DragStuff

Most of you know, I have a simple goal and that is to run 10.0/ 9.90's in my Camaro and I'd like to do that without a bottle.

My current 408 (396 x .060) build I don't think is going to cut that on engine alone and I don't want to stress the motor out to the point where it blows, nor do I want to dump a lot of money into the cast heads or buy a set of aluminum heads.

It should get me there using a small amount of spray but then again is it worth it?

So with all this in mind, anyone have an idea on a mild combo that would work for my purpose? I'm thinking more on the line of a 468, maybe 11.5:1 compression, solid roller cam, then comes what type of heads, oval vs square port, closed vs open chamber and I'd like to stay with a cast head.

The car is a 69 Camaro back halved, weight is around 2800-2900 lbs, P/G w/ 8" converter, ladder bar, coil overs, 32 x 14 slicks, 4.57 gears.

Any mild combo's come to mind that would get this done w/o a bottle?

496/505 FTW

Get you a decent sized short block, but don't skimp on the size, you can always upgrade the heads, etc. when you want to go faster. As light as that car is it won't take anything too crazy to get you in the 9.90's.

With a 496, rectangular port heads would be the better choice ????

My old 461 bbc with 781 oval port heads ran 10.0's at 3400 lbs. Mild solid roller, no porting on the heads other than a simple bowl blend & gasket match to the intake.

Being your car is 500 lbs lighter, a similar built engine would put you in the mid/high 9's easily.

Todd,

I was just reading an old posting by you on your big block combo on Speed Talk.

Is this the combo you are referring too?

Bruce69Camaro wrote:Todd,

I was just reading an old posting by you on your big block combo on Speed Talk.

Is this the combo you are referring too?

Maybe, not sure. It's been a few years. My original BBC was a destroked 427 (414 ci) with the 781 heads that ran 10.70's at 3600 lbs on pump gas. Then I built the 461 used the same heads that ran 10.0's at 3400 lbs. Then swapped the 781's for CFE/BMF 310 heads which ultimately took the car to 10.60's with a best of 10.48-9 as I recall, same 3400 lbs.

I just looked at it again and it was your 461 with the CFE/BMF 310 heads.

Looks like that combo with the 781's might be a good option, but a 496 hasn't been voted out just yet.

I'll let Keith make the call.

A 496 costs the same to build as a 468.
Do yourself a favor and avoid chinese junk parts.
Consider Ohio Crank Shaft; good stuff at good prices:

http://www.ohiocrank.com/enginespage1.html

Good luck and have fun with your project. Let us know how it's going.

IMO a 496 is would be the way to go. Very versatile engine and responds well to oval port cast heads. They also love nitrous! A short block would be cheap and easy to build. That's what I would do. But than again your talking about your camaro!

The whole deal is, I'm realizing I royally screwed up. When the cam let loose in my first 396 and cracked out the block, I decided to build another 396 mainly because the first motor had, maybe a total of 2 or 3 miles on it and because of this I was able to reuse a lot of the original parts, crank, rods, pistons, heads.

I upgraded this motor with a roller cam, some head work done by Keith, new intake and carb and was really hoping to hit the 10's with this motor and if needed, I was going to buy a NOS kit.

But after talking to Keith, to get me closer to my goal, it would take a lot of work and this "little" big block would be really pushed hard to run a 9.99.

So now I'm questioning myself, do I want to find another set of heads, maybe 781's for my 396 or just run it as is and save the money and build something bigger?

I guess like HPDRIFTER said, it will cost probably the same to do either so why not go bigger and get the best bang for my buck.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I went with a 496, because of the cubic inch size, would I be able to go less on compression and cam then if I were building a 468?

PS....Chris, you are so funny but I think your scared and you should be.......remember the "EVIL PUMPKIN" I sent you?????

I would bet you'd get real close or dip into the nine's with a flat top 496 with unported heads if they were decent ones. Adam's Camaro runs I think 10.30's at 3400 lbs, unported GM aluminum heads, 1050 dominator, roller cam and that's with a nitrous converter and tall gears on the motor. It would easily dip into the 9's on motor with a converter set up for the task. That same motor is a nasty bitch on the bottle...

Well I'm finding out I got to have a "Nasty Bitch" of a motor to keep up with you guys.....

Hey John, is Mike Peters still breathing?

Bruce69Camaro wrote:Hey John, is Mike Peters still breathing?

Hey, Puckhead, ya miss me, don't ya? The title of this thread is "Big Block Build"....doesn't pertain to me. Some of us can get it done with small engines and big ____s!!! If you want to go faster, lay off the lasagna and Valentine's Day candy Fluff Daddy. I realize living so close to the Hershey's factory is a big temptation. Carbon Fiber is your friend. Want me to send you some hole saws? Can you feel the love?

Mike Peters wrote:Can you feel the love?

Between you and Chris, no I can't!

Hi Mike, glad you could join us. Bruce, we all love you man!!!