Another Small Block Build Advice Post...

[Jonnyuma]

...there's others on here, and I've read most of em, but figured another one couldn't hurt, right. That's what we're here for. Besides, the newest one I've read was from 2012.

I've got a running 76 360 in my Cordoba that I want to rebuild. I'm hoping for a rings-and-bearings job, timing set, oil pump, reseal, etc, but won't know for sure til I get it opened up. The main reason for the teardown is to get at the oil pump, but while its out, well...you know...

Street car only, daily driver, no temperamental racy stuff, please. I've got an AirGap and a 600 cfm vac secondary carb, both of which I'll keep. Also have HEI ignition and have deleted the a/c with the proper brackets and pulleys. I'm thinkin' a relatively low compression, pump gas motor, maybe 350-375 HP and as much torque as I can get. I have stock manifolds and a 2into1 single 3" exhaust which I'll most likely keep (its all PAID for). Headers for late B-bodies start out at cheap and ill-fitting, and skip straight to freakin EXPENSIVE, with nothing in between. Plus, my car sits pretty low, headers would hang too low for me to drive it like I do. Not worth the trouble or expense for a build like this, for a car like this.

The typical budget restraints are solidly in place. If I get off easy in the engine department I can re-bush my front suspension while it (engine) is out of the car: much easier that way. I'd like to use my heads at least til I can afford better ones, so a valve job and seals (and springs) will probably be about the extent of the headwork unless I do it myself. Heads can always be upgraded later. Any good cam ideas? I like a fairly smooth idle on this car: all blublublub as opposed to rumpityrumpity....shouldn't be a problem with a mild cam. TC stall recommendations? Tips on building enuff torque to help a 4000 lb car get out of its own way? By the way, I have a 3.55 r&p to install, I just haven't had the guts to tackle it yet. Between that and the proper tq converter it oughtta at least FEEL fast(er). A cam change and a little bit of head work oughtta make it BE faster, and that's what I'm looking for from youz guyz: a good combo.

Thanks,

 

[UKPlymouth]

If you're taking the engine apart, surely it's time for higher comp pistons? Not a whole bunch of cash for KBs or similar, that then gives more options on the cam. A 268 grind will be entirely street able and pull well with those gears.

 

[Jonnyuma]

If I can get by with re-using the pistons, ie: no overbore needed, then I will. While a decent set of hyper-t aluminium pistons isn't all THAT expensive, they run about the same $$ as getting my cracked windshield replaced. Or new subframe bushings. Or a front susp rebuild kit. See what I'm running into here? If I spend some dough on something I want, I iwill probably come up short on something I need. A full-on rebuild kit from SummiRacing is around 4 bills. Add a CompCams cam, lifter, timing chain and valve springs and there's another 350-400 bux. Torque converter, machine work, head work...its all going to be too much money. I've got maybe $1500 to play with....this time around. If there's no cylinder wall damage, no compelling reason to bore (as opposed to hone), Ima gonna have to keep the old pistons. I should probably run a compression check and a leakdown test. I'm kinda limited these days in the facilities and tools dept. I mostly just want to keep this thing healthy and running til I can get back on my feet. I figured to pull the motor, change out the oil pump, and timing chain and water pump as long as it was out. Then decided a cam/lifter set was pretty cheap, so why not? Then comes valve springs, torque converter, and every damn thing else.

Why can't I just be happy with some front-wheel-drive econo-poopster?! What the Hell is WRONG with us?....there's a glitch in the Matrix, that's what.

I never would have used that metaphor if The Matrix hadn't been on tv last night.

 

[Supershafts]

I would mill the heads .060, do the valves and open them up also. you can keep the edel AG, and i would go with a full roller VT no matter what, cam stick in the 270, 112 area and a quench piston.

If thats to much, do a leak down test and make sure you EVEN need to touch the bottom end, and if no reason to touch it then mill the heads no matter what and change the bearings, pump and p/u, still go with the same cam

 

[Coronet 500]

I think your goal of 350-375hp can't be achieved with stock exhaust manifolds. With stock compression engine, headers, healthy cam and a larger carb will be needed.

 

[Jonnyuma]

You're probably right. 350 is a bit optimistic. I need to lower my expectations a bit for this build. Would a stock 340 cam give me more power without having to use a higher stall converter? I was looking at Indy''s budget Aerohead line of heads a while back. They seem like a pretty decent bargain @ 500/pr complete.

I may be able to swing the head/intake milling, but going roller adds some expense. Assuming stock deck height, what would .060" raise the cr to? Roughly one point?

 

[Supershafts]

You want 350/370 you don't need a tc with a 340 cam..

.060 will get you into the 8's and away from that 7.2 to 7.8 you have now, make the power process better.

After that see NX for the other hp

 

[Coronet 500]

The 340 is a great cam but I would look at some of the more modern designs with a little more lift and less duration. Have a look at some of the Comp Cams High Energy series.

I ran some simulations on their program and 280-300hp with 360-380tq no problem with your stock block and headers even higher as compression increases but killed with stock manifolds.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

To make your target power it would need to breathe real well, and you can't do it on a tight budget and constraints. Your stock motor would make a bucket of torque down low already, and over camming would kill your low end torque and with stock exh manifolds and low comp and stock heads would prevent any real power gains...

An RV cam like a Lunati Voodoo 260 would be as big as I'd go and it will certainly rev a whole better than the stock 360 stump puller cam.

 

[Jonnyuma]

I suppose my initial question should have been a short and to-the-point "what's a good cam for a stock 360?"

Performance is expenseive, I know. I've been casually price shopping some big blocks, but they're all over the map. Add the trans, K-member, cooling and possibly suspension upgrades, and any kind of budget goes right out the window. Some guys have a lot of that stuff luying around (after years of collecting, of course), I do not.

I may have to rethink my stand on headers for this car, the manifolds seem to be the biggest cork in the system, after the heads.

So, after all that stream-of-consciousness mumbo jumbo...what IS a good cam for the street with a basically stock smogger 360? I'll look into the Lunati Voodoo 260 and Comp's Hi Energy series. I've always liked that they'll put together a set with springs, timing chain, etc. Saves some time and hassle if shopping isn't really you're thing. Obviously I don't want to over-cam this thing, that would be a dumb move. I'd rather go a little bit conservative that over do it make it run like crap.

 

[Coronet 500]

I ran your original combo, and as much as the results can be argued they're not a good way to find true results, I think it's a good way to compare this one manufacturers cams to one another.

XE256H 260hp 358tq add headers = 286hp 377tq

255DEH 260hp 350tq add headers = 285hp 370tq

Cams that are larger will gain hp and drop tq, with small carb and heads moving a heavy car I would look for as much torque as possible.

The 265DEH looks good too.

 

[Jonnyuma]

Thanks, Coronet 500. Whose part #s are those?

This car was factory rated at a whopping 185 HP, I think. That was of course with the smog junk, LeanBurn, a/c, and a 2bbl carb. All that crap is gone now. Either one of those you mentioned would be a pretty substantial improvement. Do ya think I could get away with the stock valvesprings? Prolly be fairly cheap insurance to change em out, plus get the full benefit of the cam with matched springs.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

Some might run stock valve springs on a tight budget, but I certainly wouldn't. Get the recommended springs!

 

[Jonnyuma]

Thanks, Coronet 500. Whose part #s are those?

Oh, never mind. I didn't recognize em as Comp's #s at first.

 

[Coronet 500]

Go with new springs, the ones you have are old. My last cam I went with Comps recommended springs, retainers and locks.

You have a 3.55 set, what's in it now?