39 replies to this topic

[Ando]

As much as it pains me & will cost me more to do this, I'm wanting to keep to the "old school" / factory-type look engine bay for my SS but releasing as much "street/race" power & torque as possible. A factory Hi-Po/Sleeper engine bay look is what I'm after, even staying with original rocker covers. There will be some issues of course but I think I can get a reasonable result.

Basically, I'm thinking the engine build will be a 308 standard bore block with a 355 stroker crank, H beam rods, forged pistons, Yella Terra dash-3 alloy heads, Torque Power - dual plain Hi-rise manifold, cam selection still undecided but needs to be street able, Quadrajet carby. air filter fit under a9x scoop.

The drive train I'm thinking is, the Tremec TKO 600 & a stronger BW or 9"diff & brake combo will be part of this project as well. As you can see my thoughts are basic at this point.

I would like to hear from others what they reckon would be a great combination or tell me their experience with strong parts selection & ball-park cost estimates would be very much appreciated.

Ando

[76lxhatch]

Have you seen the thread on AussieV8 with the early headed 396 stroker in HQ Monaro? Food for thought and torque to burn, surely the dash 3s can make it work...

[TerrA LX]

So long you select the right cam for your intended use and it is matched to the comp ratio and final drive then any combination will work and make good usable power.

[myss427]

That is the same combo as we have put in the A9X, on the Quater Junior Simulator program it say's with 10.5 to 1 compression and a Crane 288 solid cam it will make 420 horse power, not to shabby. The only thing is you can not hide the big manifold spacer with the dash 3 heads, looks a little ugly.

[Ando]

Hi 76lxhatch,

Have you seen the thread on AussieV8 with the early headed 396 stroker in HQ Monaro? Food for thought and torque to burn, surely the dash 3s can make it work...

I did a search on Aussie V8 forum but couldn't find it. Which forum topic is it in?

[yel327]

I have always liked the idea of a stock looking 308 in a sleeper car. If my old HJ Premier ever needs and engine rebuild that is what i'll do. I'd do the same ie stroke it to 350ci, get old red heads modded to suit, even run the original HJ manifold with Quadrajet. And shift kit and stall the TH400. If an old cast iron headed 10.5:1 350 SBC can pull 350hp as a stock engine in a HG GTS350, you should easily exceed that with a few modern tweaks on a 350ci 308. I'd even consider a roller cam! Sounds like good fun!

[Ando]

Hi myss427

That is the same combo as we have put in the A9X, on the Quater Junior Simulator program it say's with 10.5 to 1 compression and a Crane 288 solid cam it will make 420 horse power, not to shabby. The only thing is you can not hide the big manifold spacer with the dash 3 heads, looks a little ugly.

Yep there's the compromise for horsepower but I'm thinking that a factory stock finish will blend the obvious in with the rest of the engine bay.
I'm not after a concourse correct engine bay but more so the factory finish coatings & keeping ancillaries that doesn't need changing.
Has someone got photos of a T/P dual plain high rise & Y/T headed engine they could post for me to look at?

[76lxhatch]

Hi 76lxhatch,

Have you seen the thread on AussieV8 with the early headed 396 stroker in HQ Monaro? Food for thought and torque to burn, surely the dash 3s can make it work...

I did a search on Aussie V8 forum but couldn't find it. Which forum topic is it in?

Try this
http://www.aussiev8.com.au/conversions-rebuilds-project-cars/21028-holden-396-stroker-build.html
http://www.aussiev8.com.au/conversions-rebuilds-project-cars/22809-holden-396-stroker-mods-competition.html

[TerrA LX]

Maybe member "A9X" could shed some light on this combo for ya.

[Ando]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
I still would like to see how "ugly" the manifold spacer is with the dash 3 heads as myss427 said.
Good read on Aussie V8 - thanks 76lxhatch.
Keep em coming!

[76lxhatch]

I think you'll find the pic above shows the dash 3 high port heads with the spacer (see the inch of alloy under the front of the manifold), not that ugly in my opinion

[Ando]

Dough!! I must have had a middle age moment. Thanks for the heads up.

[rexy]

I think you'll find the pic above shows the dash 3 high port heads with the spacer (see the inch of alloy under the front of the manifold), not that ugly in my opinion

And once its all painted stocko red you will hardly notice at all.

[jason365]

this is my red headed engine. doesnt look dead stock but still doesnt look right out of place.


engine is 365 ci with race ported hq heads flowing over 250cfm{522hp} 11.2 :1 comp, custom ground camtech solid flat tappet with 248 & 252 @ .050 duration and close to .600 lift. intake is the torque power hi rise dual 2'' spacer and a modded 750 hp.exhaust is 1 3/4 tri-y pacemakers.there a plenty other mods to numerous to list.with a straight entry air filter this all just fits under a alfa motorsport 4'' a9x scoop, and produces 295rwkw{around 400rwhp}.

[AbsynthHatch]

What is the manifold is genuinely considered the best for making power for the early red heads and how does the old Elderbrock Torquer (sp) rate compared to some of the newer types and

Is there any difference in design, ports, flow etc between the early HG/T heads and HQ heads and which is better and why?

Sorry not trying to thread steal but curious as going down the same path

[jason365]

manifold choice depends on the application.i dont really like the torquers, i think the edelbrock performer is a better manifold.for mild standard stroke 308s the performer ussually works well,if its got a big solid and well ported heads the peter michaels strip master single plain is the best by far,there also great on baby 330ci strokers.once you go over 350 cubes unless its an engine built to tow youre race car its the torque power manifolds for sure.the dual plain hi rise it good for cams up to around 250-255 .050 duration once you go past that it single plain torque power.also as every engine/ combo is different its agood idea to try differenr carb spacers when youre on the dyno.

[AbsynthHatch]

Cheers Jason for your reply, what heads are you using and what mods have been done.

[jason365]

my engine is an all out circuit race engine, it runs hq heads with 2.02 & 1.6 ferrea stainless valves, big block chev type valve springs, group a valve stems seals and they have been proffesionally ported by tony knight from knight engines here in adelaide,they flow 250 cfm, thats enought to support over 520 hp.tony is one of the best guys going when it comes to head porting especially these old holden heads.hes also tweeked the combustion chanbers.the rest of the engine is pretty trick aswell, it runs a crankshaft rebuilders crank with 6'' eagle h-beam rods with honda bearing journals{same as nascar/v8 supercar}.it has srp light weight forged pistons and is 11.2:1 comp on 98 octane fuel.it also has a pavtek mains stud girdle and 1/2 cleveland main studs in the bottom end .everything is also blue printed to very exacting tolerances.cam shaft is from camtech with 248 & 252 duration @ .050 and close to .600'' lift. it uses coolface solid lifters{these direct a bit of oil straight onto the cam lobe}.it has yella terra shaft mount rocker arms, crow push rods, torque power hi rise dual plain intake with a 2'' spacer and a modded 750 hp holley.ignition is a msd pro billet dizzy with a crane hi 6 ignition module.
the biggest problem in a holden v8 when you start to push em real hard on the track is the oiling system and this is were mine gets real interesting, we have converted it to a priority mains oiling system with an oil distribution block under the valley cover that feeds the oil to the mains first and allows us to restrict the amount of oil running to the lifters the the valve covers. the sump is also custom made my myself with 9.5 lt capacity it hasa fixed pickup with external feed to the oil pump 4 trap doors and a series of baffles around the pick up. the external oil pickup feed allow us to run a full lenght windage tray that pretty much seals the oil pan from the reciprocating assembly.thes mods are not necessary on a strong street engine that wont see track time. try this link to thread on aussie v8 tony did when we were building the engine.
http://www.aussiev8....ins-oiling.html

p.s to answer youre question about flow on early heads , all the early heads hg-t & hq flow the same and have the same amount of metal in them for porting,the trick is to finds a set that are not corroded and havent suffered to much core shift during the casting process.im luck as my bro owns a wrecking yard andwe collect pre pollution red heads for myself and tony to use.

Edited by jason365, 17 August 2011 - 09:10 AM.

[A9X]

Maybe member "A9X" could shed some light on this combo for ya.

Early 308 block, 30 thou , baby stroker 330 , crankshaft rebuilders crank, 10.5 : 1, small cam, quadrajet, dash 3 heads with some quality porting, pacemaker competition extractors, 425 hp at the flywheel.

skip forward four years

add quad webers, open exhaust and we have 386 wheelspinning hp at the back wheels on the dyno.

;0

[myss427]

Peter Michaels, an old Adelaide 308 Holden drag racer cast a small batch of single plane high rise manifolds in the eighties. They were good for 8000 revs, most serious races of the day used his heads and manifolds. He was making 550 horses back then when there was not much development or parts around. If you could find one of those manifolds that would get that circuit racer engine a bit extra breathing at the top end!

[jason365]

nice one!

[jason365]

i know the pm strip master manifolds, however the torque power hi rise dual is more suited to my application.

Edited by jason365, 17 August 2011 - 12:11 PM.