Progress Thread Hci Swap, Finally Here After 1.5 Years!

[RangerJoe]

For those few of you who may know, I built my 331 in my garage going on about 4 years ago now. I built it out of the necessity for a new bottom end, but I didn't have the money to redo the top end to match. So I home ported my GT40 heads, swapped in a N41 camshaft and robbed the Edelbrock Performer RPM intake from my father-n-law. This combo has been good enough to propel my 3400lb car to a best of [email protected] with a crappy 1.85 60ft. That puts this combo right around 305rwhp, not too bad I guess.

For the last 1.5 years I have been collecting top end parts. I have taken next week off of work to get things accomplished, but I got a good start over the weekend and into today. Here is the new parts that are going on:

-AFR 185 w/ LS valve springs
-FTI custom Cam 227/235 .613/.588 on a 111 Lobe
-Systemaxx II Intake
-Mac 1 3/4" Longtubes 3" collectors
-Comp promagnum rockers
-VRS X-Pipe 2.5"
-Standard Volume Oil Pump (replace HV)
-UPR K-Member (Old D&D will not clear LT)

Here are some pics of the work getting done now and a few pics of the GT40's I ported. All the old stuff coming off is for sale .

Joe

 

[hoopty5.0]

Very nice!

 

[deathb4dismount]

Can't wait to see how it turns out

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

Joe,

What do you plan to use for tuning this beast?

 

[RangerJoe]

Joe,

What do you plan to use for tuning this beast?

Right now I have an old Motorsport extender to get me past the rev limiter. I am still undecided on using a PMS or paying someone to dyno tune it.

Joe

 

[A5literMan]

Can't wait to see the results!

 

[84Ttop]

I've been waiting a long time to see this happen. Can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[mikestang63]

Great news! Sounds like you have a solid build going. Ed is a master in grinding cams and I know you will be happy.

 

[RangerJoe]

Thanks for the votes of confidence! I hope I haven't built this cam up in my head as some magical hp potion. Lol. What really sucks is a new clutch is going in too, so I gotta take it easy for several hundred miles. I hope to get the heads off in a few days.

Joe

 

[deathb4dismount]

What really sucks is a new clutch is going in too, so I gotta take it easy for several hundred miles.

I know the feeling. I just hit 500 miles on my engine and new clutch today. Oil change tomorrow and then some spirited driving that I have been waiting for.

 

[84Ttop]

What really sucks is a new clutch is going in too, so I gotta take it easy for several hundred miles. I hope to get the heads off in a few days.

Joe

This depends on how brazen you want to be. On a car like yours I would typically slip the clutch around a parking lot or up a hill a few times to heat cycle it and give it the gusto. We have swapped clutches at the track, heat cycled them there and raced them within an hour and never had a single issue. Personally... I'm impatient

 

[f8tlfiveo]

This depends on how brazen you want to be. On a car like yours I would typically slip the clutch around a parking lot or up a hill a few times to heat cycle it and give it the gusto. We have swapped clutches at the track, heat cycled them there and raced them within an hour and never had a single issue. Personally... I'm impatient

Yeah I never break in a clutch more than 20 miles.. Lol.. Never had a problem, never resurfaced a flywheel either. Just some scotch brite... Maybe if you are making more power it matters but at 300rwhp I never had an issue.

 

[RangerJoe]

I have never made it 500 miles, usually a tank of gas is about as far as I go. Swapping from a billet steel to an aluminum this time too.

Joe

 

[hoopty5.0]

Why aluminum?

 

[RangerJoe]

Brother-n-law going coyote and I bought it of him for cheap. Thought I'd try it out.

Joe

 

[hoopty5.0]

Im interested to see how it is with everyday driving. Seems like you'll be losing some rotational inertia that helps get you rolling from a stop, but I'd bet it's not enough to notice. If the price was right, no reason not to.

 

[RangerJoe]

I've read lots of reviews and went back and forth on it. It's not a DD car, more of a hobby car, but driving manners is important to an extent. This is a full interior, AC, powersteering car, so I am trying to retain its street ability. I forgot to mention, I also picked up his scatter shield, which has been on my to do list for sometime.

Joe

 

[A5literMan]

I've read lots of reviews and went back and forth on it. It's not a DD car, more of a hobby car, but driving manners is important to an extent. This is a full interior, AC, powersteering car, so I am trying to retain its street ability. I forgot to mention, I also picked up his scatter shield, which has been on my to do list for sometime.

Joe

+1 on the scatter shield. I really need to do this also. I saw an old Chevy nova throw a clutch disc through the floor pan. Not pretty. But luckily no one got hurt.

 

[RangerJoe]

Got the heads off. Here is a before and after picture if the pistons. I used acetone and a rag to clean them. Is there any reason to clean them further? If so, what is the safest and easiest way to do this? I have read various chemical and mechanical ways, let's hear it from you guys.

Joe

 

[FastDriver]

My opinion is that they're fine. Let 'em rock! BTW, impeccable selection of top end parts! This car is going to move!!!