Is a carb and intake worth $5,000 or $10,000? Not in my book!!

I've touched on this issue before, but someone asked me about it again recently. An acquaintance wanted a '69-70 Mach 1 Mustang. He found a clean, rust-free 1969 model at a reasonable price. It had a 351W with a 2bbl carb and an FMX automatic. He said-dead serious-"It's a great deal on a solid car, but I'd really rather have a 4bbl version." My response- "Are you out of your mind?"  "Buy the car, go over to Summitt Racing and get an Edelbrock Perfromer manifold for $200 bucks, and a matching 600 cfm Performer carb with Ford throttle linkage for $359 and live happily ever after!" "Or be a dumbass, and instead of spending $600, spend another 5 grand on an "Original" factory 4bbl model!"  "When you put it that way it sounds stupid." He said "You think?"  I said.  However, I've seen it numerous times. A Mopar fanatic I know almost didn't buy a one-owner, low-mileage 1968 Charger in unrestored, but great condition because the engine was a 2bbl 383! Another idiot didn't buy an awesome 1972 Chevelle SS with a 2bbl 350, and paid more for a Malibu not as nice with a 4bbl on it!! Apparently this stupidity is rampant.  I did some research, and there are a lot of great cars that can be stolen because of their induction system. And a carb and intake is an easy swap that only costs about $600, and that's if your buying the carb and intake brand-new!! A lot of us have these laying around our garages or our friends do. Yet people are paying 3,4,5 or even 10 thousand dollars more for the same car because of a CARBURATOR??!!!  Keep the 2bbl setup in your garage in case you want to sell the car to someone really anal. Here's a list of cars that you can steal out from under dummies that avoid them.  # 1. 1971-73 Ford Mustang / Mercury Cougar. A lot of these have 351C's with 2V induction, that you can buy for a lot less than the 4V models. # 2. 1970-75 Pontiac Firebird Esprit / Formula. There are a lot of Firebird Esprit and Formula 350 models out there with 2bbl induction; and a good number of Esprit models had 400s with 2bbl induction. # 3. 1970-75 Chevy Monte Carlo. Quite a few were built with 350 2bbls in this vintage. # 4. 1968-74 Dodge Charger. While there are a lot of base-models with 318s out there, there are also quite a few with 383 and 400 big blocks with 2bbl induction. # 5. 1968-72 Buick Century and Olds Cutlass. 455 GS, GSX and 442 versions are rare and pricey, but there are millions of these cars with 2bbl 350 Buick and Olds motors under the hood. They make nice drivers, and a 4bbl swap really increases performance. Or you could use the thousands saved to build a stompin' 455.  Anyhow, for god's sake don't pass on a great car because of the carburator!!  Mastermind        

"Understudys" that are great buys!

Their are a lot of cars that offer the same performance of their more premium brothers at a much lower price. These can be great bargains, saving the potential owner thousands of dollars. # 1. This is a no-brainer. 1970-79 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400. These cars have every bit the performance of a Trans-Am without the flashy graphics and bodywork. Back in the day, many automotive journalists preferred the Formula's understated styling. Some 1977-79 "California" and "High Altitude" models will have 403 Olds engines. # 2. 1970-79 Chevy Rally Sport Camaro. These cars have all the basics of a Z/28-most have the ubiquitous 350 under the hood, and a Turbo 350 automatic, or depending on the year, a Saginaw, Borg-Warner or Muncie 4-speed. When the Z/28 took a 21/2 year Hiatus-late 1974-early '77-the Rally Sport was the only performance Camaro available. # 3. 1971-74 LeMans Sport / GT. The 400 and 455 V8s were available all years. In fact, by '74 the GTO name was on the Ventura and the largest engine was a 350. The LeMans with a 400 or 455 and a 4-speed or Turbo 400 still available was more a "GTO" than the X-body that carried the nameplate. # 4. 1968-70 Dodge Coronet R/T. People fight with machetes for clean Road Runners and Super Bees of this vintage, but the Coronets are sometimes overlooked although they have 383 or 440 cubes under the hood.  # 5. 1971 Dodge Super Bee. For this one year only-the Super Bee was based on the Charger instead of the Coronet. The standard engine was still the 383, and around 6,000 were made; however they don't bring the money that the '68-70 models do. # 6. 1971-72 Chevelle SS / "Heavy Chevy" . For the 1st time since 1965 a Chevelle SS could be had with a small-block. ( The 396 was standard on 1966-70 models ). Although the SS package could be ordered with the 2bbl 307 or 2bbl 350, most had the 350 4bbl. The "Heavy Chevy" offered a blacked out grille and an SS style domed hood at a lower price. The 402 big block was optional on the HC, but most were 350s. # 7. 1972 Olds 442. Although the styling was pretty much the same as 1970-71, the 442 went from a separate model to an option on the Cutlass, and the standard engine was a 350 with a 2bbl.  (This was the first time since 1964 you could get a 442 with an engine under 400 cubes, as 1965-71 models had the 400 or 455 as standard equipment ). Options included a 350 4bbl, and two 455s-one rated at 250 hp and the other the last "W30" at 300. These are rarer, yet cheaper than the older models. Mastermind     

Great buys that slip through the cracks!

For some reason, certain model years of cars don't bring the King's ransom that others do, and the reason isn't always lesser performance or value. However, these cars can be steals for the rest of us. Here's a list of some cars that can be bought for way less than one a year or two newer or a year older. # 1. 1967 Pontiac GTO . People will pay blood and a first-born child for a 1964-66 model, and the same goes for 1968-70 models. The 67 models have cleaner styling than the '66, and are lighter than the '68. Further, from '64-66 if you wanted an automatic you got the 2-speed Super Turbine 300 ( Powerglide ) which didn't have near the performance of the 4-speed models. 1967 models had Turbo 400s which were a vast improvement. Displacement was bumped from 389 to 400 cubic inches, so performance, if anything improved. It's a mystery why these cars are underpriced, but I'd definitely take advantage of it.  # 2. 1967 SS396 Chevelle. Just like their GTO cousins, people pay more for 65-66 models and 68-70 models than they do these. Again, their lighter than the 1968 models and have just as much power. Maybe it's the one-year only Impala-looking grille. Whatever, they are still a bargain. # 3. 1972 Plymouth Road Runner . These are the exact same bodystyle as the '71, which brings way more money. However-the Hemi and 440 / Six-Packs were no longer available, and this was the year the industry switched from gross to net horsepower ratings, so it looks like power was down more than it actually was. On the other hand, the base engine was increased from 383 to 400 cubes, and electronic ignition was introduced, and the 440 4bbl was still optional with a 4-speed or Torqueflite. # 4. 1975-76 Pontiac Trans-Am. These cars are an absolute steal.  Catalyst-free exhaust and the legendary 455HO and SD engines keep prices of the 70-74 models high. "Smokey and the Bandit" models-( 1977-78 ) are rising in value, but these are treated like Rodney Dangerfield-"No Respect". And the buying public is wrong. There were more T/As built in 1975 alone than in the previous five years and double that in '76, so their easier to find, and they still had 400 or 455 cubes under the hood, standard posi rear ends,and the great handling suspension. Yet for some reason-maybe the movie after 30 plus years-the "Bandit" versions bring more money but don't offer any more bang for the buck. #5 1972 Ford Mustang Mach 1. 1971 models bring more money because of the availability of the 429 and the Boss 351, even though those are rare. 1973 models bring more money because their the last of the breed. ( 1974 introduced the awful Pinto-based Mustang II ). This makes the 72s a great buy. Most have the venerable 351C for power, and the styling is the same. Like I said, the buying public is fickle, but if you want one of these cars-it's to your benefit.  Mastermind      

The point of diminishing returns.....

Car guys have a tendency to always want the biggest and best of everything, and some of us, no matter how fast our cars go, are always chasing every last ounce. On the racetrack that's good, but if you drive the car at all sometimes that gets counter-productive. # 1. Gears and higher-stall converters. For small blocks these are great crutches to launch a car lacking in bottom-end torque. For big blocks, not so much. The main reason is traction-whether it's a 400 Pontiac or 454 Chevy or 440 Mopar-if the engine is already making 450+ lbs ft of torque at low rpm, especially with street tires, all a higher stall speed converter will do is blow the tires off. More wheelspin will slow you down. And gears don't always help a big-block. My 442 had 3.23:1 gears when I got it. After I rebuilt the 455, it was fast-smoking 5.0 Mustangs or Tuned Port Corvettes and Camaros was no problem-so I thought if I put 4.11s in, it would really rocket off the line. A funny thing-It didn't seem one ounce quicker in low gear. It was quicker in 2nd and 3rd, but not low! And the with the 3.23s it got about 16 mpg, with the 4.11s mileage dropped to about 11 mpg, and the motor was buzzing at 3,500 rpm on the freeway. The car was a little quicker in a drag race, but I didn't feel the gain was worth the loss of mileage or drivability. The same thing happened to a friend who had a Rat-motored Monte Carlo. It ran 12.80s in the 1/4 with 2.73:1 gears, and 12.40s with 3.73:1s!!  He, too felt the loss of drivability, top-end, and easy cruising on the freeway wasn't worth the 4/10s in the 1/4. I'm not saying gears don't matter, but maybe not as much as you think on certain cominations. # 2. Bigger isn't always better. My brother has a GTO with a 400 built with the Edelbrock Torker II package-intake, cam, headers, Msd ignition. It's backed by a Turbo 350 and the rear end is the 3.36 ratio it came with. It has 14 inches of vacuum at idle, will literally spin it's tires as long as you want to stay on the throttle. It idles at 800 rpm, pulls hard to 6,200 and he's been beaten on the street or at the drags 2 times in 8 years. It runs consistent high 12s. Now friends say-and their right-"If you got a bigger cam, and RAIV / Edelbrock heads, and a Performer RPM or Victor manifold and some 4.30 gears, you could get into the 11s." I don't doubt it, but the bigger cam wouldn't idle as good and might need a bigger converter which would mean more wheelspin. And with the bigger heads, cam, and carb and intake, we'd be trading a lot of low-speed and mid-range torque for top-end speed. The car wouldn't be nearly as pleasant or as much fun to drive. # 3. Sometimes that "Last ounce" can bite you in the ass. Hot Rod magazine did a manifold test on small-block Chevys a while back. They found that the Edelbrock Performer RPM "Air Gap" and Weiand "Air Strike" manifolds-that raised the carb up and allowed air to flow under the plenum made 10-15 hp more than the conventional design. In sunny California, this was great. However, they got a ton of letters from angry people in the midwest and Rocky mountain states saying that when they installed this manifold on their cars, in fall and winter after driving the car and then parking it for a few minutes-like going to lunch-or shopping at the mall- they experienced carburator icing and their cars were virtually impossible to start in cold weather! Several of them said they were going to put their old manifold back on and gladly give up that 10-15 hp, to have a car that starts reliably!!  So be careful when searching for "a little bit more."  Mastermind       

Junkyard tips to save money and make big power!

If your restoring a musclecar and want it to look stock, there are a lot of ways to do it. And, looking stock and making big power can be done. Here's some tips I'll bet you didn't know. # 1. Small-block Chevy- If you have a "generic" L48 350-these were used in every model from 1969-1986 and want a quick power boost-here's a good one. Most post 1970 small-blocks cylinder heads have 76cc combustion chambers which make about 8.2:1 compression with stock pistons. 1981-86 305 heads have 58cc chambers which will bump compression up to about 9.6:1 on the average 350. Most 350s have 1.94 intake valves and 305s have 1.72 intakes, but the slight loss of airflow is more than made up for by the power and torque boost of the added compression. 1.94 valves can be installed in 305 heads, but before I spent a bunch of money on machine work I'd look at....1996-2001 Vortec Heads!  These breathe better than any factory head and better than a lot of aftermarket ones. Their 64cc chambers will give about 9.1:1 compression on stock 350s, and they'll accomodate cams up to .480 lift. If you want to run a bigger cam-you can swap in Comp cams "Beehive" springs, or machine the valve guides. Summit and Scoggin-Dickey offer pairs of brand-new Vortec heads for $650!! That's a screaming deal. You'll have to get a Vortec-style intake, but Edelbrock, Holley, and Weiand offer them for about $200. # 2. Big-block Chevy. A lot of people don't know it, but unless your building an all-out racer-your better off with standard heads. Here's why. Standard heads have 2.06 intake and 1.72 exhaust valves and oval ports. High Performance heads have 2.19 intake and 1.88 exhaust valves and rectangular ports. Hot rod magazine did a dyno test a few years ago on identical 454 Chevy engines-i.e. same cam,carb and intake, etc. The high performance heads did not show a noticeable gain until 6,200 rpm!!  Think about that-no matter how badass your ride is-how often are you going to be above 6,200 rpm? So, if your core came out of a station wagon or Suburban or Impala, don't despair and search the galaxy for rectangular port heads. Spend the money where you'll get the most bang for the buck-cams, exhaust, carb and intake, ignition, gears, converter, etc. # 3. Pontiacs. Unless you absolutely have to have an aluminum intake, the Iron Q-jet manifolds that came stock on Pontiac engines from 1967-74 are quite good. Popular Hot Rodding did a manifold comparison on a fairly hot 400 a few years ago. The Edelbrock Performer was about equal to the stocker, or only showed a 2-3 hp gain at any given rpm. All the others-( Holley, Weiand, Offy ) couldn't beat the stocker anywhere through the range, and a few even showed a loss below 3,500. The Torker II showed a 20 hp gain above 4,500 rpm. The newer Performer RPM is said to be even better than the Torker II, but it won't clear T/A shaker hoods without modification. Now if you have a 1975-79 engine the shoe is on the other foot. These have a restrictive throttle opening which really limits power above 4,000 rpm. "Spread Bore" Q-Jet replacement Holleys won't work on this manifold because the throttle blades can't open fully. If you have or want to build a 75-79 engine, I would get the earlier factory manifold or go with a Performer. Also-75-79 350 and 400 "6X" smog heads are the best breathing factory heads other than Ram Air IVs. Their 90-101cc chambers will be fine on a 455-compression would be around 9.4:1-but on a 400 they'll have to be milled to get decent compression. However they can be milled up to .060 inch.  # 4. Small-block Mopar. Thank the truck and SUV explosion in the '90's. 1992 and later "Magnum" heads breathe better than any other factory head including the legendary 1968-73 340 heads. These heads will bolt up to 91 and earlier blocks, but you'll need a "Magnum" style intake. Edelbrock has you covered with Performer and Performer RPM incarnations. Or you could just get the whole engine-They were used in tens of millions of Dodge Trucks and vans and Jeep Cherokees. A 360 stroked to 408 with Magnum heads would make one hell of a sleeper for your Duster or Cuda. Something to think about if your running in the stock appearing drags, or just want it to look stock. Mastermind                

If you bought something obsolete.....Here's how to fix it without breaking the bank!

In the last post I touched on cars with obsolete or virtually unattainable parts. If you have or want to buy one of these cars there is a way to make them fun and reliable. They won't be totally original, but you'll be able to get parts and can take a trip without fear of something breaking down and stranding you. For example if you have a 1964-67 Buick Skylark-one of the better looking '60's GM "A" bodies-chances are it has a 300 inch Buick V8 and a two-speed super turbine 300 automatic. No one makes parts for the 300s. However, from 1968-77 Buick put millions of 350 V8s in all of their models. Even bone-stock, the modern 350 will have much more power, and you can usually find parts at Autozone or Pep Boys. If you want to hot rod it, T/A performance offers intake manifolds and cams for Buicks, and you can buy headers from Hooker and performance distributors from MSD or Accel. As for the trans-your in luck-a BOP bolt-pattern TH350 will bolt right in. They are the exact same length as the ST300 and the rear trans mount and the driveshaft yoke is the same. You could even use the stock shifter-you just won't be able to manually engage low gear. ( Not a problem with a good shift kit ).  Believe me, the 350 / TH350 combo will give you 10 times the performance and reliability of the 300/ ST300 package, and to 99% of the population-look like it grew there. The same goes for the other GM divisions-the TH350 is a way better trans the Powerglide / ST 300. If you have a mid-'60's Oldsmobile-a later model 350 or 403 is going to make a lot more power easier and cheaper than a 330 V8. Especially Pontiacs-don't screw around with a 326 V8 -a 400 or 455 is a bolt-in swap!  The same goes for Mopars-don't try to hop up a 273 V8-a later 360 will make twice the power for half the money. And don't mess with the "Old" -i.e pre-1967 318s-nothing interchanges with the 1967-91 LA engines or 92 and later "Magnum" engines. Ditto for the "Old" big blocks-a 361 or a 413 is a money pit-your much better off getting a later model 383 / 400 or 440.  As for Fords-there is a lot of aftermarket support for "FE" engines-352/390/428-Edelbrock even makes aluminum heads-but forget the old 292 and 312 Y blocks ( Unless your restoring a 57 T-Bird to the nth degree ) a 289 / 302 will again- make twice the power for half the money. Or you could go with a 351W. Hope this helps everyone out. Mastermind  

Buying the right car to begin with Part 2....

Like I said in the last post, a lot guys over-estimate their mechanical ability when tackling a project. Magazine articles contribute to this a lot with articles on how "easy" some major procedure is. For example using 1970-81 Camaro / Firebird spindles, rotors, calipers, master cylinder, booster, etc to convert 1964-72 "A" bodies with front drum brakes to disc using junkyard and / Autozone / Pep Boys / Napa etc, parts. They all say how "easy" the swap is. In their state of the art shop with lifts, air tools, and career mechanics doing it, sure it's easy. Have you ever tried to change spindles or ball joints in your driveway with hand tools? Not so easy. Ditto for engine and tranny swaps. Drilling holes in the frame, moving the crossmember, shortening the driveshaft, etc, sounds easy, but is actually a pain in the ass. Doubly so in your garage, not a shop. Here's some advice on how to avoid untold grief when taking on a project. Big Mistake # 1. "I'm changing the engine anyway, so it doesn't matter what the car has in it to start with."  GM,Ford or Mopar, especially if the car is a six-cylinder model and your swapping in a V8, this is most people's major goof.  Here's why-they get a short block or long block of whatever V8 they want from a friend or junkyard or auto parts place. They forget that nothing from the six interchanges. The starter,alternator,water pump, fuel pump,power steering pump and hoses, all the brackets,valve covers, timing cover, oil pan, distributor, intake and exhaust manifolds, throttle cables, battery cables, all that stuff is needed, and if you don't have it, it can be expensive and time-consuming to put all that stuff together. Whereas, on the other hand if you bought say a Camaro with a 350 that had a bad crank or whatever, and you bought a killer 383 long block from a machine shop-all that previously mentioned stuff off the 350 would work, saving you a ton of money and time. Further-they don't consider the radiator-one designed for a 225 inch Slant-six is not going to cool that killer 440 your building. That six-cylinder Nova-guess what? After you drop in that killer Rat-the front springs are not going to hold up the front end properly, and the monoleaf springs are going to windup and wheel-hop so bad under acceleration that you'll rip out the driveline real quick. And those 9-inch manual drum brakes on all 4-wheels? I wouldn't want to try stop from several 100+mph passes with those! A V8 Nova that cost a few hundred more, but had factory front disc brakes and multi-leaf springs in the rear would be a much better starting point! Big Mistake # 1A- Cross-breeding and upgrading-even the same brand. This is the other major goof -especially on GM products. "All GM stuff interchanges, way better than Fords and Chryslers".  That's true up to a point-but let's say you want to build a killer 1983-88 "G" body-with a stompin' small-block Chevy in it. I would pay $1,000 more for a same-or worse condition Chevy Monte Carlo or Pontiac Gran Prix of this era than I would for a Buick Regal or Olds Cutlass. Here's why- 90% of the Montes and GPs of this Vintage have 305 Chevys under the hood. Conversely, 95% of the Cutlasses and Regals have 231 inch Buick V6s or 307 inch Olds V8s in them. The 305 Monte Carlo and Gran Prix will be a bolt-in swap for your badass 350, 383, or 406 small-block Chevy. The Olds and Buick-1st off-you need a new transmission-BOP engines have a different bellhousing than Chevys. ( Some 200R4s have the dual-pattern bellhousing, not all ). Secondly-the motor mounts, and all the previously mentioned accessories are completely different. Or let's say you buy a nice 1968-72 Buick Skylark 2 dr and decide to build a GSX clone. Great-where are you going to get a 455 Buick engine? They've been out of production for 35 years- are not very plentiful in junkyards,( and they don't have 1/10th the aftermarket support that Pontiacs do ) If you find one, Yeah, the 455 will bolt up to the Turbo 350 in the car, and unless the engine has more than 500 hp, the TH350 will probably hold up-but how accurate do you want your "Clone" to be? Original 455 engined GSXs had Turbo 400s.  (A few were 4-speeds, but that's a different can of worms-clutch linkage, pedals, bellhousing etc.) Which means you not only have to locate a short-shaft BOP bolt-pattern TH400, ( Not an easy task, as they were only installed in GTOs,Gran Prixs, Firebirds, and 442s. Unlike Chevys, which used shorty TH400s in trucks for years and years), you have change the driveshaft yoke, and if you use a long-shaft TH400 you also have to move the crossmember and shorten the driveshaft, and install the electric kickdown. And again- a lot of the external accessories are different. Easy as pie,right because all GM stuff interchanges? Not always. Big Mistake # 2. "Saving Money" on an "Off-brand" project. This bites a lot of people in the ass. For example-you decide to build a '55-57 Buick, Olds or Pontiac instead of a Chevy. 1st off-The Chevys had a modern, open driveline from '55 on-the others used the old-fashioned "Torque-tube" and Hydro-matics up until '58. That means whether using a stick or automatic-your going to have to custom fabricate a driveline, transmission crossmember, and probably use a 57-64 Pontiac rear end, ( good luck finding one of those) or ( Cha-Ching! a custom 9 inch Ford ). Reproduction body parts for 55-57 Chevys are easy to find, but how many companies make 1/4 panels, front fenders or door skins for '56 Oldsmobiles? This happens on later, more modern stuff too. Sure, you can get anything you want for a Mustang, but what about a Mercury Cyclone? Try to find a grille for a 1972 Gran Torino. Restoring a Road Runner or 'Cuda / Challenger? Your covered. What about "C" bodies-Sport Furys or Monacos? Not a lot of Duster / Dart repro parts out there. The other "Shoot yourself in the foot" deal is buying and trying to restore a car with an obsolete engine. Small-block and Big-block Chevys, Pontiacs, FE Fords, and Most Mopars have great aftermarket support. But 292 and 312 "Y-block" or Flathead Fords? 354 or 392 Hemi Chryslers? 215, 300 and 340 inch Buick V8s, or 394 Oldsmobiles are very different from their later brothers and parts are almost non-existent. There's probably a few other traps I missed, but these tips should help most people stay out of trouble. Mastermind              

Just buy the right car to begin with!!

I talk to a lot of people that buy musclecar projects and then sell them half-finished ( usually losing money in the process ) or let them sit unfinished in their driveway or garage for years. I think the reasons for this are two fold. One, people get excited over starting the project and buy something that needs work beyond their mechanical capabilities. Two, they get frustrated because the project is a lot harder and a lot more expensive to build than they first thought. Here's some good advice to avoid this problem. # 1. Get the proper raw material. I know a guy that wanted to build a killer '70s Trans-Am, or "clone" if he had to from a lesser Firebird. He got fixated on his neighbors 1976 Firebird. It was a one-owner car that his neighbor had bought new, and it was in exceptional condition. And the price was reasonable-if you wanted an old Firebird for a driver. But making a snarling T/A clone to challenge Corvettes and Dodge Vipers? This was the wrong car. It was a base-model with a 250 inch Chevy six and an automatic! I told him-"This car has no guages, no posi rear, no sport suspension, and you'll need a different engine and transmission, and you'll have to chase a ton of small parts." "For what it'll cost to make this car what you want, you'll be spending way more money than you would if you just bought a Trans-Am to start with."  "A Trans-Am or a Formula 400 is going to have the guages, the suspension, the posi rear end, and a Pontiac V8 already in it." Luckily he listened to me, and instead bought a 1977 400, 4-speed, T-Top equipped Formula for only a few hundred more than his neighbor wanted for the six-cylinder base-model.  With the money he'd have spent chasing parts that the Formula already had-he was able to build a killer 400-i.e Edelbrock heads,cam and intake,etc, and install a Richmond 5-speed. I guarantee he never would have got the car finished if I'd let him buy the neighbor's car. # 2. Acknowledge the limitations of the car, and your ability. I know a guy that bought a a 1970 Javelin that was in pristine condition. He wanted to make it a Camaro / Mustang fighter. His plan was to install a killer 401, a 4 or 5-speed stick, and a killer "G" machine suspension. Problem was it had a 304 with a 2bbl, an automatic and it had 4-wheel drum brakes. Much to his dismay-he found that finding front disc brakes for a 1970 Javelin was very hard. The 1971 and later models were different. Nobody had an aftermarket setup that wasn't outrageously priced. Further-he couldn't find a bellhousing and clutch linkage anywhere. Jeep Cherokees or CJ5 stuff wouldn't easily adapt to the Javelin. And no one offered suspension pieces. He kept it for a few years, never really did much with it, and sold it for less than he paid for it. Now if he'd been building a Camaro, Mustang, or even a Dodge Challenger-there'd have been a myriad array of parts available from the factory, the aftermarket, and in junkyards. He could have easily built the badass machine he wanted. Or if he absolutely had to have a hot rod Javelin, it would have behooved him to bite the bullet and spend more money and find a 1968-74 Javelin or AMX with a 360 / 390 / 401 and a 4-speed and factory front disc brakes and factory front and rear sway bars. Edelbrock makes aluminum heads, cams and intakes for AMC V8s, so more power would be easy, and some KYB or Koni shocks, and some Z-rated tires would help handling. However- he was still dreaming-a 401 Javelin is not going to throw fear into the hearts of 440 Challenger owner or even a strong small-block Camaro or Mustang. The bottom line is-the GM,Ford and Mopar models have the huge advantage of parts availablity and interchangeability. # 3 Don't under-estimate the amount of work a project may need. Sometimes, with rust issues, or water or fire damage, it's just better to pass and pay more money for a better car to start with. And be realistic about missing parts. Yes, finding just about anything for a small-block Chevy is easy. But what about a 330 Olds V8? or a 428 Ford? Ditto for body parts and trim. finding a dash or a fender for a Chevelle or a Mustang is easy. But what about a 1967 Barracuda? ( Way different from the 70-74 "E" bodies that everyone has )  Think hard before you jump into a project and listen to people who have done them before. Chances are their not trying to discourage you, their just trying to save you from losing money or making the same costly mistakes they once did. Mastermind      

Help make the "Junkyard Dog" a reality!!

Got some positive feedback on the proposed "Junkyard Dog" project idea. I've spoken to Hot Rod and Popular Hot Rodding about it. If enough people ask for it, they might let me serialize the build over a few issues and maybe do a feature or drag test on it when it's done. Please show your support and email these 3 guys- Johnhunkins@sorc.com, (Popular Hot Rodding ) or davidfrieburger@sorc.com, ( Hot Rod ) or Rob Kinnan Hotrod@hotrod.com ( also Hot Rod ) and let them know how cool an Idea you think it is!!  If I get enough support and one of the magazines does pick it up, maybe we can do a reader participation thing-have an online vote about which car to build, or what type of build-hardcore drag racer, G-machine, sleeper etc. Look at it this way-you don't even have to go out-just type on your computer and be part of something fun!!  Mastermind

Project Junkyard Dog?

I'm thinking of building a project car using a cheap, even ugly car, using mostly junkyard parts and serializing the build on this site, and possibly in a national magazine if they'll give me the space. Here's a few ideas I'm kicking around; email me and let me know which ones you like best. JYD # 1. I have a 390 hp 428 Pontiac engine in my garage out of a 1969 Gran Prix. It's been sitting for years, and will need a rebuild, but it's all there. I'm thinking of stuffing it in a 1971-77 Ventura and going one of two ways-hardcore drag-race style suspension for maximum 1/4 mile performance, or ( since a lot of Camaro / Firebird pieces interchange ) adding T/A sway bars, steering box, brakes, etc salvaged from wrecked F-bodies and making it a low-budget g-machine. Either way it would be a killer sleeper. JYD # 2. I also have a 455 Olds engine in my garage that has a spun main bearing. Dropping that into a 78-88 "G" body- preferably a Cutlass-but even a Buick Regal or Pontiac Gran Prix would make a killer sleeper. I'm thinking one of two ways-NASCAR tribute style-roll cage, radiused fenderwells, fat tires, loud exhaust and graphics- or Stone stock looking sleeper-quiet exhaust,skinny tires, factory hubcaps-etc. JYD # 3. A friend has a Nissan 280ZX with a blown engine, and I have Vortec-headed 350 Chevy out of a wrecked 1998 GMC van. Z motorsports still sells an excellent motor mount / swap kit to put the SBC in any 1970-83 Z-car, and it wouldn't take much to get 325-350 hp out of my core. These make dynamite drag racers-the independent rear suspension really hooks up, and since the V8 is only about 100 lbs heavier than the Nissan 6, they still handle decent. JYD # 4 My dad has a Jaguar XJ / 6 with a blown engine. That Vortec 350 would go in there pretty easy, and make it a stealthy BMW fighter....  Let me know what you think!!  Mastermind   

More cars that don't exist!

Fridays post got some feedback and people wanting more information about "Phantom" cars-and why they do or do not exist. Here's some more. # 1. There are no LS6 Monte Carlos. I explained why they weren't in Corvettes in the previous post. The 454 was available in Monte Carlos, with either a Turbo 400 or a Muncie 4-speed, but it's the hydraulic-cammed 360 hp LS5. Rumors persist that at least 5 LS6 Montes were built, but I have never seen one, or a build sheet or a window sticker for one. The LS6 was sold as a crate engine until 1991, so I don't doubt that there are many cars running around with them, but factory installations were limited to 1970 and 71 SS Chevelles, a few SS El Caminos, and the previously mentioned 1100 or so 1971 Corvettes. # 2. The last "W30" Olds 442 was built in 1972. The "W30" package was introduced in 1968 on the 400 inch 442. It included an aluminum intake, revised heads and a hotter cam, as well as a funtional Ram Air system. These were grossly underrated at 360 hp. ( All that special stuff only gained 10 hp? The standard 442 engine was rated at 350! ) The option was continued when the 455 was allowed in the "A" bodies for 1970. These were also hugely underrated at 370 hp. Compression ratios were lowered in 1971, but other than that the package continued, rated at 300 net hp until 1972. The 455s were available until 1976, but they were generic "station wagon" engines-no hot cams, aluminum intakes,etc. After this, Oldsmobile shamelessy put the W30 moniker on any Cutlass performance package-the worst being the 1979 Hurst / Olds with a 180 hp 350 V8, and the 1984 Hurst / Olds with a 307 putting out about 155 hp!!  # 3 The last 455HO Pontiac was built in 1972. It was available in GTOs, Firebirds, and LeMans models. These awesome engines featured Ram Air IV heads and aluminum intake, special round-port iron headers, and the "068" cam-which was milder than the RAIV grind. In 1975 you could buy a Trans-Am with a 455 V8 and a 4-speed, that said "455HO" on the shaker scoop, but it was a "station wagon" 455 with 7.6:1 compression rated at 200 net horsepower. Only 857 were built.  The option was continued for 1976, as simply "455 Performance package" and 7,058 were built. The 455 was dropped for 1977.  # 4. The last LT1 350 small-block was installed in 1972 Corvettes and Z/28 Camaros. They featured "2.02" heads, forged pistons, a solid-lifter cam, an aluminum intake and a 780 Holley carb. Like the LS6, the LT1 was sold as a service replacement engine in short-block or long-block form until 1991, so you may see them in everything from Vegas to 4x4 trucks, but they were only factory-installed in Corvettes and Camaros. Hope this clears things up a bit. Mastermind              

These cars don't exist!! And here's why!!!

I've touched on this issue before, but it drives me up the wall every time some yahoo starts talking about a car that he or a friend or relative once owned, yet they can't produce a window sticker, build sheet, fender tag, or any other documentation. I'd like to dispel the legend of these "Area 51" cars once and for all. # 1. There was never a Tri-Power 1967 GTO. Enthusiasts were furious when this option was dropped at the end of 1966. The parts could be ordered through dealership parts departments and they would bolt on to the 400 engines. Some dealers like Royal Pontiac would even install them for extra cost, but there was never a factory-built version. Period.  # 2. There was never a GTO station wagon. In 1971-72 you could get the "Endura" ( GTO ) front end and scooped hood on any LeMans model, including wagons. Also, the L78 400 and L75 455 V8s were also optional on any LeMans model. The LS5 455HO was NOT available in wagons. If some yahoo claims to have one, it's a LeMans Sport wagon with GTO emblems.  #3. Still more Pontiacs- There were only 295 SD-455 engines built in 1973, and they were all installed in Firebirds. 252 in Trans-Ams, and 43 in Formulas. The confusion comes from the fact that in early 1973 sales literature the engine was listed as being available in the Gran Prix, Grand Am, and GTO as well as the Firebird line. The buff magazines raved about the two prototypes-a red Trans-Am and a Bronze GTO. High Performance Cars magazine even voted the SD455 GTO their "Car of the Year".  However-the engines had trouble passing emissions with the RAIV cam and it was changed to the slightly milder RAIII cam, and the horsepower rating changed from 310 to 290. They also had trouble with the EGR valve function, and the connecting rod supplier, and the option was nearly killed. However, Herb Adams would not quit fighting for it, and it was finally certified in the F-bodies only in May or June, hence the low production. If your cousin Jethro had a tire-frying 455 1973 Grand Am, it was an L75 250 hp 455, not a Super Duty!!  # 4. There are no 1972 440 Six-Pack Chargers and Road Runners. Like the SD455 the following year-the "Six-Pack" was listed in very early 1972 sales literature rated at 330 hp-down substantially from the 385 hp rating of 1971. However they had trouble passing the stiffer 1972 emission standards and the option was scrapped. Rumors persist that "a few" i.e.-less than 10 "slipped through", but I have never seen one, or seen one verified by any Chrysler engineer or a magazine like Musclecar Review, Hot Rod or Hemmings Muscle Machines, nor have I ever seen a fender tag or window sticker for a 1972 model with this option. # 5. The "Cuda AAR" and Challenger T/A were made for one year only-1970-with the 340 Six-Pack option. Again-very early 1971 literature listed the option. And a Chrysler engineer verified to Musclecar Review that the early brochures had 1971 Challenger grilles airbrushed into the 1970 picture. Further muddling the waters-the 1971 R/T stripe package closely resembled the '70 T/A stripes. But there was never officially a 1971 version released. # 6. There was never any Boss 302 or Boss 429 Cougars. Ford built the Boss 302 and 429 Mustangs to get the engines certified for Trans-Am and NASCAR racing respectively. Bud Moore and a couple other race teams ran Cougar race cars with Boss 302s, but their was never a version sold to the public. The reason was the engines were so different from any other Ford engine and had so many one-off parts that it wouldn't have been cost-effective to make a Cougar version. Ditto for the Boss 429. You could get a Cougar with a 428CJ engine, and a couple of 428 Cougar Eliminators were converted to Boss 429s by Kar Kraft for drag racer "Dyno" Don Nicholson, but their was never a factory built version released to the public; Ford lost money on every single "Boss 9" Mustang, so they definitely didn't need a Mercury version. # 7. There are no 1972 Boss 351 Mustangs. The Boss 351 was made one year only-1971. It was rated at 330 hp,had 11.3:1 compression, a solid-lifter cam, and only 1,806 were built. The confusion starts because in 1972, the compression was dropped to 8.8:1, a milder cam was installed and the engine was re-named "351HO" and rated at 285 hp. Also, there was an 8.0:1 351CJ option that was rated at 266 hp, and the 1972 "Mach 1" striping package was very similar to the 1971 Boss stripes. # 8. There are no LS6 1970 Corvettes. The 11.0:1 compression, 450hp LS6 454 was slated to be available in Camaros and Novas as well as Chevelles, but the brass cut back on model proliferation, and it was only installed in the Chevelle line. It wasn't offered in Corvettes because Zora-Arkus Duntov-( Chief Corvette Engineer ) fully expected the even more radical 12.25:1 compression LS7 to make production as the 'Vette's top engine, but it too was killed by the brass at the last minute. Thus, if you see a 1970 Corvette with a 454, it's a 10.25:1, hydraulic-cammed 360 hp LS5. About 1,100 9.0:1 425 hp ( 325 net ) LS6's were installed in 1971 Corvettes. Hope this clears a lot up. Mastermind   

The iron is out there, you just have to look a little harder!

I've talked to a lot of people lately complaining that they can't find engines for their musclecar project. Now I agree that finding a 1963 date-coded 327 for your Impala SS, or a 1968 date-coded 383 for your Road Runner may be hard. But if your not competing in concours, and don't care about serial numbers, there's plenty of raw material out there, in sources you don't normally think of.  # 1. If your restoring a Javelin / AMX or Rebel Machine, or any other AMC product-the 360 V8 was used in Jeep Grand Wagonneers up until 1992 or 93. There's a lot of these in junkyards. # 2. The 351W Ford was used in trucks and vans up until 1997, as was the 460 big block.  # 3. Dodge trucks and Jeep Cherokees used the 318 and 360 Magnum engines until 2000. They are different from the 1967-91 models, but the free-breathing Magnum heads will bolt onto earlier blocks, and Edelbrock makes performance intakes that use a carburator. # 4. The 390 Ford "FE" engine was available in trucks up until 1976. # 5. The 348 / 409  Chevy engines were used in medium-duty trucks up until 1965. Stroker cranks that make up to 470 inches are available,and Edelbrock even makes aluminum heads for these engines. # 6. A lot of heavy-duty Chevy /GMC trucks-like C60 moving trucks up until 1984 have 427 or 454 "Truck blocks" or "Tall Blocks". These are different from the MKIV engines in cars and light-duty trucks. They have a different deck height and are a lot beefier. If you wanted to build a 540 inch stroker, these make a great base. Or if you on a tight budget-Edelbrock and GMPP make intake manifolds for "Tall Block" engines-you could have a cheap 427 for your '60's Chevy!!  Mastermind

Future Muscle Projects!

Just like you rarely see a '32 Ford 3-window hot rod, or a '40 Ford or a '55 Chevy or '57 T-Bird nowadays, in the future there won't be a lot of our beloved '60's and '70's cars left. Obviously, '80's and '90's V8 Camaros, Firebirds and Mustangs will be popular, as will the current Chargers, Challengers, Mustangs and Camaros. But there are quite a few other cars out there that will make great hot rod projects, that are largely overlooked now. Here's some of my favorites that I think have a ton of peotential. # 1. 1998-2003 2wd Dodge Dakota R/T  Pickup. These had a 360 Magnum V8 with 250 hp and 345 lbs ft of torque with a 4-speed automatic and a 3.92 limited-slip rear end, a lowered suspension, and fat 255/55/R17 tires. Bone-stock they turned in 15 second 1/4 mile times and 6.9 second 0-60 sprints. Think of how radical one would be with a bigger cam, better exhaust, and maybe a stroker crank to make 408 inches?  There are a lot of non-R/T models out there with 318 V8s and either a 5-speed stick or 4-speed auto. These have a lot of potential for very low bucks.  # 2. 1993-2002 V6 Camaro / Firebird. I see one of these cars with the supercharger ( or the whole engine ) from a Bonneville SSEI or Buick Riviera. Or you could take a cue from the Buick Grand National racer's handbook and stroke the 231 incher to 275 and put a higher pressure turbo on it. # 3. 1989-97 Thunderbird. My favorite is the Super Coupe with the Supercharged V6. Change the pulleys on the blower, O-ring the heads, and really crank up the power. Some 91-95 LX models have 302 V8s, and we all know there's a myriad of aftermarket parts for them. Some 1996-97 models have the 4.6 V8, but again because of the Mustang, there's no shortage of speed equipment. There's probably several others, i missed, but you get the Idea. Mastermind     

Sometimes it's best to "Run what you brung".... Or maybe get a different car!

A lot of people "Bite off more than they can chew" when buying or building a musclecar project, and often it's the fault of enthusiast magazines. The buff mags all sprout how "easy" it is to swap engines, trannys, suspension pieces, etc. But not everyone has a state of the art shop and an unlimited bankroll like these magazine projects. For example-yes, it's possible to put a 460 based 514 stroker motor in a Fox-bodied Mustang, but not's easy, cheap, or even necessary. I know "5.0" Mustang guys that run 10 second 1/4s with 302s, or 302 based 347s, either normally aspirated or with a blower or nitrous. If you have a Firebird with a Chevy engine-quite a few were built from 1977-81 because of emissions laws-it would be a lot cheaper and easier to just hop up the engine in the car, or replace it with another, more powerful, Chevy engine than it would be to convert it back to "Real" Pontiac power. Here's why -Chevrolet and BOP engines have different bellhousing bolt patterns. So the 1st and largest expense is going to be another transmission.  Secondly, the starter, water pump, fuel pump, alternator and power steering brackets are all different. Yeah, your buddy may have a 400 Pontiac block "laying around" that he'll sell you for a couple hundred bucks, but does it have the distributor, intake and exhaust manifolds, valve covers, oil pan, timing covers, flexplate, balancer, etc?  All that stuff adds up quick. On the other hand let's say you have the money to build a 1970 Hemi Challenger clone. 15 grand for a Mopar Performance Crate Hemi is planned for. Even if you have 50 or 60K in it when your done, that's still better than the 250 on up originals are bringing, right? Right. Except when searching for basic material, even though your replacing a lot of stuff, you'd be better off starting with a 383 version than a six-cylinder or 318 model. Here's why-the 383 model is going to have a big-block K-member, front disc brakes, a 727 Torqueflite tranny, and an 8.75 rear end. The six cylinder / 318 model is going to have the wrong K-member that will need to be raplaced with the Big-block member, it will have a 904 trans that will neither bolt up to or hold up to a 426 Hemi. It will have six-cylinder torsion bars that will have to be upgraded, and an 8.25 rear and small-block springs that won't hold up. The radiator will have to be replaced, and the base model will more than likely have 4-wheel drum brakes, that will need to upgraded. See what I'm saying?  Hope this helps everyone out.  Mastermind      

AMC Sleepers........

Everybody knows about the Plymouth Duster 340's rep as a giant killer, but I had a few people asking me about the AMC cars I mentioned in the post about "mini-musclecars".  AMC had some success in the musclecar era with the Javelin and AMX models-( See an earlier post- "The Welterweight Champ" ) Javelins and AMXs have kind of a "cult" following even today, but they were underpowered compared to the GM, Ford and Mopar offerings of the time. The top 390 in the AMX was only rated at 315 hp; The base model 400 in a GTO was rated at 350 hp., ditto for the Olds 442. The base 383 in a Road Runner was rated at 335 hp, the optional 440 at 375.  Even when AMC increased the cubes and output-the new for 1971 401 V8 had 330 hp-they were still behind. GM had lifted the ban on engines over 400 cubes in "A" and "F" body cars. A big 455 inch Firebird or 454 Chevelle had little to fear from a 401 Javelin in a drag race.  However in some of the stock and super stock, and modified classes the AMC econoboxes just dominated. The reasons were incredible power to weight ratios, and great traction because of the short wheelbases. The Gremlin only weighed about 2,400 lbs-about as much as a Vega. However the 304 V8 was optional in the Gremlin. The same 304 that propelled Mark Donohue to the Trans-Am championship in a Javelin. Even more dominating in the lower stock classes was the Hornet. I know, their square and ugly, like an old Volvo.  But they only weighed about 2,700 lbs, and could be ordered with a 360 V8. They had a better power to weight ratio than any small-block Nova or Camaro!!  The other bonus for sleeper-builders is the fact that AMC V8s, -are externally identical from a 290 to a 401. A buddy of mine stuffed a 401 out of a wrecked Matador cop car into his 304 Gremlin and murdered everyone in our street-racing scene!  Quite a few heavy-rep Camaros, Chevelles and Mustangs fell victim to that "Ratty Brown Gremlin".  A lot of these cars ended up in junkyards in the '80's and '90's. However, no one wants a Hornet or Gremlin today except hardcore AMC followers, so if you find one, it'll probably be cheap. Further, the 360 V8 was used in Grand Waggoneers until 1992 or 93, so there's plenty of buildable cores, and Edelbrock even makes performance Aluminum heads and intakes for them. 1977-80 "Spirit" models, are a re-badged Hornet, are a little heavier because of larger bumpers and safety regulations, but are still really light-( around 3,000 lbs ) have excellent weight distribution and traction, and with the 304 models-can really run with the right parts, or a 360 or 401 is a bolt-in swap.  Their not sexy like a Trans-Am or a Mustang, but like they say in the "F&F" movies- they make a great, cheap "10 second" car-if you want to go that far.  Mastermind       

Consider a "Mini-Musclecar!"

Because insurance companies raised their rates exorbitantly on cars with engines over 400 cubic inches in the early '70's, a lot of companies came out with "Insurance Beaters" that were good performers with smaller engines. A lot of these packages were just the same musclecar bodies offered with a smaller engine-i.e. the 350 powered T-37 Tempest and Olds Rallye 350, and Mopar offering the 340 in the Charger and Road Runner.  However, the real sleepers were the lightweight economy based models with performance packages. They offer as much bang for the buck now as they did back in the day-great performance for low-bucks. # 1. 1970-76 Plymouth Duster / Dodge Dart. With a curb weight under 3,000 lbs and incredible power to weight ratios, the 340 Dusters were legendary for "Dusting" bigger musclecars. Original 340 versions are rising in value, but 318 versions are the proverbial dime a dozen, and these can be hopped up easily, or a 360 is a bolt-in swap. Mopar Performance, Scat, Eagle and other companies offer stroker crank kits to turn a 360 into a 410. Or you can swap ina 440.  #2. 1968-77 Chevy Nova / Other GM X-bodies.  Novas have kind of a "Cult" following of their own, but you can still find them a lot cheaper than a same-year Camaro or Chevelle. Quite a few have 350s under the hood stock, Rat motors will fit, and many suspension and brake upgrades that fit a Camaro fit these cars. Also consider Pontiac Venturas from 1971-77. The 350 Pontiac versions can be made to run strong, and a 400 or 455 will bolt right in. # 3. 1971-77 Ford Maverick / Mercury Comet. Weighing about 3 grand even with 73 and later big bumpers, 302 versions can really rock if their set up right. A buddy's 440 Road Runner got his doors blown off by a stealthy hot 302 Maverick. Or you could use a 351W, or a 351W-based 392 or 427 stroker. Some Maverick "Grabber" and Comet GT versions have upgraded interiors and special graphics. # 4. 1971-76 AMC Hornet. Some of these had 360 4bbl V8s and were blistering fast. Others had 304 or 360 2bbls that can be hopped up. Not as sexy as the GM, Mopar, and Ford offerings, but because of their light weight and short wheelbase, they make excellent drag racers.  Mastermind     

If you can't afford '60's muscle, consider these gems from the '70's & '80s!

Classic 1960s muscle is getting more scarce and expensive all the time, and may be out of a lot of people's price range. However, there are still a lot of great buys out there from the '70's and '80's for reasonable prices-say in the under 10-15K range.  # 1. 1970-79 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400. Even Disco era T/A's are commanding big dollars now, but you can still find a deal on a Formula, and except for the spoilers and graphics, they are the same car. Wrist-thick front and rear sway bars, front disc brakes, a posi rear end, full instrumentation and 400 cubes under the hood. Transmissions, depending on year are either a Muncie or BW T10 4-speed or a Turbo 400 or 350.  Some 1977-79 California and high altitude models may have 403 Olds engines. There was also a "Formula 350" version from 1971-77, that had, obviously, 350 Pontiac engines. These make great drivers, or a 400 or 455 will bolt right in.  # 2. 1974-80 Chevrolet Corvette. The vaunted Rat motors were gone by 1974, but these cars are still a screaming bargain. I have seen clean, good running examples on used car lots, and on the internet as low as $3995!  Most have L48 350 power and either a 4-speed or a Turbo 350. L82s are a little pricier, but still within range. # 3. 1985-91 Chevrolet Corvette. These cars are kind of overlooked by Vette afficionados in favor of the later LT1 and LS1 models, but they too are a screaming bargain. The Tuned Port Injected L98 350 makes about 250hp stock, and that can be upped by 100 or 150 very easily and still be emissions-legal.  # 4. 1987-93 Ford "5.0" Mustang. These are generally regarded as the most reliable and best performing. 225 hp stock, and that can be upped to 350-375 with bolt-on parts. I see these cars as low as $2,000 all the time. There is probably more speed equipment available for this car than anything else on the planet.  Tremendous bang for the buck. # 5. 1985-88 Buick Grand National / Regal T-Type. Clean examples of these are at the top of our price range, but worth it. Underrated by 100 at 245 hp, these cars ran very low 14s and very high 13s off the showroom floor. Don't buy 1983 or 84 models, they were carburated and not nearly as fast or reliable as the fuel-injected models. # 6 1987-92 L98 Z/28 Camaro / Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans-Am. While most 3rd generation GM F-bodies had 305 motivation, you could get the L98 Corvette 350 as an option. No manual trans option, their all 700R4 automatics, as the T-5 stick only had a 300 lbs ft. torque rating, which was below the L98s 330-345 ( Depending on bodystyle ) lb ft rating. These make great sleepers. Might not be your '60's dream car, but you can still go fast and have a ball in these!  Mastermind