Martinsville..... yur only 8.5 hours from me.
As to the engine; Do this:
Get the thing tuned up and running right. Put a 195 stat in it.If it overheats fix it, but make it work with the 195 stat. If it has flat tappets, set them at that temp to .013/.022.
Next; you have to make sure the engine gets the maximum amount of CRUISE-Timing possible, that it tells you it WANTS, not what you might think it wants.
So, Make sure the V-can is working.
IMO, you can leave all the pollution junk on there for now. If it has a lean-burn, make sure the Vacuum pod is functioning. Make sure the Vcan works in Neutral.
Ok next you will need a timing lite and a tachometer.
I'm guessing your combo will cruise at or near 65= 2200.
So at running temperature; in neutral, put it up on the fast idle cam at around 2200 rpm. Then just pull in timing until it stops picking up rpm; don't even put the lite on yet. Then reduce the rpm back to 2200. Next, RETARD the timing some until the rpm peaks again. But if the engine loses rpm, then advance it again, until it stops picking up rpm. And repeat until you find the max timing that makes 2200 rpm.
When the rpm peaks at around 2200 rpm NOW read the timing.
Then retard it three degrees and write the number down. Then return the engine to idle.
Now, if you run outta slot on the distributor before the rpm peaks; modify the slots! for more advance. How will you know ? IDK, I'll guess your slanty will TOLERATE about 42* or more at 2200 in Neutral.
What you have just done, is obtain the maximum advance that your particular combo, WANTS or TOLERATES, at 2200rpm.
Now you just gotta figure out how to make it happen. ( A new post or thread)
As to the chassis:
It is a brick!
I got an 84 with a 318, and the faster I drive it the more gas it sucks....... cuz it has to punch a pretty big hole in the air. So you can't do much about that. But there are some things you can do.
> Hard tire pressures as mentioned
> alignment
> make sure brakes are not dragging and wheelbearing grease ain't turned to soap.
> install new U-joints and repack them before installing, with Moly grease
Install 75/90Gear oil in the rear and STRAIGHT Dextron-II in the trans.
> some say leave the tailgate at home.
> turn the A/C off, keep the windows rolled up. If you have to make a choice, use the A/C
> that's about all I can think of. There are more things you can do, but none are cheap. These will get to to 80 or 90%
Once you have this baselined, then you can map out your timing curves, and see if there's a lil more left in the tune.
Or I'll sell you my 84 and you can steal parts,lol.
