It's Ok to "Run what you Brung!"

I've had a few people voice confusion over my advice on which engines to use in their musclecar projects, so I thought I'd clear things up. # 1. Obviously, unless your Camaro, Firebird, Mustang, Challenger, etc is a six-cylinder model that you bought with an engine swap in mind, the easiest and least expensive way is to use the engine that came in the car. For example, there's nothing wrong with a 350 Pontiac; They run as good or better than a 350 Chevy in stock trim, and respond well to the old hot-rod tricks-intake,exhaust,cam etc. However, if the car is missing the original engine, or needs to be replaced anyway-i.e.-a cracked block,or other damage- a 400 costs no more to buy or build, and either stock or modified makes substantially more power with the same equipment. Ditto for a 318 Chrysler-their bulletproof-in fact the 318 is Chrysler's lowest-warranty claim engine in history. In a light car-Duster, Dart etc-they can really run. But in a heavier car like a Charger or Road Runner or again-if the engine needs to replaced, be it a junkyard engine or a "Remanufactured" parts-house long block, the 360 costs no more to buy or build but makes substantially more power and torque with the same equipment. That's all I was saying. # 2. I said the 454 Chevy offered the most bang for the buck of all the big-block Chevys. This is true. If you buy a new GM crate motor the 454HO has 425 hp and 500 lbs ft of torque and retails for $5995. The 500 hp, 502 Deluxe retails for $8995. 3 grand for 75 hp??!!  Hello? You can get 75 extra hp out of a Rat motor for a lot less than 3 grand!!!  And yes, a 454 will make more power than a 396, all other things being equal. And because they were used in trucks until the late '90's they are a lot easier to find in junkyards and usually cheaper to buy than a 396/402/427 which is only sought after by people restoring a pre-1972 SS Chevelle, Impala, Camaro,Nova or Corvette and are usually overpriced, if you can find one for sale at all. That's what I meant.  However-that aside-If you buy a Chevy and it has a 396/402/427 under the hood, by all means use it!!  # 3. Remember "Biggest Motor you can Afford?"  By afford I mean again-the most bang for the buck. Here's a few examples. Let's say you have a 1970 Olds Cutlass with a 350 V8. You have $2,000 to spend on getting some extra power. Adding an Edelbrock Performer intake and matching cam, a set of headers and dual exhausts, a slightly higher than stock stall speed converter and swapping the 2.73 gears for 3.55s will make the car run a lot faster than buying a stock, maybe in need of a rebuild, used 455 for the same 2k. The same goes if you have a 1969 Mustang with a 302. Adding a performance Intake, exhaust, cam, gears, etc will give a great performance increase and cost less and be a lot less hassle than trying to buy, build and install a 351W or 351C.  On the other hand, if you buy a Camaro with a 305,unless your stone broke, the first thing I would do is start looking for a 350. The reason is 350's are the proverbial dime a dozen, and a stock 350 will run away from an identical vehicle with a 305. Modified, the gap really widens. You can build a 450 hp 350 Chevy so cheap and easy it's not funny. No matter how much money you have, you'd be very hard pressed to get 450 hp out of a 305, and it still wouldn't have the torque and drivability of the 350. That's what I was saying. # 4. "Bang for the Buck" on every part. People were confused on whether or not they should buy aftermarket heads. It depends on the situation. Here's two good examples. # 1. Your rebuilding a small-block Chevy. The short block is in excellent shape and your just freshening it with rings and bearings and an oil pump, but the valve guides are shot and you have a blown head gasket. You can buy a complete brand-new set of Vortec heads from GMPP for $650 that will add 40 hp. Most machine shops would charge $500-600 to redo your old heads, and they won't offer the power boost of the Vortecs. You'll need a Vortec-style intake, but Edelbrock and Weiand sell them for about $200, and chances are you were going to put an aftermarket intake on the engine anyway! In this case, the aftermarket heads are a screaming deal, and you'd be stupid to do anything else. # 2. You have a late-'70's Trans-Am with an L78 400 Pontiac engine. Edelbrock aluminum heads are great, but they cost $1995 per pair for Pontiacs. For 2 grand you could get a carb and intake, a cam, headers and dual exhaust and swap the 2.56:1 gear for some 3.23s or 3.42s. That's going to make the car go a lot faster than just bolting the Edelbrock heads on the otherwise stock engine. See what I'm saying?  It's all about horsepower per dollar investment. Hope that cleared thing up. Mastermind                     

One trim level up from base that are bargains!

I've talked before about the bargains of the one-less than the top of the line model-i.e.-Firebird Formula instead of Trans-Am, LeMans Sport instead of a GTO, Rally Sport Camaro instead of Z/28, 5.0 LX Mustang instead of GT, etc. However, there are also cars out there that are one-step up from the "plain jane" base models that are great buys for the bargain-hunting musclecar buyer. # 1. 1970-78 Pontiac Firebird "Esprit". The Esprit was the luxury trim package that included an upgraded interior,Rally ( Read T/A / Formula ) guages, Rally II wheels, and usually factory a/c, stereos, power windows, etc. Further, while the base engine in a base-model Firebird was a 250 inch 6 cylinder, the standard engine in the Esprit was a 350 V8 with the 400 optional from 1970-76. Most 1977 models had 350 Pontiac or 350 Chevy engines. However, I have seen a few '77 "High-Altitude" models with 350 Olds engines.  ( This was when GM was playing musical engines due to smog laws.) 1978 models had either 301 Pontiacs, or 305 or 350 Chevys depending on whether you had California, Federal, or High-Altitude emissions. Obviously, the 350 and 400 Pontiac versions are the most desirable, but there's nothing wrong with the Chevy powered models-you basically have a Camaro. If your looking to build a Trans-Am clone, Esprits make a great base. # 2. 1973-1980 Chevrolet Camaro LT / Berlinetta. Chevy's version of the Firebird Esprit. Upgraded interiors, guages, Rally Wheels, and usually a 350 V8. For some unexplainable reason-the name of the option was changed in 1978 from "LT" ( which meant "Luxury Trim") to "Berlinetta". Some 1977-80 models might have 229 V6s or 305s. These are ok if their cheap and if your planning on an engine swap anyway. # 3. 1969-73 Ford Mustang "Grande". Same deal-the base model had a 200 or 250 inch six standard, the Grande had a 302 standard and either a 351W ( 1969 only) or 351C ( 1970-73 ) optional. Further you could get the "Sportsroof" i.e.-fastback body on a Grande, without spending the big bucks for a Mach 1. # 4. 1970-72 "Luxury" LeMans. Upgraded interior, more chrome trim, and sometimes rear fender skirts ( Those have to go ). 350 V8 standard with the 400 optional. Also available with the "Endura" ( read GTO ) front end and scooped hood. # 5. 1970-74 Olds Cutlass "S". Most had 350 motivation, but you could get a 455 without stepping up for a 442. # 6. 1969-74 Plymouth Sport Satellite. You could get a 2 dr model with a 383 or 400 without paying for the Road Runner nameplate. Good bargains to consider. Mastermind        

More One-hit wonders

Continuing from the last post that had cool '70's one or two year musclecar bargains, here's a list of  later model muscle that are great buys. # 1. 1984-86 Ford Mustang SVO. These had Recaro style seats, 16 inch wheels and low-profile tires, upgraded suspension and a Turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. 1984 models had 175 hp; 85-86 models had 205. They were great performers at the time; the only problem was the 5.0 V8 models were both faster and cheaper. However today they are great bargains. I have seen rough but running examples as low as $1,500.  # 2. 1989 Anniversary Edition Pontiac Trans-Am. You'll have to pay a King's Ransom for this one, but their worth it. Take a WS6 Trans-Am, and swap in the vaunted Turbocharged, Intercooled V6 from the Buick Grand National. These were not only faster than the 305 and 350 powered versions, they handled better because the engine was lighter. # 3. 1990-93 Chevrolet SS 454. This was a half-ton, short-bed 2wd pickup with a 454, a Turbo 400 and 3.73 gears. Some 92 and 93 models have 700R4's and 4.10 gears.  # 4. 1993-95 Ford Lightning. Another hot-rod pickup. This one had a hotted-up 351 V8, lowered suspension, 17 inch wheels and a cool monchromatic paint job.  # 5. 1994-95 Ford Mustang GT. For these 2 years you could get the new-for-94 bodystyle with the revered "5.0" V8.  1996 and later models had the 4.6 mod motor that although rated at the same hp, didn't run as good.  # 6. 1994-97 Chevrolet Impala SS. Take a cop-car Impala, stuff an LT1 'Vette motor in it, give it a sinister black paint job and trick wheels, and you've got a cult classic. This one brings a king's ransom too, but if you want one, that's the breaks.  #7. 1998-2003 Dodge Dakota R/T. Another Hot Rod pickup. 360 V8, 3.92 gears, 17 inch wheels and cool graphics. 0-60 times in the 6 second range back up the image. #8 1998-2003 Ford Lightning. Still another hot-rod pickup, but "King Kong" of the bunch. A supercharged 380 hp 5.4 liter V8 pushed these to 13 second quarters and a 139 mph top speed.  # 9. 2003-2004 Mercury Marauder. Based on the Crown Vic Police package-these had a 302 hp V8 pirated from the Mustang Cobra, a 4-speed automatic and high-stall converter, Auto Meter guages, and fat 18 inch tires and wheels. For some reason, Ford never promoted these cars, and then wondered why they didn't sell.  Any of these is a cool driver and something you don't see everyday.  Mastermind 

One-hit wonders that might be a bargain

VH1 has a show called "One-Hit Wonders" where they talk about rock bands that exploded on the scene and then faded into obscurity after one or two records. Think the "Knack" and "My Sharona" or MC Hammer and "Can't touch this." There are some musclecars that for whatever reason-usually poor sales were only made for one or two years. However,they are good performers and can be great buys for the discerning buyer. # 1. 1970 Olds Cutlass Rallye 350. This package included a super loud Sebring Yellow paint job, body colored urethane coated bumpers, a "Judge" style rear spoiler and Super Stock wheels. The only engine was a 350 4bbl backed by a 4-speed or a TH350. Other than the paint job there's really nothing special about them; I certainly wouldn't pass up a great condition base model Cutlass for a ratty one of these; but if you can find one in good condition they are a cool ride.  # 2. 1970-71 Pontiac Tempest T-37. Buff magazines of the day called them the "Poor man's GTO." They were a strippy Tempest with a 350 V8 and a three-speed manual. However,the 400 and 455 V8s were optional, as were a 4-speed stick or 3-speed automatic. The same deal was offered in 1972, but the option was re-named "LeMans GT".  # 3. 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee. This was the only year the Super Bee package was offered on the Charger instead of the Coronet. Engine choices included the standard 383, the 340 small-block, the 440 4bbl, the 440 Six-Pack and the 426 Hemi. Hemi and 440 models are priced in the stratosphere, but you can still find a good deal on 340 and 383 versions. # 4. 1973-75 Pontiac Grand Am. Touted to have the "Performance of a Trans Am, and the Luxury of a Gran Prix" these cars didn't sell well, because perfromance buyers bought T/A's and luxury buyers bought GP's. However, if you find one, they are a great car. 400 power standard all years with the 455 optional. Wrist-thick front and rear sway bars and front disc brakes gave them the handling to match. And the interiors are sumptuous. # 5. 1974 Pontiac GTO. Often called the "Best Nova Ever Built". This was the year that the GTO nameplate switched from the "A" body LeMans platform to the "X" body Ventura. Enthusiasts and magazine writers howled to the high heavens and derided the car. However-they actually stuck true to the original GTO concept-a powerful engine in a light car. The only engine was a 350 backed by a 4-speed or a TH350, they had T/A style front and rear sway bars, front disc brakes and a limited slip rear end. They also had a Trans-Am style "Shaker" hood scoop. Over 7,000 were built so if you find one they make a nice driver, or swapping in a 400 or 455 would make a killer sleeper as they only weigh about 3,200 lbs. # 6. 1977 Pontiac Can-Am. Hoping to cash in on the Trans-Am's popularity-this package was based on the LeMans. Special features included a T/A style "Shaker" hood, a "Ducktail" rear spoiler, a Gran Prix dash, and a white paint job with special stripes. Powertrain was a 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds backed by a TH400. Radial Tuned Suspension and Rally II wheels completed the package. The car was well-recieved by buyers and the automotive press; however a shortage of GP dashes and the mold for the rear spoiler breaking delayed production. Then the GM middies were downsized for 1978 which killed the package. # 7 1978-79 Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck. This was a 2-wheel drive short bed pickup with a trick Red and gold paint job, vertical Semi-style Exhaust stacks, a hotted up 360 V8 and Chrome wheels and Fat tires. Except for a WS6 Trans-Am or L82 Corvette, this was the fastest production American made vehicle those two years. They have kind of a "Cult" following so they might be a little pricey, but enough were made that you might find a deal. # 8. 1982 Chevrolet Corvette. This was the last year of the C3 body and the first year you could get a 4-speed automatic and "Cross-Fire" injection. They were ok performers-0-60 in the 7 second range; they'd make a nice cruiser and they are unique, and could be hopped up with a little work. However in stock trim the earlier carburated L82 and the later TPI L98 models will blow their doors off. This is why their snubbed by 'Vette collectors, but there's nothing wrong with them otherwise if you want a nice C3 'Vette. There's other "One-Hit Wonders" through the '80's and '90's, but that's another story. Mastermind       

Engines to absolutely NOT use in your musclecar!

In the last 2 posts I advised readers on the various engines that offered the most "Bang for the Buck" when restoring / modifying a musclecar project. Here's a list of engines that I absolutely would not use even if they were free!!  Every manufacturer has at least one; some have several. The reason for me vehemently advising against these is that virtually no parts interchange with the "traditional" V8 engines, and they made very little power to begin with, and aftermarket support is virtually non-existant. It's a fairly short list, but I would avoid these like the plague.  # 1. 262 or 267 inch Chevy V8. These were made from 1975-83, but they are a lightweight "economy" motor and practically nothing interchanges with a traditional small-block Chevy. It's not the small size; -a 23 T-bucket or '62-67 Nova could really rock with a properly built 283 or even a 305. I'll say it again: The problem is virtually nothing from a "regular" small-block will interchange.  # 2. 265 or 301 Pontiac V8. These were only built from 1977-82, they are again a downsized, lightweight "economy" motor and practically nothing interchanges with the traditional 326-455 engines. If you have a late '70's or early '80's Firebird or LeMans with one of these engines, the upside is the bellhousing bolt-pattern and motor mount location is the same as the 350-400-455 engines so swapping these in is easy. # 3. 260 and 307 Olds V8. Same story-lightweight "economy" smog motors that wheezed out maybe 150 hp. Some 307s will accept 455 heads and custom port-matched Edelbrock Performer RPM intakes, but why would you want to? The 350 or 403 are both way more plentiful and way more powerful either stock or modified, and the bellhousing bolt pattern and motor mount location will interchange. # 4. 255 Ford V8. These have practically nothing in common with the traditonal 289 / 302. They made maybe 130 hp stock, and no speed equipment interchanges. They were used in 1980-82 Mustangs, Capris, T-Birds, Cougars and Fairmonts. Trash it, and find a 302. # 5. 368 Cadillac V8. These were the horrible 4-6-8 engine-an early attempt at cylinder de-activation for fuel economy. Nothing interchanges with 390-425-472-500 engines from 1963-79. I mention this because the 472 /500 into a GM "G" body was a popular swap a few years ago. I have even seen some Camaros and Firebirds with this conversion, as well as guys restoring Studebaker Starliners and making "Studillacs". The 368 is useless. # 6. In closing, All of these "downsized" engines are useless for serious performance work, or even for mild cruising. Stay away from them unless you need a doorstop. Mastermind  

Engines to use in your musclecar part 2.

In the last post I made recommendations on the most plentiful engines that offered the most bang for the buck for Chevy,Pontiac,Mopar and Oldsmobile. Today I'll focus on Ford, AMC and Buick.  #1. Small-block Ford. Unless your restoring an early 1963 AC Cobra model ( some had 260s before Shelby started using 289s) I can't think of a single reason to use a 260 V8. If you have a 289 in your 64-68 Mustang then go ahead and use it unless your swapping in something bigger. There's a lot performance parts out there-anything that fits a 302 will usually fit a 289. The 302 was introduced in 1968 and is still in use today-(Ford Racing crate motors). Ford Racing, Edelbrock, Trick Flow and Holley all offer heads, cams, intakes, even fuel-injection hop up parts. There are stroker cranks to make a 302 into a 347. These are a great engine for a light car-a '23 T-bucket, Cobra replica, or a Mustang. Like a small-block Chevy the power potential of these engines is almost unlimited. However in a heavier car like a Torino or Fairlane or Cougar or Montego that you want to drive on the street you'll want something bigger. The 351Windsor was used from 1969 to the present day. There's a myriad of performance parts for these engines. Ford Racing offers stroker kits and complete engines up to 427 cubes based on this platform. The 351 Cleveland was only used from 1970-74. If you have one in a Mustang or Cougar by all means use it; there's still good aftermarket support. But I wouldn't kill myself trying to find one. As for the 351 / 400M used from 1975-82, I wouldn't use them unless it was already in the car, and I didn't have much money. In stock trim, they have like 7.9:1 compression, and their 2bbl carb,lazy cam and huge "Cleveland" style heads kill whatever performance they might have had. They can be made to run with the usual hot rod tricks-compression, cam, intake and exhaust-but their so big and heavy and would cost so much to build that you'd be better off with a 429 or 460 which shares the same bellhousing bolt-pattern. # 2. Big-Block Ford. Unless your restoring a '55-'57 T-Bird I would forget the 292 and 312 "Y-Block". They are obsolete, big, heavy, and don't make any real power. I also wouldn't mess with a 352 "FE" engine. Their only 352 cubes, but their as big and heavy as a 390,427 or 428. You won't find a 427 anywhere, and unless your an NBA star restoring a Cobra you can't afford it, and it's not worth it. If you have one in the car already or can buy a 428 cheap theat's great, but their pretty scarce. However the 390 was used in millions of cars from 1963-71 and trucks until 1976. Edelbrock makes aluminum heads for them, and there are stroker cranks out there to turn a 390 into a 415, 428 or 447. The downside of these engines is their really heavy. The 429 / 460 are a much more modern design than the "FE" series. In fact, unless your restoring a 390 GT Mustang or Fairlane, I'd use a 429 or 460. There's a ton of speed equipment for these engines and Ford racing offers a 514 inch 460-based stroker. # 3. AMC. American Motors V8s range anywhere from 290 to 401 cubic inches. Forget the 290, their rare and don't have enough cubes to make any power. If you have a 304 in a really light car like a Gremlin or Hornet they can really run with a little hopping up. In a heavier car your going to want a bigger motor however. Unless your restoring a 68-70 Javelin to the nth degree, then I'd forget about a 343 or a 390. There's nothing wrong with them, if your car has one, by all means use it. I wouldn't actively search for one because their pretty rare, and usually overpriced; and a 360 or 401 is going to be cheaper and make more power. A 401 is great if you can find one. Besides Javelins, Ambassadors and Matadors, they were used in Jeep pickups, Cherokees and Wagoneers until 1978. The 360 is your best bet. They were used in Jeep Waggoneers up until 1992 so their plentiful in junkyards. Edelbrock make performance heads and intakes for these engines, and there is a fair amount of cams, headers, etc available.  # 4. Buick. Forget the 300 and 340 inch small-blocks from the early to mid-'60's. Their rare, there's hardly any parts available and they don't make any power. Your much better off with the 350 that was used from 1968-77. Kenne-Bell and T/A performance specialize in Buick performance parts. They make cams, intakes, etc. Unless your restoring a '63-65 Riviera forget the 401. Don't get me wrong, anything 400 cubes is going to run pretty good; but these are the old "Nailhead" design that dates back to 1949. The later 400, 430 and 455 engines are a modern design and make way more power. If your car has a 400 or 430 then use it. But I wouldn't kill myself searching for one, as there aren't many left-they've been out of production for 42 years. The 455 used from 1970-76 is pretty plentiful. Again, T/A performance and Kenne-Bell can help you hop these up, and Edelbrock does make intakes for them. Hope these tips save you from throwing good money away on an obsolete engine that will cost more and make less power than the recommended ones! Mastermind          

The best engines to buy and or build for your musclecar....

People ask me all the time "What engine should I use in my car?" The answer is not a simple one. Are they building a daily driver, a show car, a race car or some combination of the three? I decided to give everyone a list of what I think offer the best bang for the buck and why for each car line. # 1. Small-block Chevy. Unless your restoring a '55 Chevy or '57 Corvette to the nth degree, why would anyone even want a 265 or a 283? The 327 was and is a great engine,but since they've been out of production for over 40 years their pretty scarce. The ubiquitous 350 is your best choice. There's more aftermarket and factory equipment for this engine than anything else on the planet. The 400 was built from 1970-1980, and properly built make awesome power; however their siamesed bores can't be bored out much, and they have a history of overheating, and hot-rodders have been pilfering the cranks for 30 years to stroke 350s. Your better off putting a 383 kit in a 350, or if you must have a 400, Dart offers a complete short block that can be safely bored to 4.165 inches. Stick with a 350, and save time and money. # 2. Big-block Chevy. The 396,402,427 and 454 are all viable horsepower makers. However the the 427 has been out of production since 1969. (Although GMPP re-introduced a 480 hp 427 crate motor a couple years ago ). The 396 / 402 has been out of production since 1972. There's plenty of speed equipment available-but where are you going to find the block? On the other hand the 454 has been in use from 1970 to the present day. The 502 and 572 strokers offered by GMPP are awesome, but expensive. If you want a Rat motor, the 454 offers the most bang for the buck. # 3. Pontiac. While Pontiac engines were built from 1955-1979 and ranged anywhere from 287 to 455 cubes, there are only two that you should concern yourself with. The 287,317,347, and 370 inch V8s made from 1955-58 are useless unless your restoring a '57 Bonneville for concours. I don't know why anyone would want a 1963-67 326 when they are externally identical to the 389/400/421/428/455. Ditto for the 350 made from 1968-77. The 389 made from 1959-66 is a good engine if you have one already in the car; or if your restoring a '64 GTO to the nth degree. However their getting pretty hard to find. The same goes for the 421 made from 1962-66. If you have one, by all means use it; otherwise good luck trying to find one at any price. The 428 was only built from 1967-69 in "Big" cars. If you have one, or can buy one cheap, great. But don't search the galaxy for one. This leaves the 400 used from 1967-79 and the 455 used from 1970-76. The 400 is the best choice since there are more of them around-they were the standard engine in just about every model. And there are kits to stroke a 400 to 467 inches if you want. # 4. Small-block Mopar. Forget a 273. The 1967-91 318s are ok in a Duster or other light car; but in a heavy Charger? The 340 built from 1968-73 is a great performance engine, but try to find one. This leaves the 360 made from 1971-91 as the best buy for an "Old school" small block. Their are kits to stroke these out to 410 inches. 1992 and later "Magnum" heads will give a nice power boost and will bolt up to older blocks, but you'll need a Magnum style intake as well. The 1992 and later 318 and 360 Magnum engines are plentiful in junkyards in trucks and Jeep Cherokees. Again, the 360 makes more grunt. # 5. Big-block Mopar. Forget the early '60s 361, 413 and 426 wedge engines. They are moon rocks. This leaves you the 383 made from 1963-71, the 400 made from 1972-78 and the 440 made from 1967-78. There is a ton of speed equipment available for these engines, and kits to stroke a 400 to 451 inches or a 440 to 505. # 6. Oldsmobile. Unless your restoring a 1964 442 for concours, forget the 330 V8, their scarce and overpriced. The 350 used from 1968-1980 is a much better choice and a lot more plentiful. The 403 used from 1977-79 is a bored-out 350. This was GM's "Corporate" big-block and was used in 88s,98s,wagons,Buick Rivieras and station wagons, as well as some Pontiac Firebirds, so there fairly plentiful even though they were only made for 3 years. They will bolt right in place of a 350 or the useless 260 and 307 "smog" motors of the '80's. Might make for a good sleeper in a Cutlass or Omega. The 400 used from 1965-69 is fine if you have one; but I wouldn't go looking for one. If your restoring a '66 Toronado or if you have one in the car already, the 425 is ok, and like the 400, a lot of parts interchange with a 455, but I wouldn't waste time trying to find one; the 455 used from 1968-76 is a much better and more plentiful choice. Since their is a ton of Ford offerings I'll touch on them in the next post, as well as Buick and AMC offerings. Mastermind  

Two examples of "Stealth" fighters....

Here's a couple perfect examples of the stock looking sleepers I spoke of in the last post. # 1. 1969 Chevelle Malibu. This car had a later-model 350, a TH350 trans and a 2.73 rear end when the owner got it. He wanted a stock-looking sleeper. The engine was in good shape, so he left the short-block alone. He added some 305 heads-the 58cc combustion chambers raised the compression to about 9.6:1.  He added a Comp Cams 270H Magnum cam ( 224 degrees duration@.050, .470 lift.) He used the GM Performance Parts Iron Z/28 manifold and a custom-jetted quadrajet. The exhaust was 2 1/4 inches with "Turbo" style mufflers. He used a B&M 2,000 rpm converter and a 3.73 axle ratio. He powerbrakes it to 2,000 and it shifts automatically at 5,400 rpm. It runs high 13s and looks like a "little old lady" Chevelle. # 2. 1978 Pontiac Trans-Am. This one was a 400, 4-speed, 3.42 geared WS6 car.  The owner milled the heads .060 to raise the compression to 9.0:1. He used a Melling cam with 212 /224 duration@.050, and .442 / 465 lift. This cam has the same duration, but more lift than the factory "068" cam. The 75-79 Pontiac intakes have a restrictive throttle opening which limits power above 4,000 rpm. He replaced that with one off a '71 Gran Prix. He used 21/4 inch pipe and Turbo mufflers . He drops the clutch at 3,500 rpm and shifts at 5,500. It runs low 13s on street tires, spinning all of low gear.  Both of these cars are great drivers, look stock, and are fast enough to beat 95% of the stoplight challengers they might meet.  These types of machines are easy to build. Mastermind     

What if I want big power in a totally stock looking package?

Someone asked me this question the other day, and we had such a good discussion that I thought I'd share it with everyone. A lot of people-especially guys who show their cars as well as drive them are interested in this, as well as people who compete in Stock Appearing Drags, etc.  Here's some tips that make a bone-stock looking car-really move, but no one can see the difference. # 1. Mechanical advantage. Swapping rear end gears is easy and on a basically stock car, can cut as much as 1/2 second off your 0-60 or 1/4 mile time. If you have a car with salt-flats gearing-many '70's GM, Ford , and Mopar products do-swapping that 2.56:1 or 2.80:1 cog for something in the 3.23-3.73 range will give you a huge boost in acceleration without hurting driveability or freeway fuel economy too much.  Also a torque converter with a slightly higher than stock stall speed can really help too. Since most stock converters have a 1,200-1,700 rpm stall speed, even a 2,000 rpm converter can provide a noticeably quicker launch without affecting drivability. Don't go overboard, however-a 3,000 or 3,500 rpm converter will kill your gas mileage,and probably cause excessive wheelspin with street tires. Most applications will be fine with a stall speed between 1,900-2,400 rpm.  # 2. Exhaust. Even if your running stock iron exhaust manifolds, a good dual exhaust system with low-restriction mufflers and a balance tube, can add as much as 30 or 40 hp.  # 3. Cams. A cam swap takes a little work, but is a great "stealth" modification. A cam swap can add between 30-70 hp. If your running stock exhaust manifolds you'll want a dual-pattern cam-one that has more duration and lift on the exhaust side to compensate for not having headers. Most factory performance cams are this style, and some aftermarket- Edelbrock Performer series, Crane Blueprint, or Fireball series, etc. Follow the factory or cam manufacturers recommendations, and especially on automatic cars with high ( low numeric ) gearing I'd err on the cautious side. ( There's a reason the Boss 302 was only available with a 4-speed and 3.90 or 4.30 gears! ). # 4. Induction. GMPP has the original Z/28 / LT-1 Small-block Chevy manifold in cast iron. This is great for racing classes that require an Iron manifold or if you want to look stock while kicking ass. They also offer Iron Big-block intakes. The stock Iron intakes on Pontiac engines from 1967-74 are quite good. Ditto for the Iron 4bbl manifolds on Mopars. You can port match these manifolds and pick up a few ponies. A good carb is essential too. Box up the 40 year old numbers matching original for when you sell it or compete in concours. Jet sells performance jetted remanufactured Q-Jets for GM guys, and Edelbrock has the Thunder AVS for Mopar guys. Ford guys-sorry the Autolite 4300 is the worst carb ever made. Use a Holley or an Edelbrock and just bite the bullet at having a non-original looking carb.  # 5. Ignition. Petronix and other companies offer electronic conversions that fit under a point-style cap. You can also hide an MSD or Mallory Hyfire box under the dash or in the glove box. # 6. Stroker kits. If your rebuilding the engine anyway, this is a stealth mod no one can see. Evcn if the judges pull a head and measure the bore, you'll still skate as long as your within .060 of stock bore size in most racing or show classes!!  This is a great way to make more power while looking stock. There are kits to turn a 350 Chevy into a 383, a 302 Ford into a 347, a 351W Ford into a 392, a 360 Mopar into a 408, a 400 Mopar into a 451, and a 400 Pontiac into a 455.  There are specifics for each manufacturer, but these base guidelines giv you a good idea of what you need to build a stock looking but wicked fast sleeper.  Mastermind       

Good Restification advice regardless of brand......

While each car line-Chevy,Ford, Mopar, etc has their individual characteristics-there are some general guidelines that will save you money and give you maximum bang for the buck regardless of what your restoring. # 1. The saying-"There's no substitute for cubic inches, except cubic dollars" Is still true. Unless your restoring a classic with a small engine-i.e. a Boss 302 Mustang, or a '69 Z/28 with a 302 Chevy-always build the biggest motor you can afford. Often the larger engine costs no more to buy or build, yet either stock or modified, makes substantially more power. Some examples-a 350 Chevy makes way more power than a 305. A 400 Pontiac makes way more power than a 350. A 360 Mopar makes a lot more power than a 318. On the other hand-I said biggest motor you can AFFORD. Don't scrap a perfectly good 383 Chrysler and then spend an extra 5 grand that you don't really have, buying and building a junk 440.  Stroker cranks are all the rage now, and more cubes equals more power. This is fine if the engine in question needed the crank, rods and pistons replaced anyway. But what if you had a perfectly good running 400 Pontiac-good compression on all cylinders, good oil pressure, doesn't smoke or use a drop of oil. Instead of trying to make it into a 455, I'd take the $1699 that the stroker rotating assembly costs and buy a hot cam,an Edelbrock intake and carb, a set of headers, and maybe some gears and traction bars to put all that power to the ground. The extra power you get from those mods is going to be a lot more than you'd get with just the cubes. See what I'm saying?  # 2. Bigger is not always better. Just because some intake or cam made the most peak hp on a dyno doesn't mean it's going work well in a street-driven car. In 99% of applications I'd recommend a dual-plane manifold and a vacuum-secondary carb. Double-Pumper Holleys and single-plane intakes are ok on a steeply geared, light car with a stick-if you pop the clutch at 3 grand on up, it's not going to bog-but on a car with an automatic-that you can't rev up at the line to clean out, you need a carb that idles and launches cleanly-i.e.-a properly prepped Quadrajet or Edelbrock. Plus, every time you look at the throttle the mechanical secondarys and dual accelerator pumps open-it's like flushing a toilet. Your gas mileage will be horrific-I mean like 5-8 mpg instead 12-14. The same goes for camshaft selection. Especially on a car with an automatic transmission and high ( low numeric ) gearing it's better to err on the conservative side. Manual trans applications are more forgiving because idle quality isn't as important-you can launch at whatever rpm you want. And engine size makes a difference too. For example the old standby- the "350 hp 327 Corvette cam" will absolutely ruin a 305 Chevy. However this same cam will work pretty good in a 350 and be really sweet in a 383 or 400. The reason being that the larger engines have more torque to begin with, so losing a little bottom end in exchange for a lot more mid-range and top-end is acceptable. The 305 didn't have enough torque to lose, so the big cam just kills the small motor. You need to be cautious on big-blocks too. For example I would only recommend the Vaunted Ram Air IV cam for a 400 Pontiac if the car had a 4-speed and 3.73 gears. However, I know people that get awesome performance with this cam while running 3.08 or 3.23 gears and an automatic behind a 455. The 55 extra cubes really smooths out this radical cam. # 3. Consider "Bang for the Buck" before you spend big dollars. Aftermarket aluminum heads are all the rage, and in some cases they are a great deal. In other cases not. For example-Hot Rod magazine did a cylinder head test on a 454 Chevy a few years ago-the standard oval-port heads vs the rectangular port high-performance heads. The hi-perf heads did not show a noticeable gain until 6,300 rpm!  How often are you going to above 6,200 rpm in your street / strip machine? Edelbrock makes performance aluminum heads for just about everything; however, for anything other than a small-block Chevy they cost close to 2 grand a pair. For 2 grand you could buy a carb/intake combo, a cam, headers,a higher stall converter and some stiffer gears. Ditto for overdrive transmissions. These swaps cost anywhere from 2-5 thousand dollars. For 600 less rpm on the freeway?!  Again that money could better spent elsewhere.  Mastermind 

If no one makes the parts, then how are you going to build it?

Several people were offended when I wrote about some cool Buick models and recommended they swap in a Chevy engine to go real fast. I did this for one reason only-parts availability. Like it or not- although the popularity of the new GM LS motors is rising, the small and big block Chevy is the easiest and cheapest way for a quick power infusion into any GM chassis. I have nothing against Buicks but consider this- "Real" Pontiac engines have been out of production since 1978. Yet there is a ton of aftermarket support-Edelbrock and Kauffman offer aluminum heads, Scat and Eagle- offer stroker cranks and rotating assemblies. Butler performance and KRE offer aftermarket blocks. Ditto for Mopar "B" and "RB" engines-i.e. 383,400 and 440. Yet Edelbrock and Indy racing offer aftermarket heads, Eagle offers stroker cranks, etc. The factory-Mopar performance offers cams and intakes-even replacement "Six-Pack" setups and a 500 inch 440 based crate engine. The 455 Olds has been out of production since 1976, and the 350 / 403 since 1980. Yet, because of their immense popularity in boat racing- there is a ton of speed equipment available for the 455 Olds-including Edelbrock aluminum heads. Because so many Pontiac Firebirds were built with 403 Olds engines in the late '70's-there's plenty for them. And the 350 /403 are the same family. The Ford "FE" series was discontinued after 1976. Yet there is aftermarket aluminum heads, intakes, cams, stroker cranks, etc to build a 390 or 428, or even a 447 inch stroker. The 455 Buick was discontinued in 1976 and the 350 in 1977. Edelbrock makes Perfromer intakes for the 430 and 455s, but nothing for the 350s. Kenne-Bell and T/A performance make some parts-but unlike a Chevy or Pontiac or Ford or Mopar-you can't just call Summitt Racing and order everything you need to build a killer motor. Spare me the letters from the people with 10 second GSX's or Grand Nationals-Yes it can be done-but not easily or cheaply. If you want say-a 12 second street machine-where you need at least 400 hp-you can do that with a small-block Chevy for less than 3 grand with the right combination of parts ( Super Chevy did it for $2,600 with a Pep Boys short block, GMPP Vortec heads, and an Edelbrock intake and cam ) . Hemmings Muscle Machines built a 425hp 400 Pontiac for $3,200. Try to build a 400+ hp Buick for twice that. And I mean buying the parts retail-Don't give me a story like the magazine "Budget Builds"- "Hey-what about that set of ported and polished Brodix aluminum heads that "We ALMOST FORGOT WE HAD!"  "Don's brother just "Happened to have" a complete Six-Pack setup he took off his totaled Super Bee. He not only helped us install it, he bought the beer."  Puhleeeze. I was just saying that a Skylark might be a good buy if you can't find a Chevelle or GTO, and if you did swap in a 502 crate motor, it's not like your messing up a numbers-matching Judge. And even if you do have Donald Trump's bank account-all thing being equal-whether you spend $1,500 or $15,000, a 350 or 455 Buick is never going to make the same amount of power as a 350 or 454 Chevy for the same money. That's all I was saying. Mastermind          

The importance of torque!

A reader asked me to clarify how the Trans-Am mentioned in the last post could run high 12s with a 2.56 axle ratio. Here's how-the engine was 461 cubes ( a .030 over 455 ) with Edelbrock heads, a Tomahawk intake and a cam with 224/234 duration ( at .050 lift ) and .473/488 lift. It had headers and a good exhaust system. The engine only put out about 460 hp on the dyno; but it made a godzilla-like 573 lbs ft of torque. Further, it made 500 lbs ft as low as 2,700 rpm. This massive amount of torque is how the car went so fast with the high ( low numeric ) gearing. It's trap speeds were between 110-115 mph, which normally would mean an e.t. in the high 11s, but the car was spining the tires literally until about 70 mph! The stiffer gears didn't help that much because the increased torque multiplication resulted in even more wheelspin. If he'd had traction bars and drag radials or slicks, the e.t. would have matched the trap speed.  I see this all the time. A friend has a Duster that he stuffed a 440 based 505 inch stroker into. He does have a drag-style suspension-subframe connectors,inboard leaf springs to clear monster slicks, pinion snubber-the whole nine yards. The car actually ran FASTER with 3.55 gears than it did with 4.30s! The reason being this 500 inch monster had plenty of torque, and with the 4.30s he was running out of rpm at the end of the track. In the "Old days" when the hot setup was a 283 Chevy bored out to 301, or a 327 with a 4-speed, yes you needed 4.11 or 4.56 gears to get a holeshot, and with the right solid-lifter cam the little motors would rev to 7 or 8 grand, so you didn't run out of rpm. Ditto for big-blocks. Remember these engines were developed to do 200 mph at Daytona in Nascar racing. The huge head ports of a 426 Hemi or 427 Ford or 427 Chevy meant you had to run them at high rpm to get maximum power. For drag racing, that meant stiff gearing. Engineers figured out that smaller ports and valves with more flow velocity at low speeds made much more low-end and mid-range torque. This is what made the original Pontiac GTO such an awesome STREET machine. When you've got 430 lbs ft of torque right off idle you don't have to rev to 7 grand. This is also why the 383 and 440 Wedge Mopars would run away from a Hemi on the street if the both had 3.23 or 3.55 gears. But give the Hemi some 4.88s-and look out! Now engine builder don't build engines like your racing at Talladega now. They build for torque instead of top-end speed. You only need a 3 grand converter and 4.11 gears if the engine doesn't have enough torque to launch the car. With a big-block or even a properly built small-block, especially with street tires- a high-stall conveter and / or stiff gears is just going to give you more wheelspin which ( Duh ) actually slows you down. You have to remember that the test bed for everything is a stock 8.2:1 L48 350 Chevy. Which puts out about 250 hp and 280lbs ft of torque. This engine is a dog in a Chevelle with 2.73 gears. 3.42s or 3.73s and a 2500 rpm converter would make it feel like a rocket, as it puts every last ounce of that 280lbs of torque to use. If the same Chevelle had a 454 and 2.73 gears, changing to 3.42s and a higher stall converter would more than likely just blow the tires off, and not give you nearly as dramatic an improvement. In fact, the car might be slower because of the massive increase in wheelspin. The reason? Even a low-compression 454 out of a late '70's or early '80's pickup makes about 400lbs of torque,and makes almost all of it right off idle for towing. So using mechanical advantage to "Fool" the car into acting like it has more torque than it does backfires, because it doesn't need any more bottom-end torque! Conversely the same applies when adding top-end power. Most modifications sacrifice low-speed torque for top-end rush. For example let's say you put a Victor Jr intake on a stock small-block Chevy. The Victor Jr makes power from 3,500-8,500 rpm. If it loses 30 lbs of torque at the bottm end-now your down to 250 lbs on that stocker. it'll kill the launch even further. And since the stock cam is going to start run out of breath about 4,500-5,000 rpm-right where the Victor STARTS to make power- the car will be a slug with the aftermarket intake. Now put that Victor intake on my ZZ4 crate motor. The ZZ4 makes 405 lbs ft of torque on the GMPP dyno. It it loses 30 lbs of torque from the new intake-it still has 375-a ton more than the stocker at it's peak. And with it's aluminum heads and hot roller cam, it will get a shot in the arm about 3 grand and pull hard to 6,500. It will probably drop 3/10s in the quarter from the mid-range and top-end boost, and the slight loss of bottom-end torque might actually help the car launch better with less wheelspin. So if your building a big-block remember that it's not a small-block. Hope this clears things up Mastermind         

Beware that "Last Ounce" of speed.....You may not like it!

No matter how fast our cars are-gearheads are constantly looking for ways to go faster. On a race car this is a good thing, but on a car that your going to drive at all on the street, sometimes this can really bite you in the ass. Here's some good examples of this. # 1. A national magazine tested a bunch of intake manifolds on a small-block Chevy. The dyno test showed that the Edelbrock Performer RPM "Air Gap" model-with a raised plenum so air could flow under the carb-was worth 10-15 hp over the regular "RPM" which was already the top dog of street/strip intakes. This was great in sunny California. However, they recieved a flood of angry letters from readers in the midwest and Rocky mountain states saying that they bought these manifolds, and then experienced carburator icing which made their cars virtually impossible to start in cold weather, or if they would start, they wouldn't run properly for 15-20 minutes! These people said they were re-installing their old manifolds and gladly giving up that 10-15 hp in exchange for a car that would start reliably!!  # 2. "We shall Overcam."  Another magazine chronicled a camshaft test. Their test mule was a 383 Chevy stroker motor that was already pretty "built" the way it came. The cam in the engine idled at 800 rpm and had 14 inches of vacuum at idle. Perfect for a street machine. The "hotter" cam they installed made 28 more hp, and 24 lbs ft more of torque. However, it only made 9.5 inches of vacuum at idle, and wouldn't idle below 1100 rpm. It didn't have enough vacuum to operate the power brakes on the car it was in.  Again, the engine was already making 427 hp with the cam it came with, so making 455 wasn't worth the loss of idle quality or ability ro operate vacuum accessories!! # 3. High Perfromance Pontiac had a 79 Trans Am with a stompin' 455 in it. It ran 12.80's with a 2.56 axle ratio, and ran 12.40's with a 3.73. However gas mileage dropped from 16 mpg to 11 mpg, and highway cruising rpm went from 2300 to 3,000!. The owner felt that 4/10s at the drags wasn't worth the loss of drivability.  So be careful chasing that last ounce. Mastermind

A "Muscle Truck" might be a great buy for you!

Trucks were generally regarded as commercial, construction or farm vehichles by most people up until the late '60's. They weren't aerodynamic, and their antiquated suspensions made them ill-handling and definitely weren't considered hot rod material. However in 1967 Ford and Chevrolet / GMC completely redesigned their pickups. The bodies were actually good-looking and ( For a truck ) aerodynamic, and the interiors were vastly upgraded and more comfortable, and the suspensions were upgraded to make them not only better haulers, but better daily drivers. Air conditioning, automatic transmissions, power steering and power brakes were offered. Previously most trucks had antiquated engines that had both crappy fuel economy and no power-the 305 V6 in the GMC's and the old 292 "Y-block" V8 in the Fords. The modernized straight sixes-the 292 Chevy and 300 inch Ford got good mileage and were torquey enough to haul heavy loads, but definitely not high-performance. Now,for the first time modern, powerful V8 engines were offered. The 289 / 302 small-blocks had light-years better performance than the old Y-block Fords. The 283 and 327 Chevys offered great performance. And if you wanted more than that, the vaunted 396 Rat motor was optional in Chevys and the 390 was optional in Fords. The 2-wheel drive short-bed models were quick. Whether it's a C10 or a Chevelle-a 396 V8 in a 3,900 lb machine is a performer! As they got into the '70's they got more luxury options, front disc brakes became standard, and they got even bigger engines. Dodge finally modernized their pickups in 1972. GM offered the 454 in their 1/2 ton trucks, Ford offered the 460 and Dodge the 440. Further, as the '70's wound down, cars became more and more emasculated-the last Big-block 'Vette was built in 1974,and the option was dropped on A-bodies ( Chevelle, Monte Carlo ) in 1975. The Charger,Road Runner and Challenger / Cuda were gone after 1974-and the Mustang was more Pinto than Mustang. Catylitic converters and ever-tightening emissions standards further killed the performance of cars. However, trucks had different standards up until 1978 you could buy a Chevy pickup with a 454 with catylist-free dual exhaust, a Turbo 400 and a 3.73 rear end! Ditto for the others-440 cubes in a Dodge or 460 in a Ford. Trucks and SUV's became immensely popular in the '80's and '90's. GM offered the SS454 package from 1990-93, and Ford offered the "Lightning" F150 with a hotted-up 351W from 1992-95. Dodge didn't really have a sport truck until 1998, but when they stuffed a 360 Magnum V8 in the mid-size Dakota, they had a runner. Ford put a blower on the 5.4 mod motor in the new for '97 F150 and gave the Lightning a blistering 380 hp. GM no longer had the old style Rats- but the 6.0 and 6.2 liter LS motors produce between 360 and 403 hp depending on year. The Hemi Dodges make between 340 and 390 hp depending on year. A hot rod pickup might be the way to go for some of us. A "hauler" that hauls ass right?  Mastermind   

Here's what it takes to run 13s,12s,11s......

People talk all the time about 1/4 mile times, but I think a lot of them don't understand what is required to run these times. I thought I'd break it down a little and clarify some things. # 1. 14 second Cars. Typical 14 second rides include 5.0 Mustangs, Tuned Port Injected 'Vettes and F-bodies, '70's 4-speed T/A's or automatics with an axle-ratio change, and stock Buick Gran Nationals. This would also include "entry level" classic muscle like 340 Dusters, 383 Road Runners, 389 GTOs, 396 Chevelles, etc. Their fun to drive, and you can live with them everyday-the engines idle smoothly, the seats are comfortable and the suspension doesn't rattle your fillings loose.  # 2. 13 second cars. These are great, fun hot rods. Your typical 13 second ride has either a mildly hopped up small block in a relatively light car with a little extra mechanical advantage-i.e. a Nova with a warmed-over 350 and a 4-speed and 3.73 gears, or an automatic with a higher-than-stock stall converter, or a medium weight car with a mild big-block-i.e.-440 Road Runners, 454 Chevelles, 455 GTOs and 442s. They are still reliable enough to be driven on a daily basis if you want to, but increased fuel consumption and louder exhaust -( from headers ) and decreased idle quality-( From bigger cam ) don't make them attractive for extended driving.  # 3. 12 second cars. Nitrous can yank a 13 second car into the 12s, but the real glory is to run it "On the Motor" which means "Off the Bottle."  To run 12s without chemical assistance you need at least 425-450 hp, which means a stout small-block or a warmed over big-block. Further, you'll need to put all that power to the ground, which means a posi rear end, larger tires, and some kind of traction aiding device-pinion snubber, traction bars, ladder bars, etc. You'll also need some stiff gears-3.73 or 4.11s at least. These cars are definitely still streetable, but the drag-race oriented suspension and the motor buzzing at 3,500 rpm on the freeway aren't the usual qualities of a daily driver.  # 4. 11 second cars. Barring something exceptionally light-like a 2,400 pound Datsun 240Z with a Small-block Chevy- to go this fast you need at least 500 hp. This is why you rarely see an 11 second street machine without a blue bottle in the trunk. If you do, it's usually a car with a strong big block. Besides the previously mentioned drivetrtain, gearing and suspension compromises, most strips require any car that runs the 1/4 in under 12 seconds ( although some are 11.50 ) to have an 8-point roll cage. This means your seriously gutting the interior of the car, and making a serious committment to speed. Daily driver? Uh-uh. Sure you can drive it to the grocery store, but clambering around the roll cage every time you get in or out of the car gets old real quick. # 5. 10 second cars. "Fast and Furious" movies notwithstanding, now your basically building a race car with liscence plates. What would you call a car with an 8 or 10 point cage, a 600 hp engine, a 5 grand converter and a trans brake and nitrous?  Seriously-this kind of speed means a stout small-block with a ton of nitrous or a blower, or a Stompin' big block-think the 720 hp GMPP 572.  And to control that kind of power-chances are you'll need an upgraded drivetrain-i.e.-a T-5 or 200R4 won't hold up-you'll need a Turbo 400 or 727 Torqueflite, and an upgraded rear end-a Dana 60 or a GM 12 bolt or a Ford 9 inch.  Like I said- a race car with liscence plates.  Might cause some people to rethink what they want to build.  Mastermind

You can be cool in a Buick!

While Chevrolet and Pontiac models get most of the attention from potential musclecar buyers, you can find a cool, fun driver at a fair price if you consider a Buick. Here's a list of the best bang for the buck models. # 1 1963-65 Riviera. Bill Mitchell's masterpiece, and the styling still looks great today. Patrick Swayze drove two of them in the movie "Roadhouse". With 401 cubes under the hood, they move pretty good too.  # 2. 1966-69 Riviera. Fastback, hidden headlight styling of the Revolutionary Olds Toronado, but still rear wheel drive. 430 cubes under that long hood  moves them along quickly.  # 3. 1971-73 Riviera. The Famous "Boat-tail" design. 455 cubes-give plenty of motivation.  # 4. 1964-72 Skylark. Buicks version of the Chevelle /LeMans /Cutlass. The 300 and 340 small-blocks don't have the power of their Chevy and Pontiac cousins, and there is very little aftermarket support.  You could put in a 1968 and later 350 Buick, or a 1970 or later 455, or you could swap in a small or big block Chevy. ( It's not like your cutting up something rare ) . # 5. 1973-77 Century / Regal. Think of an upgraded Monte Carlo.  Most have 350s, but a few have 455s. Some 76-77 models may have 403 Olds engines.  A GMPP 572 in one of these would be an awesome sleeper...... Mastermind     

You can't always get what you want......

One of the Rolling Stones' biggest hits said-"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."  This applys to buying a musclecar as well. If you lower your sights a little-sometimes you can score a great deal. A friend of mine wanted a "Vanishing Point"- Challenger preferably with a 340, 383, or 440. The search for a 1970-71 model in decent condition at a fair price proved initially fruitless. One day he's driving down the street and sees a nice black Challenger with a "For Sale" sign on it. It turned out be a 1974 model with a 360. After driving it, he made the owner an offer, and a deal was struck. He loves the car, and talks about putting a 360 based 410 stroker in it, or a 440. And he's driving it and enjoying it while thinking about his future plans.  Another acquaintance was looking for a 1964-66 GTO.  Same story-the only Goats he found were basket cases not worth fixing or complete restos that people wanted 30K for. No "Driver quality" or needing work models in between. He found a 1964 Olds 442 for $6,000!  It needed a paint job, but the body was straight, and relatively rust-free. It had a non-original 350 Olds V8 in it, and a Muncie 4-speed. He bought it, and threw a quickie paint job on it. That was 3 years ago. He too, talks about either finding a 330 V8 and making it original, or building a 455 and making it really fast. But-He says-"It runs so damn good, and it's so damn much fun to drive, that I can't bring myself to tear it apart."  Needless to say, he no longer wants a GTO.  Don't get fixated on a certain car. And I don't mean a model, I mean an individual car. A Mopar fanatic I know got fixated on a 1970 Charger R/T .  The car was fully restored, and immaculate. It had a numbers-matching 440 Six-Pack and Center Line wheels, and it was gorgeous. However the asking price was $40,000.  He only had about 10 grand in cash, and no bank wanted to put a $30,000 loan on a 40 year old car, classic or not. My pal was bummed out, and really down in the dumps when his wife absolutely refused to let him get a home-equity loan to buy the car. While he was bitching and contemplating divorce, we ran across another 69 Charger for sale. It wasn't as nice as the other one-it was a "Driver" not a frame-off resto- but the body and paint were good, the interior was good, it only had a little rust in the trunk, ( What '60's Mopar doesn't? ) and it had a freshly rebuilt 440. And the price was $18,000.  While he was trying to get a peronal loan or a credit card for $8,000, to buy that one- we ran into a guy selling a gorgeous 1970 Super Bee. It had a 383 with a 4-speed, an awesome Sublime paint job with black Super Bee graphics, Keystone Klassic wheels with huge radial T/A's, and a gorgeous black interior. The guy was asking $13,500 for the car, and accepted my buddy's offer of 10K cash. He turned handsprings all the way home, and thanked his wife for talking him out of borrowing 30K to get the other car. He loves the Super Bee, and is still driving it, while saving for a Mopar Performance Crate Hemi. And he's still married. The point is, be patient and keep looking. And, within reason, don't "settle" for something that's not close to what you want. I know a guy that bought a 318 / Automatic 1972 Charger with the intent of someday swapping in a big-block. Like a month later-on a used car lot we see a 440, 4-speed 1974 Charger, and the price wasn't much more than what he paid for the 318 model!  Talk about kicking yourself- I never saw such despair in a human being over a car. Like Mick sang-if you try you might find what you need. At the right price. Mastermind                                          

Consider a base model and save Thousands$$!!

I've talked before about mid-level models-Firebird Formulas and Rally Sport Camaros and Coronet R/T's being great buys-but for some of us even these are getting priced out of our pocketbook's range. You can still have a cool musclecar however-you just need to lower your sights a bit. In fact, this may be the best way to get the car of your dreams. For example only 19,000 Z/28 models were built in 1969. That means of the 243,000 Camaros built that year-over 200,000 were base models. Chevrolet only sold 86,000 SS396 Chevelles in 1969. However, they sold over 400,000 Malibus that year. Now some of those were 4-door sedans and wagons, but over a quarter million were 2 door V8 models. And that's only one year. The body was basically the same from 1968-72. Ditto for Pontiac LeMans and Olds Cutlasses.  Even in a strike-shortened year-Pontiac only sold 1,286 1972 Trans-Ams, but nearly 30,000 base model Firebirds rolled off the line. Chrysler made over 100,000 Darts in 1971, but only about 7,700 were 340 Demon models. Of the 80,000 plus 1970 Challengers sold, only about 18,000 were R/T models. Ford sold over 70,000 fastback Mustangs in 1969, but that's a fraction of the quarter-million plus other models, in that single model year! The bottom line is, there are a ton of viable Camaros,Firebirds,Chevelles,Satellites,Dusters,Challengers,Mustangs, etc out there that people don't even consider because their not premium models. However-3 or 4 grand for a pristine base-model Firebird is a lot better buy than 10 or 12 grand for a "restorable" Disco-era Trans-Am. You can use the difference to trick out the car-engine improvements, suspension, tires,wheels,etc. And it may free you to make something really badass-Instead of restoring an SS396 to the nth degree,you might drop a 720hp 572 into a '68 Malibu! Or forget that 383 Road Runner-how about a 528 Hemi Satellite? Don't despair, just use a little imagination. Mastermind  

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