Okay peeps I'm restoring an 88 firebird and really need some mechanical help.
I want to pre-determine my top speed and rate of acceleration but I'm not sure what numbers I'm supposed to use from the given tech spec by the manufacturer. Can someone help me please? I know the transmission will play a factor as well as the rear end pinion gears. The compression ratio of a 350 crate motor is 8.0:1 does that mean 8 turns of the crank = 1 turn at the fly?

 

The reason you've had 38 views but no reply is we aren't sure if you're clueless or if you're trolling. If you're that clueless, then you have months of reading ahead of you, we can't type enough, and won't bother trying. If you're trolling, you don't deserve even this much reply.
Long story short, restoration means putting it back to showroom stock, and none of these cars ever came with 8:1 compression. The Goodwrench 350 can be swapped in, but isn't correct, nor California legal. 1 turn of the crankshaft always equals 1 turn of the flywheel. More HP is always better, but how you make that HP matters alot. Going for GM's 290-Horsepower crate 350, the only thing I'm aware of with 8:1, besides the Goodwrench 350, isn't a wise choice.
Being in Texas, top speed doesn't matter, there's nowhere to use it. Even 290 horses at the crankshaft, which you won't have once you add things like power steering, won't get you to 160 MPH.
If you do buy the 290, use 3.42:1 or 3.45:1 gears in the rear axle, depending on which axle it has. If you buy the Goodwrench, then use 3.08:1.
Now, start reading ALL the stickies in all the sub-forums here, before posting any more dumb questions, because what you asked really was dumb.

 

I'm fairly positive the computer starts cutting power at 110-115 on these cars.

rate of acceleration = (Final Velocity-Initial Velocity)/Time Elapsed ...giving you something like mph/h. Which is great when solving a physics equation but doesn't amount to much when restoring a car to factory specs.

Now, if you're serious, buy a Chilton manual for your car. and read it.

 

Why would I waste precious time of my life to post questions if I wasn't planning on soaking the info.? But thanks for your time sir. P.S. I'm not a mechanic I'm a collision tech that can take apart something and know how to put it back together, I just needed some advance help.

 

Cool, seriously though, get on eBay and find an old Chilton manual for your year of Formula. I got 2 for my camaro sitting on a shelf, soooooooooo much information.

If you're starting with almost no background info then it'll get you pointed in the right direction.

 

Top speed and rate of acceleration is based on weight, aero drag, gear ratio, tire sizes, transmission ratios, engine power, engine's RPM powerband, engine's peak HP RPM

 

80% of all your questions can be answered by reading through the forum here. Use the and that will help a lot.

1. Figure out what you want to do.
2. Figure out your budget.
3. Double it. (Murphy's Law)
4. Figure out if you can afford what you want to do.
5. If you can't, figure out what you can or are willing to settle with.
6. 8 years in and I'm still "modding" my car. It's never done, there is always something you can do or something you "Just have to have"...

 

Man, truer words have never been spoken!

10+ years on mine and the darn thing is still in primer! Runs like a bat out of hell but still.

I don't even want to talk about the money side of things... Lets put it this away. The housing market was real bad 3-4 years ago... At that time I seen 3 bedroom, 2 bath houses on a small track of land for less than I have in the camaro