Small Blocks

[ch1ll]

Don't forget that the ratio of those rocker arms vary anywhere from 1.48 - 1.55

Still what I said is true and stock class racers will run a matched set. It’s a lot of work to match a set, but it can be done and there are folks that do.

 

[Dan the man]

No it would not. You use a shorter, lighter piston with a shorter pin height. Rods would stay the same length. The stroke of a 360 is only a little more than a 1/4 than a 340/318/273.

What piston height are you thinking about

 

[Dan the man]

Still what I said is true and stock class racers will run a matched set. It’s a lot of work to match a set, but it can be done and there are folks that do.

What you said is true. The time wasted trying to get a match set of rocker arms could be avoided by the factory paying more detail to accuracy. This is what my post is about what you or others would change if Chrysler had given you the chance. Making up a set of matched rocker arms is very very time consuming as each rocker arm has to be mounted and checked with a dial indicator

 

[Dan the man]

Still what I said is true and stock class racers will run a matched set. It’s a lot of work to match a set, but it can be done and there are folks that do.

I worked at a auto parts store years ago and I remember this guy who was building his 400 Pontiac with mostly factory available parts, he went through like 3 or 4 sets of push rods till he got 16 that either where the same length or very very close to the same length, he measured every single one of those pushrods.

 

[abodyjoe]

I believe the Lil Red Truck engine was the E58.

no, lil red was a EH1

 

[abodyjoe]

EH1, which was basically the E58 with a 340 cam.

the cam thing has been debated for many years now.. some say 340 cam and others say regular production cam. not sure anyone knows for sure..lol

 

[abodyjoe]

So what you say, I've seen well tuned small blocks out run a few big blocks it's rare but it happens

hell, years ago when i had a very stock 360 choked down with 273 manifolds in my 64 valiant it would out run a certian 70 hemi charger. he was running mid 14's and i was running low 14's...

 

[4eighteener]

Freakin A! From the get go!

Sounds like a race engine to me…. LOLLOLwel

Well...I did refrain from mentioning aluminum block

 

[rumblefish360]

Well...I did refrain from mentioning aluminum block

 

[toolmanmike]

A local Mopar guy supercharged one of those aluminium 318 blocks and put it in his Demon.

 

[Scody21]

I’d get a car first, before I’d go if, could and butts on how I’d change the block….

 

[Garrett Ellison]

Thick cylinder walls like in the ‘75 and earlier 360 blocks, filled in webbing like the T/A, X, and R blocks, blind bolt holes everywhere, corrected lifter angles and taller lifter bores, priority main oil system, 9.2 inch deck height with tall cylinder heads for tall intake ports, 308 / W2 head exhaust ports.

 

[ch1ll]

I worked at a auto parts store years ago and I remember this guy who was building his 400 Pontiac with mostly factory available parts, he went through like 3 or 4 sets of push rods till he got 16 that either where the same length or very very close to the same length, he measured every single one of those pushrods.

That is ridiculous, any difference would be made up in lifter preload. Anyway how much can a stock or stock production pushrod set vary in length? +/- .005?

For the time and money he spent, he could have bought a quality precision hollow pushrod at a custom length that suited his engine to a T.

Figures, Pontiac dude.

 

[Dan the man]

hell, years ago when i had a very stock 360 choked down with 273 manifolds in my 64 valiant it would out run a certian 70 hemi charger. he was running mid 14's and i was running low 14's...

A hemi that only ran 14's? What a dog

 

[Dan the man]

I’d get a car first, before I’d go if, could and butts on how I’d change the block….

I was just making conversation and you don't like that either. I bet you were a pain in the butt growing up

 

[A38Valiant]

A hemi that only ran 14's? What a dog

70 Charger is fairly heavy. Depending on gearing, driver ability, and an infinite list of variables, lighter cars with just as much horsepower as a Hemi often ran mid to high 14s. Read some old magazine tests from back when the cars were new if you want some enlightenment.

 

[Dan the man]

This will probably raise some eyebrows. If two 1973 duster's were the same weight, had the same size tires and tire pressure, both had 3.23 gears, a 904 transmission with a stock rebuild, stock stall speed converter, one has a 340 the other a 360 but they both are rebuilt to the 340 specifications. Both have the factory 1973 340 exhaust manifolds, factory intake and carb that was available on a 1973 340 duster and 2 1/2" exhaust system, would the 360 out perform the 340?

 

[Dan the man]

70 Charger is fairly heavy. Depending on gearing, driver ability, and an infinite list of variables, lighter cars with just as much horsepower as a Hemi often ran mid to high 14s. Read some old magazine tests from back when the cars were new if you want some enlightenment.

That's understandable

 

[A38Valiant]

...

 

[toolmanmike]

This will probably raise some eyebrows. If two 1973 duster's were the same weight, had the same size tires and tire pressure, both had 3.23 gears, a 904 transmission with a stock rebuild, stock stall speed converter, one has a 340 the other a 360 but they both are rebuilt to the 340 specifications. Both have the factory 1973 340 exhaust manifolds, factory intake and carb that was available on a 1973 340 duster and 2 1/2" exhaust system, would the 360 out perform the 340?

Probably so. 73 340's ran pretty good but they were pretty anemic compared to the 68 and newer ones. 73 was the last year for the 340 and everything got a 318 or 360 from there. The 360's were built like the 340's of that era. Heads, cams, manifolds, etc were interchangeable. The 360 would perform a little better because of the extra stroke. Look up the torque and HP specs to see.

 

[Dan the man]

Probably so. 73 340's ran pretty good but they were pretty anemic compared to the 68 and newer ones. 73 was the last year for the 340 and everything got a 318 or 360 from there. The 360's were built like the 340's of that era. Heads, cams, manifolds, etc were interchangeable. The 360 would perform a little better because of the extra stroke. Look up the torque and HP specs to see.

I'll do that. I don't mean to disturb things, it's that I like to read and research things out and sometimes I don't ask questions the correct way

 

[abodyjoe]

A hemi that only ran 14's? What a dog

yup. purple charger.

 

[Dan the man]

yup. purple charger.

I believe that some people under rate the ability of a small block.

 

[junkyardhero]

This will probably raise some eyebrows. If two 1973 duster's were the same weight, had the same size tires and tire pressure, both had 3.23 gears, a 904 transmission with a stock rebuild, stock stall speed converter, one has a 340 the other a 360 but they both are rebuilt to the 340 specifications. Both have the factory 1973 340 exhaust manifolds, factory intake and carb that was available on a 1973 340 duster and 2 1/2" exhaust system, would the 360 out perform the 340?

i think the real question should be, would an Avanti beat either in the 1/4? What about a Buick?

 

[Lance Lot Link]

Going on memory only here but: Some of the Big Block engineers were consulted regarding the T/A block and early "X" & "R" race engines. Tom Hoover and the "Great Eight" group of engineers had influence at the top, (Lynn Townsend, Chrysler President). I was too young for Chrysler Engineering then, but old enough to watch prototypes tested on Woodward and elsewhere. I hope I'm not getting too far from Dan's original post, but I'm wondering where the X and R blocks were actually cast? Indy Foundry? Huber Foundry for T/A heads? If Mound Road Engine was too busy, who machined them? Galaxy? Sorry Dan, I'll stop if I'm out of line.