Koopmeiners & Sons Vintage 301 Chevy Drag Motor Build

Ok, my second 55 chevy an early 60's original B/Gas car is nearing completion. A few people asked me for info or to see some info on doing a vintage race motor build up, and especially a 301 build. I am not going to give away all my secrets, cam specs, degreeing, etc. BUt I will share this build for those that want to learn and have been considering building one.

FIrst, I am not claiming to be Don Garlit's, I am building this engine on somewhat of a budget, and I am always leaning to using vintage parts when ever possible. I also do not know everything there is to know about engine building....but I can show you what I know works...my last 301 which has seen 8000rpms at the dragstrip on a regular basis I built it very similiar to the one we will be building here and it is powerful and holds together excellent.

Please do not ask why not build a 383, 406 434 sbc...etc.
We are building vintage street/strip engines...and this one is a 150% strip engine....

Second....lets explain the 301 chevy engine. Hot rodders started messing with it early on.....many would bore a 283 .120 to a 4 inch bore and keep the 283 crank. Wallah...301 cubes. Others would take a 327 block and switch a 283 crank into it. Also a 301....later chevy came out with the 302 which is a 301 cubic inch engine used for trans am racing.....but for all intensive purposes I will be calling any engine with a 4 inch bore and 3 inch stroke a 301.....besides Hot Rodders did it first chevy just took that great idea and added part of an inch to compete with Ford 67-69.

This will be an ongoing build, and I am going to attempt to answer any questions...especially compression questions here....Hope this helps if you want to or are buiding one.

K&S

 

Ok...so we are starting with a low mile 350 block out of a friends grandpa's 70's impala....key word here friends car. So we knew the motor ran and drove nicely, no over heating problems and no mystery issues later on....it also had never been apart so damaged threads will be at a minimium.
Even though I knew the history, a full magnaflux was done...all ok.
Then align bore was checked and head surfaces were checked. In all honesty if this was a street motor or once in a great while dragstrip engine....I would not have decked it and align bored it...but with some of the other vintage parts going in and time spent, I was not taking any chances. Also stanless steel freeze plugs and cam bearing are installed.
Stainless costs the same as brass but are stronger.

 

So the 350 block gives us a 4 inch bore that can be bored or honed for clean up purposes. Lets face it the #1 pain in the ass with a 283 0r 327 block is the oil filter conversion. Especially with high oil pressures.
The crank journals being smaller also givers less load surface...so the larger diameter journals are more desireable for racing.

Had I not obtained the crank shown in the pics this would be an early block.

Lets talk Crank & Rods.....these rods were professionally race prepped in the late 60's early to 1970 time frame....brand new pink rods that had never been run.....of course I opted to have them magnafluxed and rod bolts checked.....check out the pics...BIG surprise.....nice crack on a professional set of rods.

A few more rod issues... while looking for a spare has made me change my tune and I will be using an updated connecting rod. More for fear of wrecking the pistons or crank...and lets face it I cannot call Summit for this stuff.

This crank is an original Crank Shaft Companies Crank....bought & bluprinted then tuffrited and ready to spin...this will be getting magnaflxed also....to be safe.

If you have never seen one, and more than likely if someone is running one you never will see the crank, check out the specs on the front.

I also wanted to show this, and will show more pics of it later....but I felt the need since last year my 301 ran well, and I was told by a racer who is not a mechanic....it had to be a 383, 406 or 427 sbc......LOL....I will take the compliment....no back to the engine at hand.

 

Ok, lets talk about compression....I am attaching some pics of a piston that has beenj run on pump gas with to much compression.....
This was also a 301, with about 11.5 -12 to 1 compression....with Fuelie heads. If your building a 301 for the street.....FLAT TOP PISTONS.....you can do what you like, but here is the truth and a fine example of what not to do...or the old...."It will be ok" line. It won't be ok....






I have also added pics of the same engine that I have now rebuilt and replaced the pistons with Jahn's 60's pistons, and it is nearing completion.
Notice how the replacements are flat tops for the street....and the rings are nothing exotic either. But many miles and no issues are teh goal here

( I was happy to get this from a friend....who got it for nearly free who was upset with the performance from his 301...gotta love that!)

[/ATTACH]

 

I am using a set of vintage ANSEN full competition Pistons...late 60's vintage....brand new. They are set up for Dykes rings...( l-shaped top ring if your not familiar) I CANNOT STRESS this enough...no matter how cool they look or what friend tells you that they will be fine for the street they will NOT be. They have weaker ring tensions and you will end up with a smoking motor after street duty...just want you to not waste the time and money....go with a nice flat top piston that will survie on the street, you will be much happier.

After nearly 4 hours of cleaning the block surfaces...try to the build the entire rough cast area's of the block are now painted wth Glyptal Paint.

MORE TO COME...as I am getting ready to thoroughly clean the crank, and get ready to install. Checking all clearances before during and again before final assembly!

Thanks for checking it out stay tuned!!

 

i've got a "nos" so to speak 301 shortblock stashed...what kind of cam are you planning on running , also ...what style head?

 

I have several vintage Cams, Crane and Isky's all pre-70' some are brand new....most are in the 550 lift range heavy duration, dont want to overcam it, which is easy to do when they are this small.....I have a set of gm over the counter heads (early 70's bowtie)....but may opt for a world product steel head.....I think the GM heads will cost more to be redone than a set of over the counter and they will flow better.
Sounds like you have a nice motor stashed.....I know exactly what you talking about...WOW nos sounds excellent!!

 

good thread E.

 

Hey Bob....how are you? New 55 might be ready by late Summer...if nothing major messes up...LOL....Any new projects?

 

just finished up a 50 Pontiac. Nothing new for the track, but may have a new tow truck done by spring. 54 GMC with Hydramatic and big six.

 

B, Really cool....I love an authentic tow car...sweet!! YOu have enough drag cars...LOL

 

.....I'll second that ...

 

the combo i had planned to run was with a pair of old phase II bowties , a 555 solid roller , and a small victor style intake.....the short block originally had a gm white sheet - off road cam, but it ended up with some bad rust on a couple lobes....the short block was done for a ss/ car and never installed in 73..... we got it in 01. was supposed to have ended up in my old anglia , never did.....

 

Sounds really perfect....not to much cam and shoud flow like crazy...that is the weak point if your run fuelie heads....IF your Hot rodding it...you might want to sell the factory special number block to the restorer guys...probably get enough coin to do a plain block and all machine work, that is what I have done before, sell off the factory special numbers stuff and use the non-valuable stuff....or you can just run what you got. Sounds like a good combo, blueprint, blueprint, blueprint...is all I can say or they never survive the rpm's. This new one should see 9,000 and live just fine...scary as that sounds...that is the goal.

 

thought you might enjoy this 301...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zmZAovudOo

 

i'm hooked. keep the info coming....

 

the engine in the above youtube video is a '64 327 block, bored 40 over. it has a standard 283 crank, aluminum rods, arias pistons, and a marine gear drive (2 gears, cam is reverse rotation) that drives a schneider custom ground roller cam (.578 lift, 272 duration @.050). i had the engine in my t bucket & drove it for years...pulled it out & it sat in the garage for the last decade. recently found the old gmc blower & decided to resurrect the little mouse. we changed the heads, installed my old vertex mag, mounted the blower & 2 - 660 center squirters. the video shows us doing the first fire up...had a bit of blower surge. we're gonna try it in my dad's anglia in front of a clutchflite. the short stroke motors are always alot of fun if you run alot of gear...it's kind of hard to hurt them. when this engine was in the t, it would run the tach off the end on a regular basis. the old vertex mag doesn't have a provision for a tach...no big deal...honestly we didn't plan on using one. this little motor was always fun...should be even more fun with the blower.

 

Good thread. Shop looks good. You have been busy. See you at the heads up!

 

Thanks for the compiment. The shop is coming aliong nice, spent most of 2009 getting it up to speed....See you in about a month and a half....wow coming fast!

 

Update on this build coming....

 

Refering to post 14...What mechanical cam operates up to 9,000 RPMs?The Weiand Hi-Ram and Holley 465s I'm gonna us are good for 8,000 RPMs.The Crane roller rockers,no problem with the RPMs.Lightweight Manley valves,triple valve springs should handle it.But what about the cam???

 

Cup cars do it all the time.

 

I need a recommendation on a mechanical cam with a operating range up to 9,000 rpms.Most cams operating range is about 7,000 rpms.Do I need a custom grind?

 

NO...many old Crane cams work to 8500, or so, if you want a true mechanical that may be tough to get it that high....but any old mechanical roller vintage late 60's will usually display a higher than normal power band. But must be a race cam, not a street & strip cam. Powerbands typically run 4000 to 4500 to 8200 - 9000rpm's. Unfortunately you have to fork out the $$ for a sold roller cam & lifters and rev kit.

Once I get to the head section I will show what work I did and what parts I am using to make it live at 8500-9000.

 

I haven't shopped for a cam since the 1980s..I spent some time on the internet and found Schneider.They have 3 or 4 mechanical cams and associated hardware that will fit my needs...things sure have changed in 20 years...I need to catch up!I'll keep you "up to date" on my 301 build.

 

OK engine update.....I spent a good hour cleaning the crank and all holes, a white rag now stay white on all area's of crank....I also installed the lower end studs. You will notice this is not a 4-bolt main block. Could easily have had updated main caps installed and 4bolt mains installed. But opted to keep it old school, the studs are deep tapped to grab a few more threads.

 

Ok, crank got thoroughly cleaned, then bearings installed and miked....
The bearing caps removed and then crank installed dry...the double check using plasti-gauge to make sure I was on target....front to rear Crank thrust checked and very tight....within spec.
Crank was then removed again, and rear main seal installed then crank installed with assembly lube....Ready to go. 6 hours for studs & crank cleaning & install.
Waiting on rods now!

More to come!!

 

that old 55 needs to be cleaned up. There is so much dust on it, the windows look yellow. Or is that from delamination?

 

gasser windows rock.

 

good information in this very sanitary buildup. thanks for sharing.