360 build-up

[Locke]

I'm looking for some suggestions to breathe new life into my 71' Barracuda conv. I've had the car since 73' but it's been sitting for the last 10 years, time to knock the dust off. It has a .060 over 360 with 2.02 heads, Holley 650 carb., LD340 intake, Comp Cams 268 and Hooker Super Comp headers. The c.r. is probably 8.5:1, just a guess. The trans is a 727. It just doesn't have any real power. I'm looking for great lowend torque and response.
It won't be a daily driver so a c.r. of 10-10.5 is a possibility. I bought a set of TTI headers from a friend so I'm planning on dumping the Hookers. Any suggestions?

[rumblefish360]

Well, it sounds like your need for compresion is on target. 10-1 is where you should stop at.
What heads and gears are you running?
The cam is good for low end grunt as well as the intake and carb.
Are your heads ported? It's a good spot to look for power.

[Locke]

I bought the heads a long time ago. They have 360 stamped on them but have 2.02 valves. If I remember the gear in the car is a 3.23 but I also have a 3.5? I could put in it.

[rumblefish360]

They have 360 stamped on them where? Are they ported? Does anybody have a book handy to tell me what they are or year/ type.
The 3.55's will help release some of the power in there. It torque mulitplication <sp?>
Also on the mufflers. Try some Hooker areo chambers or Dyno max's. You just need some good flowing units. What size pipes are you running?
I suggest 2 1/2 inch duals with at least an "H" pipe to connect them.

[bbaspense]

I would swap the cam for a MP 509 cam, use an Edel. Performer intake, or MP M-1 intake and go with the 3.55's.

I don't think you need compression. We go 12's with a 8.5 to 1 360 with stock heads and MP509 cam. The low compression lets you easily run regular pump gas.

If you have to have more compression I would use Keith Black pistons..they are inexpensive and make good power. The best deal for these are at Mancini Racing in Detroit.

I would swap the exhaust for a mandrel bent 2 1/2 inch with flowmasters 2 chamber or Dynomax delta flows. These will get you the best flow and sound. You should be able to find many E-body sources through any of the Mopar Mags. The crossover pipe is a great idea as it will balance the pressure in both pipes to maximize power.

[gthomas]

I'm already having problems with pumped gas on warm days and I'm running 9.5:1's forged JE's. My 2 cents is not go to with 10:1's with closed chamber type heads. I usually end up dialing out 5 to 10 degrees advance on hot days on my MSD.

[tsteiner61]

gthomas,

What octane are you using? I have been considering a 9.5 compression 340 buildup for my daily driver, but I have noticed the stations up here slowly cutting us off. Premium grade is now 91 octane for the most part.

Have you tried octane boosters? Do they work??

Thanks in advance.

Ted

[rumblefish360]

WHOA! I'm a bad dude! I now must recant what I said. The other fella's are giving better advice. Reason being is I didn't read where your from. It be a bit hot there. A 10-1 max comp. advice IS off base. Takeing the heat and the now known pump gas limits. 91 octane isn't enough, 10-1 is to high.
bbaspense is correct in saying you cann go fast without a high comp.
Being you said that you wanted a lot of torque, I didn't recomend a cam change because you start to loose bottom end torque with larger cams. The larger the cam, the higher the RPM band starts.
I myself run a 292/.509 cam with the RPM-AIR GAP intake with 4.10's. It's a real good runner. But I don't thinnk it has a lot of low end torque.
IMO, a smaller cam would be inorder. (No offense bbaspense.)

tsteiner61, do we have a HP goal? Or just a general increase.

[tsteiner61]

Rumblefish,

It's a from scratch buildup.

I've had my share of problems getting the engine buildup started for the 73 van. Ultimate goal to run 12s. 73 B100 4000 lbs. 3.91 27" tires in back, Gear Vendors six-speed converter on auto 727.

Brief history. Wanted to do a 318->390 stroker. Had two blocks, one was overbored too much for my liking (.040, thin 1975 up casting), and subsequently cracked #6 cyl. when I put it in my Power Wagon in stock form. The other too thin in 3 cyls. according to my engine guy. Then pulled 2 360s from boneyard. Both were cracked. One between oiling/cooling system near dist drive shaft, the other had big chunk in cyl that I missed on initial inspection.

Was considering a Magnum 300 with the R/T package, but now I am pretty much set on starting with a new Resto 340 block and going from there. Probably going to get a Muscle Motors 416 kit, and put the Edelbrock heads on it. I have talked to them several times, and they seem really knowledgeable and ready to talk. They estimate 425hp and 450ft/lb. with the cam I want to use (.509/.528 hyd.roller crane). Will try to keep the power band a little low (max RPM 5750) due to weight and aerodynamics.

I'd like to set my CR as high as possible for a daily driver, but I have concerns regarding the availability of high octane pump gas around here, and also want to know if octane boosters really work or not. Basically, it's kinda hard to find 92 around here anymore. I miss the east coast, at least back there you could get 92/93 without paying an arm and a leg for it.

PS> It gets hot here, too. But not too bad and not too often. Usually we get about 10-15 100+ temp days per year. Summer avg. high temp 90, winter, about 55.

[rumblefish360]

Locke;

Same question to as tsteiner61 and is there a problem with getting 93-94 octane?

tsteiner61;
WOW!!!! 55 in winter. That be great. It's 59 as todays high temp. You might have a problem with gas, but no problem going fast. bbaspense has a combo in his post useing a low compresion engine. Your gear vendors unit should really help in taking up the slack and edge off due to weight. If you do a 416, you'll have enuff torque to move that thing with ease even with an 8-1 engine. Although I don't think they offer that low of a compresion.
Locke is from Phoneix (My mistake not reading that) and it's a bit hotter than here ever gets.
My advantage is sea level and 94 octane at the pump. Heat will soar into the 90's. But 100+ days are rare and mostly short lived.
This is why I said bumping up the comp. to a 10-1 max is Max. I can do this easy. Even more so with a large cam.
It would be hard for me to recomend a good max comp due to limits of your area. My guees would be 9-1. 9.5-1 if the cam is large.
Octane boosters work. I just forget who is the best. I use 104 when a bad tank is had.

[Locke]

Hey this is great

I just stumbled across this site two days ago, asked a question and have gotten some really good response. Thanks.

Let me add a little more information. The car really will be driven very little just for occasional Friday night fun etc. so if octain booster added to the best pump gas will keep the engine together 10:1 it is. I'm not looking to be the baddest ass on the street, just very respectable.

Rumblefish: I guess I should have said the 360 is cast into the heads not stamped. My research tells me they came from a 73' 340.

[bbaspense]

I forgot to add that Mancini Racing has great stroker kits for the 360. You should price shop before making a decision.

[rumblefish360]

Locke;

bbaspense 1st post is a combo that'll do you then.
I would go 3.91's and a 27 inch tire for good street manors.
I run 4.10's and a 26 inch tire with the 4spd. to be more aggressive. I top out rather quick with that combo. But thats the trade off I made knowingly.