CK5
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1970 Chevelle Malibu "400" Clone

The manual brakes stop as good as power brakes. It just takes more movement. it will easily lock up all four if I try.

My Camaro has manual brakes and whoas it from 130mph with min problems. Hydroboost are ugly and vac power brakes intrudes on the valve cover area of a BBC
 
John do you have any kind of computer simulator program?
I used dyno 2000 years ago, and it was great for comparing cams, compression, etc. showing torque and hp curves, BSFC, etc.
@folkenheath also has programs for picking parts.
 
I had that program before it was desktop dyno 2000. I have used the comp cam camquest program to mess around plenty. The real story is that I need to remember what it is for. Though I want a nasty idle, it currently has a low speed buck if you let it idle in gear. Plus the 108 or less lsa I would normally pick isn't great for mpg. I am looking at a 242/250 duration cam with a 114 lsa. Probably not the best for all out power but plenty good for my 600/600 goal.
 
I find Its pretty easy to overshoot realistic goals, and then the ensuing snowball upgrades and expenditure to make it all happily live together. Im somewhere in the middle right now, so its nice to see a plan coming together!
 
Oh I have ideas everyday of Dominators, single planes, nasty solid rollers, and huge rectangle ports. The transmission, though originally handling hundreds of 4500+ clutch step offs behind a 600 hp 427, recently broke rolling into the throttle in 2nd gear with a little wheel hop. Though it now has nascar input and countershaft. Plus I have broken lots of 12 bolts behind a 4 speed. I did learn to set the back lash extra tight so when you load the gear set and the pinion starts to move away from the ring, do high load, it doesn't move out to the edge of the ring gear and break the teeth off (as easy). Of course this isn't set tight.

So it is best to just play it safe and build a milder long lasting engine that will last for plenty of smiles per mile. A 900hp screamer would be fun, at the track. A milder 600 hp will be fun nearly every nice day (esp with the AC).

I just keep repeating "cruiser John, CRUISER"
 
Thinking this is the cam I am going with if I can get one before the second coming, Zombies, Civil War II, etc.

Grind Number: XM296HR
Engine Family: Chevrolet GEN VI 454 and 502 c.i. 8 Cylinder (1996-1999)
RPM Operating Range: 2,800-6,200
Cam Type: Hydraulic Roller
Lifter Style: Hydraulic Roller
Camshaft Series: Xtreme Marine
Advertised Intake Duration:296
Advertised Exhaust Duration:302
Intake Duration at .050 Inch Lift:242
Exhaust Duration at .050 Inch Lift:248
Intake Valve Lift:0.566
Exhaust Valve Lift:0.566
Lobe Separation:112
 
Had my machine shop order the cam on back order and will cancel if I find it or something close before it delivers.
Having my machinist order pistons, not knowing when they will be delivered better get things coming if they are months out.
 
I took the afternoon off and hopefully between today, tomorrow and Saturday I can get my AC in. Pictures to come.
 
Im sure that cam matches up well with your other parts, but it seems a bit conservative for a roller?
Heads look real nice!
 
Im sure that cam matches up well with your other parts, but it seems a bit conservative for a roller?
Heads look real nice!
It is conservative. Right now the current 454 has a bad low speed buck and I am not sure how happy it will be with the AC. Typically I would be ordering a similar cam but on a 106 LSA. because I feel they are less soggy down low, probably a solid roller too. In this case I need a good idle to allow idling in gear and pulling the AC. I am certainly giving up power in the head and cam department, but most of it is at higher rpms where I wouldn't use it. All comps hyd rollers are conservative. The solids are much more aggressive (I will be using solid lifters anyway).
 
The AC is a bit of an ass kicker. I am on what, day 3 of the install? Family got in the way, which is more than ok. I had plans of using the stock A6 mount with the sanden compressor but it will take too much modifications even with the adapters I bought. Had to pull the entire dash to get it in, which I only broke the headlight nut (which no one has locally) and holder for a set of idiot lights that go into the stock swept cluster. I have a few pics I will post when done but realize if any of you want to do this, it is not a simple weekend job, esp if it is just one person. All of the old underdash and firewall insulation was falling apart so I removed it and insulated it with some buna/foil insulation I had on hand. I did get lazy and left what was behind the pedals for now. When I install new carpet I will finish it.
 
1) picture of the condenser from above. I had to use to ratchet straps to straighten the core support where apparently someone dropped an engine on it or something. the top and bottom was spread 1" farther apart than it should have been.

2) Engine side pic of the condenser

3) Handsome assistant

4-5) pictures of ground behind cluster, see how much dirt 50 years adds? I spent a bunch of time blowing out the dash.

6) Fire wall with no dash.

7) kick panel modified for hose pass though and reinstalled.



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