The engine went in today. Lots of pics to put up on my page once they get developed and scanned.

Problems, problems, problems.

Number one! Don't use a 7 quart pan with the Hooker headers unless you tie the headers up in the engine compartment before you drop the engine in. It's impossible to put the passenger side in. I had to drain the oil and drop the pan with the engine lifted up so high the it was starting to lift the car. Here's hoping the pan gasket doesn't leak now.

Unfortunatly I didn't have any installation instructions but somehow I doubt there are any. I'm still in the process of modifying the car for header clearance. Hard to do with the engine and headers sitting in the car. There's only so much access to get in and modify. I'm going off of Miles's site for the modifications required. Too bad there aren't any pics of what needs to be modified for the headers. From reading the text I know exactly what's required though after trying to get the headers to fit.

I put the rad in and checked on the rad hose length. Since the engine is longer than a SBC, do you modify and use the factory hoses or are there any good part numbers for better fitting replacements?

Other than I'm still fighting with the headers, the installation went pretty smooth. Not having a heater/AC system helped.

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Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
454 Big Block almost ready for the 2001 racing season

Best results before the 383 blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857 altitude corrected to 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87 altitude corrected to 126.10
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP based on power to weight ratio: 476.5
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

 

For the radiator hoses, look them up for about a 74 Chevelle 454. Seems like at least the top one is in the ballpark, not positive about the bottom though. Our cars have an extra little curve where they clear the frame part of the unibody right in front of the idler arm, which is unusual in the Chevrolet product line. It's not impossible that the correct bottom hose can be graunched in there but I suspect there's no way the top one will.

What about around the valve covers? Do they interfere with the brake booster, or the wiper motor, or any of that? What accessory mount stuff have you got, if you're even using any of that? What sort of exhaust (if any) are you going to run?

I can hardly wait to see the pics!

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

I'll check on the upper Chevelle hose tomorrow. I may be able to cut the bottom one a bit to make it fit.

I have tall valve covers. They don't interfere with the booster at all but I'll be converting to manual brakes before the start of the race season. There are no wipers to worry about. Probably why the engine went in so well.

Off the front of the engine is a Moroso electric water pump drive. Typical BBC installation. I also use a serpentine belt alternator driven from the crank. It's bolted to the passenger head and spun down low. Third gens don't have upper control arms and you can spin the alternator down like that. The mounting bolt brace and adjuster brace are custom fabricated to make it work. It should show up well in the pics. I found the smallest serpentine belt crank pulley in the junk yard from a V6. It's not as small as the March pulley on my truck but it's way smaller than the factory one. I just use a short belt from the crank to the alternator.

I haven't decided on an exhaust yet. I need to see how much clearance is under the rockers once the headers are installed. Minimum exhaust will be 3" straight pipes cut off where paint stops burning off them. Probably 2-3 feet long. I'd like to get some competition mufflers just to bring the decibles down a bit. Even some resonators will help. The 383 with open headers was a bit too loud.

I'd really like to cut up the floor and firewall to make room for the engine/tranny/exhaust but my roll bar would only be good for 11.0. I'd need a full cage to then go into the 10's but I'm only expecting low to mid 11's this year.


[This message has been edited by Stephen 87 IROC (edited January 27, 2001).]

 

Stephen - Glad to hear the BBC is in! I did take some pics of the header clearance stuff, but can not find them. I can take some pics for you, but I won't be able to do that until I get back from Australia in the middle of Feb. I'm sure you won't need them then. If you take some pics of it, let me know, I would like to add them to my site.

Thanks
Miles

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88 427 Camaro
12.18 @ 113mph 1.75 60ft

www.koolmeister.com

 

No pics of the header modifications but lots of other clearance pics and a few more need to be taken. I'm glad I used solid engine mounts. The headers would hit a lot of stuff if the engine torqued over.