What I have been up to lately

[impalaboy9]

First of all I would like to say thanks to everyone for their help, advice, and opinions. I recently moved from NE to ND for grad school so the truck hasn't had too much attention lately. I'm proud to announce that I am starting to rebuild a 302. 327 .40 over, forged pistons, double hump heads, tunnel ram, and old school finned vette valve covers. This is my first rebuild so I will try to attach lots of pics as I go through it. The tunnel ram will be drilled for an old school oil fill and breather. Going back together it will be backed by a tremec 5spd. I know its small cubes and people want the cubes and torque for these trucks but that's not how I am going, instead I'm gonna let her scream at 6500rpm I am considering a lightened pressure plate and clutch to help her spin up quick. Any thoughts or experience with the lightened parts and the expense? I have attached some pics of the truck. Let me know what you think. I'd also love to hear from some ND people. I am in Grand Forks and would love to do some car shows this summer or join a car club. Fill me in on what I'm missing, hope everyone is having a great year.

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by impalaboy9

I am considering a lightened pressure plate and clutch to help her spin up quick. Any thoughts or experience with the lightened parts and the expense?

I’ve never owned any lightened clutch components, and I don’t know that a lightened clutch and PP would make that much difference. But I did have a friend with a 66 Fairlane GT he bought new. He built the engine up to 427 specs with 3x2’s and a full race cam, aluminum rods, etc. As best I remember he ran either a 7 or 10 pound flywheel and all the best clutch/scattershield stuff. The engine idled somewhere between 1,200-2,000 rpms (it was radically rough) and would spin to 7,000+ rpms in the blink of an eye.

Trying to take off to drive across the street in traffic however was very challenging. With no inertia in the flywheel it took almost no effort to bog the engine. It needed a lot of rpms to launch, at which time it would take off like a rocket. This proved somewhat embarrassing when sitting at a traffic light next to a police car.

I’d suggest build it the way you know you’ll enjoy it most. Mine has a stock 350, Super T10 4 speed and 4.10 rear gears. Somewhat impractical but it sure is fun.

[Narxoleptic Customs]

I like the shifter! I like ur ideas and have always liked the looks of the tunnel ram. This will b a fun truck for sure. I don't think I'll have as much issue w a lightened flywheel. It's when u start putting in stage 2&3 clutches that get tricky in traffic...
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[bama63]

been there from alum flywheels to triple disc clutches to the no clutch brinn transmissions in my past 25 years of dirt oval racing and what markb01 says is very true even with a 6.86 gear its a chore to get rolling imho i would go no lighter than the corvette L88 # 3991406 superceded to # 14085720 -a neutral balanced nodular iron version flywheel for street use at 15lbs

[impalaboy9]

Well things have been going a little slower than I would like but I am still making progress. I pulled my worn out 305 out of the truck and transplanted it into a 64 impala that the old man and I are trying to flip. I'll try to get some pictures of that later too. But here are some pics of the motor build in progress. The only pistons we could find for the 302 were forged and with the steel crank we are now thinking that she might like a 75-100hp shot of nitrous. Let me know what you think!

[Rich 5150 69]

A 75/100 shot with a 2-bolt block, even with a steel crank and balanced it won`t live very long, the light clutch setup and your weight ( 3880 ) approx, it will be hard to launch in traffic.

[Lower]

A stock motor will live a long time on a 100 shot, my last 355 was a cast crank 2 bolt and it lived 3 years getting hit with a 300 shot lol

[RAYDAY]

ya put a lot of spray thru stock 2bolt cast 305 back in high school really only weak spot was cast piston and getting greedy with the AF lean runs better but not long! LOL a 100 shot with a good tune on forged pistons last a long time 2 or 4 bolt

[chevyrestoguy]

I built a 302 back in the '80s, and it was a screamer. I did it pretty much the same way you're doing yours (327 block, 283 crank). I also went through the same issue with the pistons, and at the time time, only TRW was making 302 forged pistons and they were 12.5-1. I still remember the part number.....L2210AF-30. I had to get the domes milled and I had to open my 64cc chambers to around 70cc to get the compression to 11.0-1. Do yourself a HUGE favor and drill the 283 crank for a harmonic balancer bolt. I had my balancer come loose and nearly spin off the snout at around 6500 and it wasn't pretty. It wallowed out the keyway, ruined the snout, and wasted the balancer. Now is the time before you install the engine in the truck. I would also recommend a good balance job WITH the flywheel you plan to run.

Your little 302 won't pin you in the seat from a standing stop, but hang on at 3500. It will rip through the rpm like Rosie O'Donnell at a buffet.

What cam and carbs are you going to run? Don't put in a pee-wee cam to try to get the 302 to make torque. It isn't going to happen, and the motor will be a slug. Use dedicated tunnel ram carburetors, preferably Holley 660s. The 450s will work, but the 660s are the BEST tunnel ram carbs, period.

To make a 302 work to the fullest, you'll lose a bit of streetability. They like compression, cam, and carburetor because they want to rpm. And about a 2-bolt block and nitrous? No problem. That 302 will love a sniff of nitrous, and a 100 shot won't hurt the block at all provided the balance is right, and the rod and main bolts are high-quality pieces (like ARP).

[impalaboy9]

Thanks for the replies. I will look into the harmonic balancer and a good balance job further. I was planning on running the same edelbrock 600 that I had been using but I will absolutely look into the hollies. I have heard some nightmare stories about tuning the tunnel ram properly. I wanted to run FI to avoid this problem but most of the units are well over 1,000 and the one I was looking at was 1700 which almost 8 times what I paid for the truck lol and out of my budget right now. Thanks!

[T Smith]

Ain't nothing worse for fuel distribution than a single four top on a tunnel ram, then you're talking about spraying some nitrous in the mix I'm afraid you're gonna melt some pistons.

[impalaboy9]

Ok guys and gals, I wanted to give everyone the update on my project. I got the 302 in the truck and it looks pretty good if I say so myself. I need a "downdraft tube" I think is what it is called. It goes into the block and provides ventilation I think. Does anyone know where I can get a new one of these? I have done some searching with no luck. I need one because the vette valve covers I'm running. Thoughts and opinions are always welcome. Thanks

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by impalaboy9

Ok guys and gals, I wanted to give everyone the update on my project. I got the 302 in the truck and it looks pretty good if I say so myself. I need a "downdraft tube" I think is what it is called. It goes into the block and provides ventilation I think. Does anyone know where I can get a new one of these? I have done some searching with no luck. I need one because the vette valve covers I'm running. Thoughts and opinions are always welcome. Thanks

There are a variety of road draft tubes available in the aftermarket. Here’s one example:

http://www.lategreatchevy.com/chevy-...1958-1962.html

A better option would be installing a PCV adapter from a pre-1968 small block Chevy and running a PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) valve to the base of the carb. The adapter replaces the road draft tube using the same hardware. Here’s what the adapter looks like, although I’m not sure where to find one:



A smog valve provides “positive” ventilation for the crankcase, whereas the road draft tube only creates negative pressure at speeds above 25 mph. With the older system many locally driven cars ended up with tons of sludge in the crankcase, something almost never seen since the introduction of the smog valve.

[impalaboy9]

Markeb01, thanks for the info. Anyone know where to find one of these adapters?

[suzq044]

^ for a second, I thought that was a flash-light. LOL

[1963c-10]

Half a dozen of em on ebay right now

[impalaboy9]

I have done some additional reading and determined that a PCV is a better way to go. I still have not been able to find the adapter pictured but have read of some guys putting a 1 1/4" PCV gromet into the block and running a 90* PCV valve and hose to the carb. This sounds cheap and easy but I'm concerned the block will get too hot and melt the grommet. Any thoughts?

[awbrown]

you can plug the hole in the block (with a freeze plug )and run a pcv to the valve cover , works the same ....

[Captainfab]

I would plug the hole in the block with a freeze plug like awbrown said. Then just run a pcv valve into the rear of one valve cover. You should be able to fabricate something similar to what markeb01 made for his valve cover.

[impalaboy9]

I'm not going to molest the corvette valve covers. I need to run the PCV valve back to the vacuum on the carb. So putting the grommet in the block is a no no?

[markeb01]

I have seen many posts where others have done the grommet routine. I'm not sure that makes it okay. Just not sure what would result if the gromment ends up down inside the engine. If there is a grommet with a flange on the top edge to keep it out of the engine, I imagine it would be fine. But I still think the adapter is the easiest and most permanent solution, and would look factory correct. It also offers positive attachment to the engine with a bolt.

The method I devised was intended for a later engine with no draft hole in the rear of the block. There are easier solutions for a pre-68 engine. This is the thread showing the early Corvette covers on a 350 with no visible holes on top:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=366853

[Maxxd07]

That looks like a fun project! Since us NDians are far and few between, welcome to the state. Grand Forks can be quite the bugger when it comes to the weather compared to the rest ot the state but it isn't the end of the world. As far as car shows go there will probably be some smaller ones in GF and even down in Fargo but the holy grail for us is Buggies&Blues in Mandan this summer. I am unsure of the dates but they have a website so its easy to find.
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[lucifer]

Originally Posted by impalaboy9

First of all I would like to say thanks to everyone for their help, advice, and opinions. I recently moved from NE to ND for grad school so the truck hasn't had too much attention lately. I'm proud to announce that I am starting to rebuild a 302. 327 .40 over, forged pistons, double hump heads, tunnel ram, and old school finned vette valve covers. This is my first rebuild so I will try to attach lots of pics as I go through it. The tunnel ram will be drilled for an old school oil fill and breather. Going back together it will be backed by a tremec 5spd. I know its small cubes and people want the cubes and torque for these trucks but that's not how I am going, instead I'm gonna let her scream at 6500rpm I am considering a lightened pressure plate and clutch to help her spin up quick. Any thoughts or experience with the lightened parts and the expense? I have attached some pics of the truck. Let me know what you think. I'd also love to hear from some ND people. I am in Grand Forks and would love to do some car shows this summer or join a car club. Fill me in on what I'm missing, hope everyone is having a great year.

With a 302 and the weight of the truck a lightened clutch assembly might give you trouble. The little engine needs a heavy mass flywheel clutch assembly to get that truck rollin. If you use the light weight stuff you might be riding the clutch all the time to get it rolling...Stick with stock weight clutch assy


best

[impalaboy9]

MarkeBo1 that is a neat set up I think I may end up doing something like that. Thanks for the good idea!

Maxxd07 Thanks for the input. I hope to trailer the 65 up in may and go to car shows this summer. Not sure where the one u mentioned is but I imagine I will try to hit it. There isn't a whole lot to do here in GF. looking forward to the carshow this weekend though!

[impalaboy9]

Well guys and gals its been a pretty interesting winter. I decided to get the truck painted and have been working towards that goal. I pulled the 302 and took the top end off to get powder coated. I'm headed home Wed to drop the motor off at the dyno (you can take bets, I'm guessing 350hp and the guy who helped me build it is saying 360hp). On Thurs I will pick up my rebuilt t5. And sadly today I dropped off the old gal at the body shop. Please let me know what you think or if I have gone astray and need to radically change course.