Daily driver small block build

[Professor Fate]

Speedmaster intake with a 2bbl. adapter. Roundy-round guys do it all the time due to class rules.

 

[junkyardhero]

Speedmaster intake with a 2bbl. adapter. Roundy-round guys do it all the time due to class rules.

the thought crossed my mind, but would that clear the hood?

the thought of figuring out/machining/adapting a 2bbl to the kegger kicked around in my head for a moment. but i hadn't had my coffee yet and it's a little too early for beer

 

[AJ/FormS]

Whatever you do, the quickest way to lose cylinder pressure is with a wide LSA cam, and with the loss of pressure, goes the fuel economy.
Oh sure, you can get away with using the stock Magnum cam but look where the factory installed it!
If yur serious about fuel-economy, you need cylinder pressure. And if yur going that route, yur doing pistons. And then it don't matter anymore as to LA or Magnum.
The easiest engine to get pressure with, when doing flat-tops, has the most swept volume, and the tiniest closed chambers, so you might as well marry the Magnum heads to whatever flavor 360 cubes; then pump the Dcr up to around 9.0. Good luck running that with iron heads. even on best gas. and forget the stock Magnum cam.
So
at this level you are looking at Pistons, boring, decking, a crank rebalance; plus alloy heads, a cam kit, an induction set-up, and an ignition system, and yes headers and a free-flowing exhaust system.
So basically, from the 360/5.9, all you will be reusing is the engine block, the rebalanced crank, maybe the rods, and the various covers..
You might as well call up one of the vendors, and just order up what you want, and have it done right in the first place,
And that's
AJs Opinion.

Or
you can do just slam some tall crown pistons, like KB107s into a 360/5.9, which sometimes come in at .012 below deck on an LA, that with an .028 gasket and closed-chamber ALLOY heads will get you a nice decent quench, a nice Dcr potential, and
Then you can reuse the oddball Magnum cam and time it just about anywhere you need to, to get the pressure DOWN to 87 gas, which will then get you a buncha power duration, to really suck the energy out of the hot gasses. With this combo headers are optional, cuz there is not gonna be much effective overlap to speak of. But, you still need a free-flowing dual exhaust. Even without EFI, this might go into the mid to high 20s mpg, if not, an overdrive will get you close to 30. IDK how much power it will make, and don't care, cuz the low-rpm torque will be ridiculously much fun. Run it with any gears/any stall/ and wipe that sillygrin off your face. lol.
The only thing that could make it better would be the 1-2-3 combination of deeper gears, overdrive, and a LU convertor .... like
3.73s/A518LU/65=2130rpm; with a starter-gear of 9.14 or
3.23s/A500LU/65=1840rpm; with a starter-gear of 8.85
both with 26.5" tires.
Or if you like to row gears, how about the Commando 4-speed with a GVod behind it, and 3.23s, for 65= 2040 and a starter of 9.98
Course if you have this hi-torque 360, you could probably get away with the A833od (3+1) and 3.23s, for 65=1950 and a starter of 9.98. Second gear is a lil shy at 5.39 but for a DD should work out Ok, cuz with it, 35mph is a nice 2400 rpm.

 

[Professor Fate]

the thought crossed my mind, but would that clear the hood?

the thought of figuring out/machining/adapting a 2bbl to the kegger kicked around in my head for a moment. but i hadn't had my coffee yet and it's a little too early for beer

I don't think there's any way on earth a two barrel on top of a kegger will clear most any hood, save maybe a truck (or a van!). You'd probably have better luck keeping a tunnel ram under your hood! The adapters I've got on hand are only 3/4-1" thick, so it's probably doable on a Speedmaster...
Thanks for the heads-up, I'm going to get a beer right now.

 

[remytherat]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Sounds like either 5.9 or 5.2 magnum makes the most sense. Probably leaning towards the former but I'll keep my eyes peeled for both. Not having to bring the block to the machine shop would be great, which it sounds like is totally possible with a magnum. I'm not that concerned with gas mileage, 12 in the city would be tolerable.

Sounds like a 5.9 magnum with a small cam, thin headgasket and 650 holley would be about right. Already have a good exhaust system, and a ford 8.8 is the current project.

 

[rumblefish360]

Whatever you do, the quickest way to lose cylinder pressure is with a wide LSA cam, and with the loss of pressure, goes the fuel economy.

Bingo!

Oh sure, you can get away with using the stock Magnum cam but look where the factory installed it!

Magnum heads on a Magnum engine deliver a 9.0-1 or slightly less ratio. Mine runs well on 89. On 87, regarding the timing is needed and mileage gets lost. It’s a catch 22 between the mileage I get with more expensive fuel that can at times be closer to 93 octane in cost or the cheap to fill the gas tank 87 and less mileage. I still have to play around with it to find a better balance. Hummm, I think I’ll change the cam out for more power instead.

If yur serious about fuel-economy, you need cylinder pressure. And if yur going that route, yur doing pistons. And then it don't matter anymore as to LA or Magnum.
The easiest engine to get pressure with, when doing flat-tops, has the most swept volume, and the tiniest closed chambers, so you might as well marry the Magnum heads to whatever flavor 360 cubes; then pump the Dcr up to around 9.0. Good luck running that with iron heads. even on best gas. and forget the stock Magnum cam.

AJ, as I stated above with my Magnum

So
at this level you are looking at Pistons, boring, decking, a crank rebalance; plus alloy heads, a cam kit, an induction set-up, and an ignition system, and yes headers and a free-flowing exhaust system.

Not on a good Magnum core.

So basically, from the 360/5.9, all you will be reusing is the engine block, the rebalanced crank, maybe the rods, and the various covers..
You might as well call up one of the vendors, and just order up what you want, and have it done right in the first place,
And that's
AJs Opinion.

Hands off = EZ button. Sometimes that pays. No issue here.

Or
you can do just slam some tall crown pistons, like KB107s into a 360/5.9, which sometimes come in at .012 below deck on a LA

.020 on my LA

that with an .028 gasket and closed-chamber ALLOY heads will get you a nice decent quench, a nice Dcr potential, and

To much! Lighten the quench up for regular fuel and a small cam.

Then you can reuse the oddball Magnum cam and time it just about anywhere you need to, to get the pressure DOWN to 87 gas,

Get a better cam rather than alter the OEM unit. I wouldn’t really move it more than 4*’s, which is a lot.

which will then get you a buncha power duration,

How does moving the cam around net you “A bunch of duration?”

to really suck the energy out of the hot gasses. With this combo headers are optional, cuz there is not gonna be much effective overlap to speak of.

Find the video by Richard Holdner where he puts on a set of huge 1-7/8 headers on a 360/300hp crate engine with a M1 dual plane, 1/2 spacer and a 750 Holley.

Power goes up everywhere and the fuel curve levels out making it more efficient.

I put Hooker 1-3/4 Super Comps on my 2000, OEM 5.9 Magnum with a RPM, Edelbrock 600. Excellent response, good mileage. 3.55 gears on 26-1/2-ish tires and a 727 in a B body that gets 18 mpg @3800+ lbs.
Looking forward to an OD trans.

But, you still need a free-flowing dual exhaust.

100%! Use headers!

Even without EFI, this might go into the mid to high 20s mpg, if not, an overdrive will get you close to 30. IDK how much power it will make, and don't care, cuz the low-rpm torque will be ridiculously much fun. Run it with any gears/any stall/ and wipe that sillygrin off your face. lol.
The only thing that could make it better would be the 1-2-3 combination of deeper gears, overdrive, and a LU convertor .... like
3.73s/A518LU/65=2130rpm; with a starter-gear of 9.14 or
3.23s/A500LU/65=1840rpm; with a starter-gear of 8.85
both with 26.5" tires.

Rear gear ratio multiplied by what first gear?

Or if you like to row gears, how about the Commando 4-speed with a GVod behind it, and 3.23s, for 65= 2040 and a starter of 9.98
Course if you have this hi-torque 360, you could probably get away with the A833od (3+1) and 3.23s, for 65=1950 and a starter of 9.98. Second gear is a lil shy at 5.39 but for a DD should work out Ok, cuz with it, 35mph is a nice 2400 rpm.

I like rowing gears. I found a A833-OD for my ride.

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Sounds like either 5.9 or 5.2 magnum makes the most sense. Probably leaning towards the former but I'll keep my eyes peeled for both. Not having to bring the block to the machine shop would be great, which it sounds like is totally possible with a magnum. I'm not that concerned with gas mileage, 12 in the city would be tolerable.

Sounds like a 5.9 magnum with a small cam, thin headgasket and 650 holley would be about right. Already have a good exhaust system, and a ford 8.8 is the current project.

I like the 360 over the 318 unless the car is light and the gear ratio is right for high mileage. In an A body, if it is light because there not all as light as we would hope, the 318 can do very well once at highway speeds.

What is your gear ratio and cars weight.

I think AJ offered some good tips if not a little confusing.

 

[Mean416]

I don't think a rebuild is required as long as you find a reasonable core that hasn't been abused too badly. A casual glance on Facebook marketplace will net you plenty.

My 02c, get a fuel injection setup like a sniper or fitech with a dual plane intake. That'll allow you great ability to tune the fuel and ignition curves.

 

[dirty white boy]

I don't think the 5.2 would even need thin head gaskets. Remember, the Magnum engines have a shorter deck height, so they have higher compression already. IMO, if he finds a good low mileage 5.2 (they are still out there) all he needs do is put a chinesium Air Gap, a 650 DP, a good distributor with a hot advance curve and a set of long tube headers and he's so close to 300HP he'd never feel the difference.

dose the roller cam la blocks have shorter deck height i wounder???

 

[junkyardhero]

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[dirty white boy]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Sounds like either 5.9 or 5.2 magnum makes the most sense. Probably leaning towards the former but I'll keep my eyes peeled for both. Not having to bring the block to the machine shop would be great, which it sounds like is totally possible with a magnum. I'm not that concerned with gas mileage, 12 in the city would be tolerable.

Sounds like a 5.9 magnum with a small cam, thin headgasket and 650 holley would be about right. Already have a good exhaust system, and a ford 8.8 is the current project.

try and get engine and trans together so you wont run into any issue with the differnt balance of 318 360 mag and 318 an 360 la!! save you some head aches

 

[fishmens67]

This is a question for wilrun318, his 318 and 360's are put together on a budget, producing respectable power and mileage.
Myself if I was doing a swap, it would be a 5.7 Hemi.

 

[junkyardhero]

This is a question for wilrun318, his 318 and 360's are put together on a budget, producing respectable power and mileage.
Myself if I was doing a swap, it would be a 5.7 Hemi.

while the G3 seems very much "the way forward" the financial part of that swap is monster of a pill to swallow. if you're talking about trying to make something happen for a few grand that's a nonstarter in the G3 arena-- just the peripherals to make the swap are a few grand: mounts, exhaust, oil pan, wiring/pcm and lot of that simply isn't available used or at a economic price point.

 

[RustyRatRod]

dose the roller cam la blocks have shorter deck height i wounder???

No sir. Just the Magnums.

 

[Mean416]

Cool to know about the magnums though. Another thing in their favor

 

[autoxcuda]

IMHO, you’ll need a bone stock injected 5.9 magnum factory tuned with auto overdrive trans and a 3400 lbs max abody

You’ll need to cut things up to fit the overdrive trans.

All that and driving 80% Hwy miles like a grandma to get 20+ mpg

 

[Mean416]

My vote would be to use the OD trans with a steeper gear to have a compromise and shoot for 15 mpg, with a mild cam, EFI combo