Hey Gang,

Long time no posts, but I'm back now, and have a few ideas that I want to put to you. I'm putting together an 83 Camaro for just strip use. Orginally it was going to be street-strip, but with one thing and another, it bacame simpler and cheaper to just make it a strip car. Working with my engine guy, I've got this as an idea... 383, appx 12:1 CR, 255 @ .05 solid roller cam for the bottom end. Thinking Edelbrock for the top half, Victor JR heads and Intake. Probably go with Hooker Super Comp 2210 headers with just turnouts at the end. Rear end will be a moser 9 Inch.

What do you think of this combo, Desktop dyno says we should be running low 11's. I'll probably go with SW for the rollcage, Spohn for all the rest of my suspension components. Right now doing a backhalf job on the car just isn't in the books.

Questions I have for you, what gears do you think I should be running, and which tranny. Leaning toward 4.11's or so, but not quite sure on that. I'm sort of torn between a 350 and powerglide. Probably go with BTE on the tranny, but there is a local guy that has a good rep with local racers, so the supplier isn't fixed in stone.

Any advice, suggestions, etc would be greatly appreciated. Car is going to be running in FootBrake this next year, and maybe move to running off a T-brake in the future.

Thanks Much,

Steve

 

you gonna run a dominator carb on it id say at least an 850 maybe more. also will it be tubbed if not your 60ft will suck but i bet your mph will be up i have a t350 in the elco and it slips alot so im going to a stick like the maro but if you want a auto id go with a 400 it will take more hp to turn it but its stronger. if its a strip only car id go with 456s or 488s also id go with a longer exhaust otherwise your gonna crack your heads or your gonna have to put slips on them right after you shut it down
jon

 

Why only a 383? Build a 406 if you want to use a SBC or spend more money for a 434.. As for internal parts, brand names mean nothing. Just buy good quality race parts.

For a race only car, that's a pretty small roller cam. Something with a minimum in the 270-280 range at .050 would be better especially with that higher compression.

Go with a powerglide. They're light, simple and cheap to build. Gear ratio will depend on the shift point of the engine which isn't even built yet plus the height of the rear tires. Squeeze the tallest tires possible inside the wheel wells then calculate the gear ratio needed for them.

My car isn't backhalved and I have no plans to ever do it. A simple ladder bar system works great and it's cheaper than all the fancy aftermarket suspension components.

Right now you're only dreaming about a future car. When you have hard facts about how much you want to spend and how fast you want to go, a selection of parts can be easier to determine. In the long run it will be cheaper to just buy someone elses race car.