not be thinking about a bigger cam change, instead go w/the AFR 195's and your power band will move up the rpm range 500 or 600 rpm's with a little extra tq/hp to boot. This will achieve the effect I illuded to in my first post, yet on a mild level; that effect is to delay maximum tq from coming in too early-this leads to less wheel spin off the line while allowing your car to actually be rolling/moving fairly well prior to peak tq surfacing. This effect will also allow the car to act like a bat out of hell on the higher end. Less tq on the start with more tq/hp on the higher end is something our light Z-cars need. If all you do is mostly street driving on the weekend with an occasional strip run & you are already running in the 12's then you have a serious Hot Street Engine 8) whose combo is perfect for your needs. If you are going to make mod's I would suggest you do so in baby step stages. Start w/the AFR 195's w/out a cam or intake change. Your Cyl.Heads are the best place to start. Rpl the Cyl. Heads as their own modification. Then after you have done this and feel you still need a cam change or another intake, well at least this way you have a baseline to know what to expect out of any addt'l mod's. Look at it this way: the AFR 195's are quite versitile as in they make great Hot Street Cyl.Heads and they can also be used for a Mild Dedicated Strip Car...it all depends on how you build your engine. However, providing you have decent Cyl.Heads you can always upgrade a cam/intake afterward, but if you dont have the better breathing Cyl.Heads to begin with then a Cam/Intake Upgrade is a moot issue as the better breathing characteristics are not there to begin with. You already have a decent cam: and your cam should compliment your AFR 195's Cyl.Heads. Witout serious underbody mods our Z's are limited in space for an appropriate exhaust system for really heavy breathing engines: think about your exhaust system prior to ever choosing a heavy hitting big inch small block. If it cant exhale due to a restrictive exhuast then you will also be choking off the intake: if it cant exhale then it certainly cant inhale. If you are not really prepared to give your engine a make over I would think you are right where you should be, performance wise. The slightly better breathing Cyl.Heads are a perfect addition to your engine: IMHO. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Mike, One thing your mechanic possibly has considered, that you may/may not have, is that the engine is going into a very light car (assuming your Z, yes/no?). As a result, using your 210/220cc Ports in a hot street engine in a light car, you would delay the excessive power/weight factor by pushing the peak tq/hp up the rpm range, and this in turn would fudge your light Zcar's desire to spin the tires as airflow velocity in the cylinder heads will be minimal up to the point veh.speed is sufficient to support the peak tq/hp of your engine: did that make sence at all(?). Another thing, touched on in the previous posts above, is not to get to caught up in how large a port is-rather how much CFM that port flows at .010 lift increments. Providing your DCR (Dynamic Comp.Ratio) is properly matched to your SCR (Static Comp.Ratio) then your larger ported heads would not be that detrimental to your engine's airflow velocity in a light Z-car's traction limited state at lower rpm's: instead it would actually compliment your package. Are you familiar w/this process of matching your SCR to your DCR? Do you need help in making these choices(?), as all you have to do is ask 8) Questions I would like to know are: 1) Have you already purchased your pistons? 2) What is the Advertised Duration spec's on both your cam's? 3) What is the intended purpose for this engine/car? a) Mild Street, Hot Street, c) Mild Strip, d) Hot Strip, e) Dedictated Strip? 4) Are you planning on altering the diff.gear ratio? As far as the Chamber Vol of you Cyl.Head are concerned: if you havent replaced your pistons & plan on doing so-then you can choose the pistons w/the correct dish/dome cc's to match whatever Cyl.Head Combustion Chambers available: thus the actual Cyl.Head Brand Name is not that big of a deal-as long as it suits your purpose. Always remember that there is no single engine spec, Port cc's as an example, that stands alone. The secret to a good engine is an airflow velocity that matches your power needs within the rpm where it is needed most: you need it most in the rpm range you will find yourself in at least 60% of the time. Along those lines, a good place to start your engine build, would be to match your SCR to your DCR. The DCR is a tool that indicates how much your cylinder pressure has been/will be bled off, due to a late closing Intake Valve, while your SCR is a tool in correcting the cyl.pressures that have been/will be bled off due to a late closing Intake Valve. Still, the SCR & DCR themselves are not Islands unto themselves: but they are a great place to start. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Found these measurements on the net. Engine: length, height, width 4.6 SOHC: 28", 26", 28 5/8" 4.6 DOHC: 28", 29 7/8", 30" SBF 302: 32", 26", 26" Dont know how exact these measurements are or from what exact location they were taken: so look upon them for what they are-someone else's measurements. I'ld definately take some serious measurments prior to taking on any exp's. (stating the obvious, of course ) Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

as for your title of this thread: dont you mean "Detuned" as opposed to "Destroked"? If it was a destroked 377 it would no longer be a 377. I've only found one complete 377 build w/a dyno run in: "The Best of Hot Rod: How To Build Big Inch Chevy Small Blocks", Volume 9. Go to your nearest Barnes & Nobles & it should already be on the shelf. When they built the engine in the article they used an mild Isky 264/272 Roller Cam, Barry Grant 750 Carb, Bow Tie Block decked down to 8.99, Edelbrock Victor Jr. (Single Plane Intake), Edelbrock 212cc Intake Runner Alluminum Cyl.Heads 2.08/1.60 Valves with 70cc chambers. Their pistons gave the engine a 12.5:1 SCR w/1.250 Piston Compression Height: probably not to great for the street on pump gas....you'ld definately want a lower SCR for pump gas. Just because you can rev this combo upto the 7k rpm doesnt mean you have to. This combo has plenty hp/tq below the 5500rpm range. Build it for 9.5:1 SCR and tune the engine for 6000rpm and set your rev limiter at the 5500rpm level: you would still have plenty of kick up to that point. Dyno Test Run as the article built the engine is as follows: RPM's: Tq/HP 4200: 434/347 4400: 454/380 4600: 489/429 4800: 507/463 5000: 513/489 5200: 515/510 5400: 516/530....Peak Torque 5600: 513/547 5800: 508/561 6000: 501/573 6200: 494/583 6400: 483/589 6500: 476/589....Peak HP 6600: 467/587 6700: 459/586 6800: 452/585 6900: 443/582 7000: 435/576 It's cetainly an interesting build. The one thing you must have for an engine to rev that high prior to reaching its peak hp is stiff valve springs. You will also need a rock solid botom, premium valvetrain, and oiling system. The option on the block is to either use a stock 400 but then the use of a 350 crank requires bearing spacers. If you use a Bow Tie block then your crank mains can be custom bored to fit the 350 to begin with. Kevin,

I would suggest to anyone-anytime they see a nicely build muscele car on the street or in a parking lot to flag the driver/owner down & ask them questions. I have done this on many occasions & have yet to come across anyone who doesnt care to brag about their ride. Ask them if they have any pointers on shops that specialize on performance engine building. You could also ask any owner/operator shop or dealership where they out source their performance repairs as dealerships cant perform performance upgrades that are not factory otherwise it voids the warranty-as a result they will out source this to a shop they trust. Just start asking questions: once you find a shop ask them if they stand behind their product...reminding them that you plan on putting your foot in to it & dont want a powder puff engine instead you want something you can get ruff with: if they hem-haw & get stand offish w/their answer then move on to the next shop. Also-hang out at your local dirt track or 1/4 mile track for a weekend or two; ask them who builds their engines. Not all auto enthusiast will build their own engines. Ask the obvious questions: how many times have you used that shop, have you had any problems w/your engine, how many runs have you made on your engine, do you know of anyone else that has used your engine builder...ect, ect. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

$60 is the usual going rate for them. If you do buy one from the net-make sure the fold out wiring diagram is still attatched to the rear of the book. Often-that fold out has been removed or torn, so be sure it is there prior to your purchase, otherwise the asking price should certainly be discounted. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

You are a bigger man than I Mr. Jim...I almost bit on this thread more than once (as it has been banted about more often than the Chevy -vs- Ford issue): but as usual-the thread plays out & in the end the correct answers are given to serious questions being asked by individuals who really want/need to know. Cudo's to HybridZ & its members 8) Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Grumpy, For clearification sake I am assuming your reference to afr95 was suppose to be afr 195: yes/no? I agree that those heads, the 170cc runners will reach their maximum efficiency prior to 383 cubic inches having an opportunity to reach their maximum efficiency. If maximum effieciency is not your goal then you dont really need a 383 and you can get by w/a stout 350 build. If maximum performance is your goal then consider Grumpy's suggestions. I was also thinking cylinder heads w/larger intake runners are more appropriate for a 383: the larger intake runners will delay the point at which maximum efficiency is reached-thus giving your car & its gearing a chance to move the car down the road as this will momentarily delay wheel spin & allow the engine to run in its maximum efficiency...after the car is already moving-remembering that our Z's are somewhat traction limited at times from a dead start. As far as the cyl.heads, intake, and cam choices....I would want to know what your goal is for your car prior to making any changes. Regardless of your need-those 170cc cyl.heads are considered "small": especially for a 383. They're great for a true street 350 or smaller...but not so great for a performance 383. As far as gearing is concerned in any car: more tq/hp will require less gearing while less tq/hp requires more gearing. What are your goals: 1) Pure Streetability/No 1/4 mile time 2) Heavy Street/Mild Strip 3) No Street/All Strip Kevin, (Yea, Still an Inliner)

Here is some interesting reading on the struggles that Jaguar experienced w/its V12. Hind sight is always interesting when reading about the struggles of the past. An excellant article. I would assume this article exemplifies what all mfg's went thru in the mid 1900's when it was their time to grow or get out of the way and how they grappled w/emissions issues & combustion chamber designs. http://www.classicjaguar.com/v12engine.html I believe what this article dances all around is confirmation why the Datsun Z was such a hit. The Z offered reliability, styling, & performance: not to mention when their EFI version was introduced how it took the world by storm: it was a little rock being thrown into an extemely large pond. Anyway-I found the reading interesting. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

You are partially correct, however, there is still more to the symbolic logo. The logo specifically represents what one would see if they were looking at a "White" Propeller in motion against a "Blue" Sky. ...our Judges concurred & they will accept your answer as correct Yea, Boobala is our winner. (winner buys lunch at a place of our choosing ) Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

The question I am posing is in regards to the BMW logo. Besides the logo being indicative of the BMW lineup-what deeper sybolism resulted in it, the logo, being chosen as BMW's trademark? Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Ok, mystery solved: yippie-yahoo. I found the VG30DE piston on the Arias Pistons site. It indicates a: 1.255" Piston Compression Height 10.6 Compression Ratio when using 49.5cc Cyl.Head Combustion Chambers FWIW: the rod length was 6.071 This listing was good for Nissan 3.0 L VG30DE DOHC 24v, 90-96 300ZX Non Turbo. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

Thanks for the site grumpy; I've been looking for a source who sells magnets at a reasonable price...$2.50 for a Neodymium magnet that'll hold 50lbs ....too, too cheep! 8) Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)

I remember the ZX being better than the Z but I dont remember it being .34: I remember reading it as being .38....? Something is amiss here. Perhaps maybe we could verify this w/a second source: just to be sure! Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner)