Not looking for specific tech info. Just food for thought. What is your main motivation when choosing an engine &/or drivetrane pack. What are you guys using now? I can pump a lot of gas through a worn out big block for the cost of modern effecient engine. I alsol don't like spending a paycheck on gas for a fun day run. What are your considerations? Budget ... MPG ... Power ... vintage ... neet-o factor? What compromises are you making?
I have big blocks in my stuff, but my wife has a good paying job so it's not a big deal. If you can't afford the fuel, then your probably want to run a relatively efficient engine, in a light car, and gear it so it doesn't spin fast on the highway.
That about sums it up. It really depend on the car and what I'll use it for and what goes with the style of the car.
First rule in life, Never give an inch!!! I usually build what I have, I usually have a few choices and most of them involve what will give me the biggest thrill. My wife owns a modern pickup with a modern engine. Gets fair mileage like around 22-24 on the highway. My stuff is all vintage or nearly all vintage. I don't own anything that is more than 394 cubes. My favorite engine is smaller and fairly peppy but still gets around 22 on the highway. That may change some as it is getting a second carb in its next body. I guess my point is that if I want somethng modern I will buy it and I build what I enjoy the most.
I may not be the best person to ask, but here's my take: gas ain't that expensive yet! I run dual 4 barrels on my vintage car, and when I needed a reliable, late model daily driver, I sought out a 3/4 ton Ford with a V10. Why? Because for me, overkill is just about enough. To each his own...
I'm making 12 MPG in my truck. 425 Olds. but it's my fun vehicle, not a daily. So I don't care. It's not a cheap hobby and I knew that when I started.
i like v8 power and sound.i dont care about milage.i want power to be there when i want it and i like the looks of a v8 with 2x4s.i have 2 cars running 2x4 set ups and the rest run 4 barrels.my dd is a 62 galaxie with a 352 that might get 10 mpg.a little better on the interstate.my wife drives a avg. of 200 miles a day for her job.she drives a chry.300 with a hemi.now gas aint back to 4.00 or more a gal.yet, but its coming. ask me this again in about 3 or 4 months.i might have changed my mind.i havent so far but you never know.i do have quite a few 429s and a few 460 ford sitting in the shop floor along with a few sbc.oh and i do have 1 250 chevy but thats more for trading material than for running.so you see if gas milage was important to me i wouldnt have all them bbf;s.
Freshen up that Big Block, make it as efficient as can be. Strive to get the maximum volumetric efficiency possible. A real good ignition system. Then maximise the efficiency again thru the use of synthetic lubricants. Now match the final drive ratio to the engines torque curve allowing for the best use of the transmission and its torque coonverter and shift points. Dont forget the little things like tire pressure, and then after all that, ...................................get serious and I'll help you with the twin turbo's, TR
Most of mine have been based on budget, so I basically use what i have laying around or buy whatever i can get on the cheap. Engine swaps are expensive in themselves. I usually replace the engine only if it is a direct swap, remanufactured shortblock, or if i have a running parts car, preferably with overdrive. On the plus side, engine size really doesn't matter. Especially if you have a low and slow cruiser. I had a 66 coronet 4 door with a 383 4 barrel that got as high as 23MPG. Granted the Carb was 525cfm Carter and the engine didn't rev for sqat. But it was a V8 and had enough torque to be a great daily driver. I guess what I'm saying is you can get economy out of just about anything as long as your willing to give something up in return.
In my case, it was a combination of having a rusty, good running truck with a 350, plus the availability of bolt in mounts to put that 350 into a '50 Chevy. Milage wasn't really a consideration other than if it did a best of 17 in the truck maybe I can pull 20 with the car given it's lighter, lower, and slightly more aerodynamic.
My old car gets about 12mpg, couldn't be my daily driver. Not that rich. I love the v8 power and sound though. I'll keep it as is, but if I blow the engine somehow id probably move to a 6. Less power, but I could afford to drive it everyday.
I hear ya'll. Not a bad response in the bunch. Since we are just killing time on the subject... What do you have thats cool. Innovative SBC? Y blocks. Early small Hemis. I once heard that jeep put out an all aliminum 401 based on buick's nail head. Anybody ever seen one of those early pontiac 4 cylinders that was half a v8?
My experience with those half a pontiac v8 4 cylinders are just awful. they seem very unbalanced to me. the better the engine ran, the more it would shake the car. great idea, poor execution IMHO
Currently an SBC nothing major just a healthy streeter. A balls to the walls Olds 394 in pieces, a 390 supposed runner W/427 medium riser top end, and a small journal SBC in my parts chaser. I do not won any OD transmissions don't care for them I do own a 3 speed with a 2 speed stransfer case, a 400 turbo hydro and a B&M Hydro-stick. Truth is that I don't own anything to write home about, just everyday stuff.
Ya, but sometimes power needs to go with practiclity. My avatar is living proof of this. I drove it all over the country in my businesses, but I am not willing to give up fun. When built, my 360 Dodge was an exact copy of an engine that Hot Rod magazine had screwed together and dyno'd to just shy of 430 hp. What I did all those years and miles other than keeping everything tuned and running right was to maximize the gearing. Every body talks about Horse power or gas milage like they have to be exclusive. The fuel milage comes in with the trans in allot of cases. I hear some of the guys say "oh, one of those five speed things... They only needed three, or it's not traditional" then they gear the wee out of what ever they're runnin' around in and sit in the right lane going 55 and turning back about 10 MPG, 'cause that's the way it's supposed to be! It just isn't so. When I first put the Plymouth together, I set it up with a 727 tourqueflite and a 3000rpm converter. When I had to start traveling in the car, (remember, for the last 15 years this has predominately been my only transpo, I f***in hate new cars!) I took the 3.55 out and stuck in 2.79s. This was awfull! Nothing off the lights, and turned back about 10mpg on the freeways as you listened to the converter flash. This is a bad deal out here when gas stops are frequently 120 miles or so apart. The solution? A "home improvement" loan back when you could do that sort of thing, and a brand spanking new Tremac tko600! Slid that puppy in, some 3.23s back in the back, a top of the line Centerforce clutch and ditched the "double pumper" Holley for a Vac secondary tuned correctly with lots of trial and error. The result? 19 mpg @ an average of about 82 mph, sometimes flirting with 20-21 on the right road! damn if it isn't nice to click into that .068 over drive and cruise at 2300 rpm at 85 or so... And be able to hear myself think. The best result though is to have a car that is allot more fun to drive, and allot quicker out of the lights. Lots of fun for stupid stuff too! Witness - http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k202/flatred53/?action=view¤t=Chipp.mp4
A properly tunned engine is an efficient engine. Tunning starts with a crank selection a lot of times for me and then goes from there. This is not going to be a nice thing to say but I think a lot of fellas choose an engine like they choose a car. Gee I like that one, its purdy.
Well that works as well. that is how the Olds ended up in my stable. I couldn't believe no one was going after it.
Looks like it's all about working with what you have most of the time. We don't always drag home the best idea. Trick parts cost big bucks & careful planning requires discipline. Easy to see why so many projects go bad &/or never get done. A lot can be said for those guys that just jump on 'em & knock 'em out. Practice does make perfect (that's what I've heard anyway).
^^^Sounds like justification for the SBC to me.... I use whatever the build theme calls for - example: a lightweight 4 banger with 5 speed stick in a lightweight car such as a roadster.
Mine, 32 Ford 354 Hemi, blower, 2 )4s, 5sp. QC. 18 mpg on highway. Yea it is not great but I only drive it 3000miles /year to all the major car events. my daily drivers are 4cyl. the 32 sure is fun in the summer. life is too short. Ago
Actually my stuff does involve carefull planning, I won't half ass a drive train. As far as the SBC I just don't make any excuses for them. I like the engine, has nothing to do with cost, I just like them. I guess if I needed an excuse I could use the fact that the fasted wheel driven piston engine car in the world right now is powered by a single belly button motor. land speed racing is still considered traditional isn't it?
there is a reason GM made the SBC style for over 45 years. i like them because there cheap, seems like everyone has parts for one or another in there back yard and the aftermarket support cant be beat. that being said i have a SBC in my 53 plymouth and am looking at finding a hemi because prefer not to cross breed
For my build I'm doing a 302 with a tko-600 in my f100 (hopefully around 3500lbs curb weight), shooting for mpg's in the 20's. I'm trying to balance power and mpg's evenly also
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