smallblock crossram

[Sean McDonald]

Hey, I was wondering If anyone knows if someone makes a crossram for smallblocks? I have seen one once before on a 69 dart 340 in mopar collectors guide but it is the only one I've seen. I think this was an edelbrock piece. if any one knows, Please let me know. Sean

[Locomotion]

It was an Edelbrock STR-12. Nobody makes them anymore but they pop up on ebay and ads once in a while with prices in the $1,500 - $2,000 range.

[pishta]

Great pic! I bought the base of one for a hundred bucks about 8 years ago an made my own top plate for a single 4, sold the base and the 3/8 plate aluminum 1X4 and a 2X4 tops for under 500 bucks about 5 years ago on Ebay. the guy owns 2 of them now and I have researched them on the net and have found about 10 other mentions of them, I dont know how much they made, but I doubt there are more than 30 of them still out there. I went to a Holley Strip Dominator and I thought it was superior on the street/strip. Pretty cool intake though. Ill post my pic tonight.

[storm king]

I think Weiand did back in the day as well.

[pishta]

here is a pic of the 'ol STR-12 340 I had, worked great. Strip Dominator had better low end. That Demon sucked asss...

[Tarrbabe]

Reminds me of the old SmokyRam. Probably outlawed now but in the 70's I helped a guy with his round track car. We ran the SmokyRam with a single Holley 3310 and the midrange was un-real. The SmokyRam cost $350 new back then. The price of the complete setup was what kept it from being a bigger success.
I think that intake with two holleys would kick butt.

[pishta]

The STR picked up 30 HP over an LD4B with no other mods, then they started playing with it and it realized over 70 HP on the top end with some other mods, namely cylinder head porting and ignition upgrades. This was in a Build up article dated 1969.

[go-fish]

I seriously need to hit the lottery so I can build a 340 with one of those. I don't NEED it but I Want it! That is flat out sexxy.

[Sean McDonald]

I want to build the new 426 smallblock stroker and stick one of crossrams on it and have a smallblock Wedge.

[Jacksdad]

Hey Pishta - checked out your pic (very nice BTW) and noticed your plug leads run as close to the headers as mine do. Did the header wrap save them from getting toasted? I'm debating whether to go that route or change my leads to longer ones with angled boots and go under the headers (and maybe still go with heat wrap too as extra insurance). Sorry - off topic...

[rumblefish360]

Jdad, you can also purchase a plug wire sleave. It worked with straight boots.

[Jacksdad]

Thanks Rumble. That might be an option as it's only the two rear plug wires on the driver's side that are close, so a couple of sleeves might do it. Anybody got any recommendations on a good brand that'll last?

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by Jacksdad

Hey Pishta - checked out your pic (very nice BTW) and noticed your plug leads run as close to the headers as mine do. Did the header wrap save them from getting toasted? I'm debating whether to go that route or change my leads to longer ones with angled boots and go under the headers (and maybe still go with heat wrap too as extra insurance). Sorry - off topic...

I've run DEI header wrap and plug wire boots on my small block race engines. You know how close #5 and #7 are to the headers on those things. I have actually seen one of my wires laying on the header after a race one night. Pulled it out of the boot and it still looked as new as it did when I put it in there. Wire boots and header wrap are must. You'll be surprised how much under hood temps are too.

[Jacksdad]

Thanks buddy - I've seen DEI wrap and sleeves advertised and it looks like quality stuff. I'll price some up and see if I can't get this motor finished and in the car. Appreciate the recommendation

[dwc43]

Welcome,anytime. The wrap is about $40 bucks a roll and you'll need two rolls on small blocks and I think big blocks take three.

Second link has a set of 8 boots for the plugs for about $50, but, I only bought two to cover the #5 and #7 in my case. I don't have them on the other 6 wires. Don't have a header or heat problem with them.

On the header wrap, I don't use there wire clips either. I found it easier to use a large dab of high temp RTV sealer when I am installing the header wrap. You have to wet it down with a spray bottle and over lap the wrap by about an 1/8 in. And then I RTV it at the ends. Once it drys, it shrinks or tightens up. Once you start the engine and it gets over 800* of heat through it, the wrap continues to draw up like wet leather drying out. After that, it's cured and it wont come off. Only way to get it off is with a very sharp knife.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...00384&D=400384


http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...5&Nao=10#rstop

[cageman]

I have gotten spark plug boot protection from a K car minivan, they have them on the wire I think for the ox sensor on the ol square body vans, I cant remember if it was 6 cylinder vans that had them, I just open the hood of every one I see and pull the header wrap looking thing and put it on my spark plug wires. CHEAP.

[pishta]

Originally Posted by Jacksdad

Hey Pishta - checked out your pic (very nice BTW) and noticed your plug leads run as close to the headers as mine do. Did the header wrap save them from getting toasted? I'm debating whether to go that route or change my leads to longer ones with angled boots and go under the headers (and maybe still go with heat wrap too as extra insurance). Sorry - off topic...

Those wires didnt come in angled boots so The straight ones worked well, better than the angled ones would have since these headers route close to the block/heads. I had to use the yellow plug wire retainers to keep tension on the wires so they would not touch the uncoated headers, I wrapped them after I discolored one plug wire and the headers started to get some surface rust, it sure made then sound better, and the heat was really cut down on the top end.