What have I started?!

[imean340]

So I have been kicking around for years with my ebody and little J headed 340,  asking questions on here and on the Moparts boards for the past 10 years. I've tossed around a big block swap, stroker motor, nitrous etc...to boost my power a little. When the Hellcat came out, I knew my high 12 second 340 wasn't gong to cut it anymore. I got a great deal on a set of ported W2 econo heads from a reputable builder on Moparts that flowed just a hair under 300cfm's at .600 and a ported Indy intake that combined with the heads, put his 2800lb A body into the mid 9's.  That was going to be the end of it: slap them on my forged 340 with a nice cam, make 500+hp and call it a day, right? Then I realized I still had a practically new D1SC procharger and A1000 fuel system from a car I parted out...and I that same week I found a great deal on a D1SC bracket for an E body. Things got carried away fast.

Here's what I've got now. Should be picking up the motor from the machine shop either this weekend or next, and if the weather warms up a little bit (i'm working in a tent here in the North East)  I may be able to get it all running within a month or two.

69 340 bored .030 over
Hughes stud girdle
69 factory forged crank
Eagle H beam rods
Speed Pro forged pistons, my machinist cut a dish into them to bring my C/R down to the low 9's
Iron ported econo heads with Mopar Performance shaft mounted rockers
242/246 @.050 112 LSA custom grind solid roller from comp, about .600 lift with the 1.6 rr's.
Ported Indy 360 intake
Ebay 3 core aluminum rad with dual electric fans

Fed by a trunk mounted 15 gallon fuel cell and Aeromotive A100 pump. 12 AN feed to pump, 10AN from pump to fuel pressure regulator, 10 AN split to dual 6AN from there to T/B

FITECH 1200 fuel injection throttle body
D1SC procharger on SDCE bracket using SDCE 8 rib crank pulley
Vortech MONDO bypass valve
Ebay 800hp rated front mount intercooler
8 3/4 rear with 3.91 gears and 1350 yoke (just swapped out the 4.56's, they were always way too much)
Pro Torque 9" converter ( was set up for my old small block planning for a 150 shot that never happened, going to try it out and see how it does)
TAC Trans 727


I will update with pics, some struggles I am running into, progress and hopefully in the not so distant future a dyno tune session.

I know some of the parts look expensive, but this is actually a VERY budget build. Many of the expensive parts I had lying around already like the procharger and fuel system or found good deals on used like the heads and intake. The only one part that was hard for me to drop the cash on was the FItech fuel injection as I knew I was going to pay full price, but the cost difference between that and a good blow through E85 carb was very slight and Fitech includes wideband. With this primarily being my street cruiser/weekend car, I think the fuel injection will be a very nice touch and I am looking forward to safer/more precise tuning (which is worth the money for me with the destructive power of boost).

I've been trying my best to NOT keep track, but I think taking into consideration the old parts I sold I will be  about 8k into the build. I am shooting for around 650HP at the crank, pushing the stock block to the limits but trying to keep the RPM fairly low to make it last. I guess not a bad deal considering most guys I know making that kind of power have 8k tied up in their motor alone.

[imean340]

IMG_0936 by Kris A, on Flickr
First test fit of the blower bracket. I realized I had to notch the fender well to clear the blower. The bracket I purchased is missing many parts, so I'm going to use my own Dayco tensioner pulley setup and weld up my own support brackets to make it all work.

IMG_1250 by Kris A, on Flickr
IMG_1249 by Kris A, on Flickr

IMG_1294 by Kris A, on Flickr
Welded up intercooler mounting lower bracket which will also be used to mount trans cooler

IMG_1329 by Kris A, on Flickr

FullSizeRender-13 by Kris A, on Flickr


IMG_1895 by Kris A, on Flickr

IMG_1910 by Kris A, on Flickr


IMG_1324 by Kris A, on Flickr

FullSizeRender-12 by Kris A, on Flickr
The angle on this isn't as bad as it looks. The air actually sweeps right in over the lower valance and straight into the cooler, without the cooler obstructing too much flow to the open lower area of the radiator or trapping heat between the rad and the intercooler.
IMG_1732 by Kris A, on Flickr
Fuel cell/pump cradle. I'll take a picture of it welded into the trank (the two square stock weld between the rear frame rails just below the trunk floor.

[imean340]

I'll take some more pics when I get the motor back in the next one or two weekends. Also redoing a ton of stuff like wiring and the mess of brake lines going to the line lok. Not going crazy with redoing anything, but cleaning it up a little bit for as cheap as possible. Here are some issues I am running into now, and would be more than happy to hear some advice!

1) alternator. I know I am going to have to run something substantial to power the FItech, electric fans and big fuel pump. I am thinking of going with a 140am GM 3 wire . I mounted the battery in the trunk, so I am still exploring ideas on how to wire it all up. Then it will be just a matter of finding a place on the driver's side where I can fit the alternator and fabricating brackets.

2) power steering. I have it now, but my box is shot and the pump fitment may get tight with the alternator on the D side. I am debating going to manual- lighter, smaller and cheaper but I have a small Grant GT steering wheel and LOVE it. I also drive the car a lot and don't want it to be a pain to drive. What do you guys think? With some skinny meats up front, do any of you guys run no power steering on the street and don't mind it?

3) HEADERS. UGH. This is my biggest issue right now. NOBODY makes big tube headers for econo single bolt spacing heads. My heads have an LA bolt pattern but W2 ports. I would LOVE a set of 1 7/8ths TTI's, but the only way I am going to be able to fit them is with adapter plates. Problem is, I can't even find anyone who sells them anymore for a reasonable price, and even if I did, I would likely have to rework the tubes on the D side to clear the power steering. Some of my options include purchasing TTI 1 7/8ths W2 headers, cutting the flanges off and welding on my own with the correct bolt spacing or just bolting the 1 7/8ths LA header up and living with the mismatched ports. What I would REALLY love is to have TTI build me a custom set to work with my bolt spacing so I can  receive them ceramic coated and don't have to be hacking apart/welding new headers, but their tech guys have not been very helpful with that. Maybe I'll try speaking to the owner as I have been told he has done custom headers for guys in the past. I 'd love to weld up stainless headers on my own, but that would add a lot of time to the build that I don't feel like spending with the temps dropping fast.

That's all I can think of for now, I'm sure I'll run into more snags along the way. 

[imean340]

I may be dreaming, but on E85 with the front mount and a top end flowing as good as this one, I THINK I may be able to squeeze out 700hp at the crank from this setup, but I doubt the block will handle it for long at all (or my transmission, or my rear). I plan on running low boost, maybe 6-7PSI for a while while learning the FItech system and dialing in the suspension. After I get some use out of it and feel a little more ballsy, I may try to spin the blower up a little faster and see what it can do. I would LOVE to see this car go high 9's, but it is a heavy pig of a street car.

Hopefully someday I'll be able to fix the weight handicap. eventually I plan on doing a fiberglass hood and altercations tubular front end but that is really the furthest I'd go for weight savings I think. I like my interior stock, the car is already manual windows/no AC and has light weight wheels so I don't know what else I can really do.

[1 Wild R/T]

Headers contact TTI & explain that you need W2 headers with standard flanges.. Should be a doable thing.. They've done custom changes for folks in the past...