Well I just had to do it, it was just too good a deal not to pass up… so far so good!
Perusing Kijiji I found an add for a brand new full roller 360 stroker.
Details (haven’t got all the receipts yet to get the all the p/n's)
Throwing in the prices for info, let me know if I screwed myself to bad
76’ 360 Block
Keith Black 9.5/1 hypereutectic pistons
Eagle Rods
Scat crank
Comp Cams valve train (thumper series) p/n 20-603-9
Hyd. Roller lifters
Stainless roller rockers 1.5/1
Presuming 302 heads? (squelch) fully worked over with some Chevy (cheaper) valves. Trying to get all the details, the head guy is supposed to be a wizard.
RPM air gap intake.
I knew that if I had one of the better engine building shops in town put this engine together for me it would cost in the range of $10-12K. Advertised price $6K, talked him down to $5K plus he would take the parts I was collecting for a build off my hands at value. $4.5K.
I realized my tired old 904 would about blow up with the 480 est. HP this engine would put out so at the mechanics (engine owner’s) suggestion he put a ’72 727 together for me with a stage 2 B&M build. I may have been a little hasty on this because it doesn’t appear to have PTKD and after going into it three times during test now it’s hesitating in intersections (stuck governor?) $800.
Anyway it’s in, running and all hooked up and I’ve been testing it out.
Here’s some anticipated and unanticipated changes that added to costs and frustrations;
1. Installation $500
2. Hooker Comp headers 166.65 HOK-5901
3. Header Collectors 29.82 HOK-11040
4. MSD billet Dist. 223.51 MSD-8534
5. Trans mount kit (Energy suspension) 14.85 NRG 5-1101G
6. Re-work driveshaft for 727 197.20 (change yoke & shorten)
7. Mallory Hyfire VI ignition $150 (used)
8. Torque converter $259 (2500 stall I think) BAM-10415
Hey guess what the engine’s internally balanced now!
9. New flexplate and balancer 159.75
10. Credit for core’s ($100)
So far it’s wicked powerful, ticket territory right away with a throttle tromp. Very lopey idle & makes me grin being around the car even when it’s not running. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get a noise complaint from my neighbors. Who knew exahaust dumps before the axles were so loud, they weren’t bad before
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What’s not right.
1. I’ve still got a nasty highway high speed vibration, thought it might be the tranny mount before with the old drivetrain, now that it’s changed I’ll have to get the wheel balance checked. driveshaft was supposed to be balenced, can't see the differential causing this much vibration.
2. Random misfire, getting rid of the platinum plugs hopefully some autolite 65’s will help. Wires aren’t very old but may need changing. Hard to find with a lopey idle, slight off idle found it.
3. 600 cfm Edelbrock performer carb, too small? Not too bad according to the calculation. 408*5500/3456=649CFM 408*6000/3456=708CFM.
4. Tach now dead, adapter required.
5. Trans launch bad, it was good for a day or so. At least the builder is willing to keep going at it
6. No power brakes near idle anymore, (Watch Out!) I’ll try a vacuum canister.
