360 Magnum winter project!

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Clelan

Clelan

Inferno Red Duster
FABO Gold Member
Joined
May 11, 2006
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Location
Martensville Sask. Can.
I have enjoyed my little "Throw Away 318" this summer and it will live on in another project at some point, but I am looking toward the spring and having more power to do fun things with!
I am using the parts listed because I have them and am trying to put this together as economically as possible.
The car,
74 Duster, full street weight with AC and all!
A-500 auto/od trans that will get a custom high stall lock up converter from CopeRacing Transmission once I decide on the motor specs.
3.91 SG 8-3/4 rear.
I picked up a low mileage 360 Magnum from a friend who totalled and stripped an 01 Dodge truck. My plan is to use the stock short block (check, replace rings, bearings oil pump), a pair of CNC ported Speedmaster Aluminum heads, Comp roller tipped rockers (1.5 to 1 ratio), push rod oiling, an Edelbrock Torker 2 single plane intake, LA front dress (timing chain cover, water pump etc). I have a Quickfuel 750 double pumper for it. It will use cheap Patriot Headers and dual 2.5" exhaust.
The unknown for me is the cam shaft. I will use a hydraulic roller and reuse the factory roller lifters, but I want an LA cam that can run a mechanical fuel pump.
I want as much power as possible while retaining the power brakes and vacuum operated AC controls. I am open to a custom cam or an off the shelf cam but I just don't know enough about cam specs to choose one or to know if I will get what I want if I blindly trust a custom cam grinder.
I was going to copy the cam in 318willrun's drag truck engine but he has stock Magnum heads and 1.6 ratio rockers so I'm not sure, I definitely won't get the performance he is getting if I just have 1.5 to 1.
If anyone has suggestions or advice I'd love to hear it!

Cley
 
My thoughts....
  • If it was a great running 5.9 and lower mileage, replacing rings and bearings/oil pump is not necessary. Only if it makes you feel good. You can verify oil pressure on the garage floor.
  • not a lot of difference in 1.5 rockers vs 1.6 rockers. Doubt anything you could ever notice by seat of your pants.
  • On Drag truck's cam... the contrary is you may get more performance with that cam with better heads. I would match the cam with the converter for best performance. If you found a '89 LA cam, that should have a fuel pump snout and be roller. A place like Oregon cam grinders could get you what you want for probably cheaper than off the shelf being roller. Also, I got little longer push rods for the regrind for cheap cheap. I posted all the numbers in the one video
 
If you do end up getting a short snout roller cam for a Magnum, you can buy a cam snout extender from Hughes Engines so you can run a fuel pump eccentric. I'm having to do that with the roller I bought for my 273 build. The only blanks Bullet Cams had were short snout Magnums.
 
I have the Hughes fuel pump snout on my 360 magnum in the swinger, that being said I have heard some people have had issues and some havn't with the Hughes snout. @krazykuda I think had issues on the engine built for his son.
 
we do run oregons grind #1341 very succesfully in a 5.2 Mag. Runs smooth with a nice lope at idle......i´d consider grinding it at 108° LSA and run def. with 1.6 Rockers....will be good and should run mid 12s without trouble.

Michael
 
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