cant let joe have all the fun

[Trash man]

gonna need some help/advice with my new idea and hopefully project. i had long since broke up with my gf and now that im gettin my dad paided off im lookin at a project for myself(plus i cant stay away from cars 2 long lol) a guy i kno has a 69/70 nova for sale. 350 4spd i beleive its a bench seat car. it does have some problem areas but he has all the panels to replace them with. the car is 2500. what i was thinking bout doing is build my 406 up. working out the suspension a lil and guttin the interior, making it a "street terror" pur say. im gonna do the body in either jet black or a dark blue(maybe that new blue chevy has out on the tahoes ) and tint the windows. i just need ya'lls opinon on some stuff

the motor - 400 sbc, outta 73 caprice classic estate wagon. got it for free, bored .030 over, new plugs and freeze plugs. i was thinkin bout droppin in a set of pistons to give it bout 10.5 to 1 compression. the heads from what i can remember are 72 cc. i was gonna port/polish them to the max, and throw in 2.02s and 1.6s. cam i was lookin at something in the mid to upper 500" range with the small base circle(to clear the rod bolt heads) a edlebrock dual plane manifold. i was thinkin a 750 carb should feed it enough. i was gonna do a set of 1 7/8 long tubs to x pipe to cherry bomps and dumps. anything else u can think of?

the tranny/rear - either a 5spd or ill keep the 4spd. if i go witht he 5spd ill prob thro 4.10s in there and the 4 spd will get 3.73s, sound like a good combo? also what would u recommend? i was thinking a built up 10 bolt(welded tubes, stronger axels, eaton posi, t/a griddle(sp?).

suspension/brakes - convert to front disc brakes and use aftermarket springs and shocks/bushings. box the control arms in hte front and get a strut brace and add a set of traction bars.

interior - dash, shifter, two seats, 5point harness and a cage at some point.

body - clean it up, fresh paint, cowl hood, tint the windows and add a set of 16" S/S wheels.

any other advice u guys could add? ill prob add heads to the motor but for now the stockers will have to work. the car will see track time but more of test and tunes and prob be a weekend/nice day driver

[Rhode Island Red]

Sounds like fun There is an 12 second? m-6 LS1 Nova owner just over the border in MA. Engine looks tiny in that engine bay but is friggin awesome at the track and driving around You should take a drive and meet him one weekend if you thinking of getting the Nova

[Trash man]

yea? i might just do that. i wanted some type of muscle car(67-69 maro, 64-70 chevelle, 63-72 nova, 69/70 442) so i really pushing to get this car

[94Z/28]

the motor - 400 sbc, outta 73 caprice classic estate wagon. got it for free, bored .030 over, new plugs and freeze plugs. i was thinkin bout droppin in a set of pistons to give it bout 10.5 to 1 compression. the heads from what i can remember are 72 cc. i was gonna port/polish them to the max, and throw in 2.02s and 1.6s. cam i was lookin at something in the mid to upper 500" range with the small base circle(to clear the rod bolt heads) a edlebrock dual plane manifold. i was thinkin a 750 carb should feed it enough. i was gonna do a set of 1 7/8 long tubs to x pipe to cherry bomps and dumps. anything else u can think of?

10.5:1 comp ratio on a gen1SBC is risky on pump gas, especially if you are useing old school cast iron heads. Also if you plan on keeping the stock rods there is no need to get a small base circle cam, it will clear a standard base cirlce.

[Trash man]

my old co-worker has a 70 340 duster with 10.5ish to 1 motor, he runs it on 87 the motor stays cool at bout 180* and i forget where he set the timing to

[Joe 1320]

Something to consider...... 400 SBC uses unique cooling passages that require steam holes in places that the rest of the small blocks do not require. Impropely done, the headgaskets go south quickly.

If I were doing the build, I would make it a torque monster and not try to rev it. A power adder like a shot of N20 or forced induction would make it a monster. Then you can put a milder gear in the rear and take advantage of the torque.

[Trash man]

yes joe i remember the part bout the steam holes cuz the cylinder walls are touching do to the bore size(4.125 stock, mine are 4.155/4.156) my old engine teacher i beleive told me to use the old headgaskets on any head i get and rill the steam holes out if need be. the max the motor might see if 5500. i want power around 2500 if possible.