What Would You Build? $8000 budget

[rob07002]

I'm not ready for this until the fall, but would love to get your opinions. So, what would you build for $8000? My hp goals are >600 flywheel hp matted to a TKO 600 so I'm looking to clear atleast 500 at the wheels.

I'm a BB guy and have a running 454 truck motor as a start, but thats pretty much it. Its a street car and will mostly be driven as such with a few trips to the drag strip and maybe an open track event or two.

I'm going to have to buy everything, so I'm looking for a complete carb to pan setup.

So lets hear it, BB stroker, SB stroker, LSX, Procharger???????

[rocketman]

ppg 509 w/nos,with your 454 it wouldnt take much,use your block,eagle rotating assembly,good heads,spray it

[speedster]

Do you mean 8K for just the motor? Or $8K for motor and trans ?
For $8K you can get a 545hp/575 tq complete engine from World Products.
Also, on pg. 56 of the January 2005 issue of Chevy High Performance, they build a 625hp, 496ci, for $9K with everything. Uses a Coast Performance kit.
Or you can get a 383HT change the cam, put a procharger on it - 571 RWHP
http://procharger.com/gallery/showtemp.php?market=3&idx=1090

I am sure the LSx guys have some good ideas out there.

[thesound]

You could run a pretty mild cam in that 454 and make 600hp without breaking a sweat with one of these:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

http://www.whipplesuperchargers.com/product.asp?ProdID=1173

[rob07002]

I'm looking to make a reliable 600+ hp on pump gas for under $8000, not including the tranny(carb to pan). I don't want to rebuild this thing every year, so I would have to invest in a fairly good bottom end, and that would put a serious dent in the budget and probably rule out the Whpple, not to mention hood clearance.

I hear you on the NOS but I like the idea of having the power at will and not have to turn the bottle on, or heat it with a torch either(been there, done that)....

Keep em coming though, the more detailed the better....

any ideas on what an intercooled Procharger D-1SC of F-1SC setup would run?

I'm thinking put a steel crank in it, keep the existing rods, spend the $$ on a light custom 9:1 piston, Dart pro1 or AFR aluminum heads(prob the 315 or 325 cc) and a nasty solid with an Air gap single plane and 850 dp, If I could do all this for $4000 then add the Procharger......

[Lowend]

I would be looking at a 496 stroker setup; nasty torque monster engines.
Get the Rec Port AFR heads, a solid roller cam 250@050, set compression ~11-1 and you won't need the blower

[speedster]

Might want to check this out from the For Sale section on this site:

530hp pump gas small block For sale- 358cid small block chevy out of my 68 camaro; still in the car for another week or so if you want to hear it run/drive. Motor will be freshened before the sale by the engine builder (Performance Engines by Billy the Kid, Torrington, CT - builds Busch/Modified tour motors). (new rings, gaskets, etc.) 2-1/2 years since last build where it got a new cam, pistons, etc. I just feel better about selling it fresh, although it runs fine as is.

The only thing GM made is the block, 4 bolt main of course, line honed, decked, over $2000 in prep work to the block alone, main cap brace bars- here's the rest.

4.035" Manley gas ported ultra-light flat top pistons ($600+ pistons)
10.4:1 compression, but runs fine on pump gas (super); cam bleeds off some compression.
3.50" stroke crower billet steel crank
6.00" crower billet steel rods
Moroso 7qt kickout pan, fits 1st/2nd gen camaro and others
CHA aluminum heads, 2.055" intake, 1.625" exhaust valves, ported and flowing 285cfm intake, 225cfm exhause (@.700 lift), (former Nascar modified tour heads)
Titanium 10 degree valve spring retainers
Crower stainless roller rockers
Moroso stud girdles
custom mechanical roller cam .634" lift (duration around 269 @.050 if my memory is right)
Crower HIPPO lifters 1 year old (hi pressure pin oiling to the needle bearings for trouble free street operation)
polished edelbrock victor jr intake,
HVH blended carb spacer
750cfm Holley HP pro series carb, tuned by VDL (great street manners, car actually went 2.5mph faster on a 950cfm at the track, but this 750 is a better street carb)
110gph holley fuel pump, lines, carb feed, etc.
under 2 year old centerforce flywheel and 11" x 26 spline dual friction clutch
polished engraved valve covers, dyno sheets, etc, etc.
MSD billet distributor
Moroso custom red sheathed wires (under header, clean look)

Motor makes 530hp @7000rpm; 450ft-lb torque at 5300rpm. (honest dyno, not tweaked) Run's high 11's at 118-120mph in my car shifting it easy. Very streetable; I drove it to New Hampshire from CT this year and it goes like stink... easy rubber in 2 gears, 3 if you get on it hard and that is with a 4 link suspension.

$6250 fresh and ready to go;

Will also make a package with the super-comp headers and exhaust from my camaro and all the accessories on the motor (polished water pump, billet alternator bracket, alternator, power steering pump) $7500

[CarlC]

Freshen up your 454 and sell it for $2000.

Beg, borrow, or steal another $1000

Then buy a ZZ572/620 from Sallee. Carb to pan with all the good stuff, and a GM waranty.

[dougs68ss]

since yor not doing it to fall, why dont you decide what you want your motor to do, pick your parts carefully and look for deals.e-bay etc. and build it yourself.you can build a killer motor for half that. i mean when i did mine i found steel c/s 300.oo, h-beam rods 250.00, block from a core supplier 125.00, pistons, forged 200.oo all new parts. machine work 800.oo thats race prep! look around the deals are there, other than buying one from a engine shop, the more you do yourself the more you will save. good luck!

[rob07002]

Freshen up your 454 and sell it for $2000.

Beg, borrow, or steal another $1000

Then buy a ZZ572/620 from Sallee. Carb to pan with all the good stuff, and a GM waranty.

I like where you heads at, but I'm not that impressed with 620 hp out of 572cu.... and for 13 or so $$

[camaro608]

85 z28 with a 383 500hp new paint and int.
that sounds nice for a first car

[JoshStratton]

I think he is just looking for an engine. He has the car already.

[68sixspeed]

Hey, thanks for the cut-n-paste on my small block... price dropped too, $5000 as-is carb to pan (running in the car still); $6000 fresh, $7200 fresh with exhaust, accessories, distributor, everything. Hook up a vacuum pump on it and you have 550hp and it's a lot lighter than a big block! -Dan (and hey, another 150hp of power in a bottle would be fun too!)

[rob07002]

Hey, thanks for the cut-n-paste on my small block... price dropped too, $5000 as-is carb to pan (running in the car still); $6000 fresh, $7200 fresh with exhaust, accessories, distributor, everything. Hook up a vacuum pump on it and you have 550hp and it's a lot lighter than a big block! -Dan (and hey, another 150hp of power in a bottle would be fun too!)

Sounds like a good piece, but I'm not going to be ready till fall so I'm looking for ideas/opinions right now. Good luck though!

[MarkM66]

You could get 600 hp from a 496 with no sweat. Could probably even do it with a hydraulic flat tappet cam. Just get some good heads, AFR's or Brodix.