TonyL
11-06-2007, 10:54 PM
First. A little backstory. My dad has, for the last 25 years had a project sitting in the back of his shop. A 1957 chevy pickup he owned almost since new. When he tore it down, slot mags were still cool, and swapping the front clip from a nova was cutting edge stuff. He got that far at least. We installed the front clip from a 70 nova, installed a 9 inch rear with disk brakes, and completly dissasembled my dads truck. My brother turned sixteen shortly thereafter, and his attention turned to building my brother a car. Then one for me. And one for his friend. Then his job consumed his time. And his project languished in the shop for what seemed like ever.
Recently, he retired. Right after he was diagnosed with parkinson's disease. Since then, his brother and brother in law have died from cancer. Now, he's consumed with rushing to finish his truck "before time runs out."
I gotta say, Im SHOCKED at how much he's gotten done in just a scant few weeks. Im also mortified that my dad, the one who taught us about hot rodding buy taking us along smoking the tires in that truck, the one who would spare no expense on a car is wildly cutting corners to finish his dream.
Which brings me to my question. The truck has a fresh (he pulled it in the early 80s!) 79 chevy 454 4 bolt main truck engine. He's installed it and it runs,(it sounds like a motor home. not a hot rod.) and he seems ok with it. His birthday is coming up and I want it to at least have a rumpy cam in it.
He's got a team G manifold and a 750 double pumper on it, and that's all the "modification" this engine has seen. No dress up parts. Nothing.
So, I want to buy him a rumpy cam, but Im unsure because I know little about engine building (V8s anyway) and I know roller rockers and exotic stuff like that is out of my price range. What can I do? Can anyone give me some advice? What would give him the most "hot rod" for the buck?
Recently, he retired. Right after he was diagnosed with parkinson's disease. Since then, his brother and brother in law have died from cancer. Now, he's consumed with rushing to finish his truck "before time runs out."
I gotta say, Im SHOCKED at how much he's gotten done in just a scant few weeks. Im also mortified that my dad, the one who taught us about hot rodding buy taking us along smoking the tires in that truck, the one who would spare no expense on a car is wildly cutting corners to finish his dream.
Which brings me to my question. The truck has a fresh (he pulled it in the early 80s!) 79 chevy 454 4 bolt main truck engine. He's installed it and it runs,(it sounds like a motor home. not a hot rod.) and he seems ok with it. His birthday is coming up and I want it to at least have a rumpy cam in it.
He's got a team G manifold and a 750 double pumper on it, and that's all the "modification" this engine has seen. No dress up parts. Nothing.
So, I want to buy him a rumpy cam, but Im unsure because I know little about engine building (V8s anyway) and I know roller rockers and exotic stuff like that is out of my price range. What can I do? Can anyone give me some advice? What would give him the most "hot rod" for the buck?