NEW MOTOR FOR IMSA- HIGH RPM 345 SBC

[mldeolde]

finally after years of searching and a really screwed up UPS LTL freight ship of almost three weeks from Minnisota i recieved my block"the basic building block" of the new motor for the IMSA. much more of a race motor than the 406 sbc and more appropriate for the vehicle. I was pleasently surprized to find that it already had 2 coolent drains installed and a set of deck plugs in it too. i'll list a basic parts description will be comming soon but due to fianances and holladays probably won't get machineing and assembly done till spring. shooting for 550 hp and 9000 rpm capability. if it works out as estimated should up the top speed potential of the IMSA by a wopping 30 plus mph and putting it up in super car territory. time will tell but it's another in the long list of evalutions the car is going thru and that's the fun of this project. taking a rather rare h-body thru uncharted waters of performance enhancements and doing it on a limited budget. this aint "YOU'VE BEEN OVERHAULED" but stay tuned.

[NixVegaGT]

That's cool, Bruce. I'm looking forward to your story as it evolves. It sounds like a really cool alternative powerplant.

[mldeolde]

here is the list of the parts that i have accumulated in the last year or so for this build. 1.- 400 2 bolt block to be converted for splayed main caps, deck plugs and main girdle 2.-a set of three billet steel 4 bolt splayed mains. 3.- arp studs for cylinder heads and main caps. 4.-Chroma shaft custom 4340 crank with 3.18 stroke for 350 mains and large journal rods. 5.- GRP billet aluminum 6.29 lenght rods good for 200 hp and 10,000 rpm each. 6.-Mahale light weight coated pistons with plasma molly rings. 7.-Melling high volume oil pump. 8.- Milodon diamond stripper windage tray. 9.- Milodon 7 quart Monza spec oil pan and oil pump pick up. 10.-billet double roller timeing set. 11.-Comp Cams mechanical roller cam @700 lift with 1.6 rockers. 12. Comp Cams Enduro high pressure self oiling roller lifters. 13.- Comp Cams Pro Magnum 1.6 ratio roller rockers. 14.-Moroso electric comp high volume water pump. 15.-port matched SuperVictor intake. 16.- highly modified Holley 930 cfm carb. 17.- Brodix track-1 fully ported cylinder heads. 18.- full billet stud girdles and lockes. 19.- Crain NASCAR billet twin ignition distributor. 20.- full NASCAR spec MSD twin ignition system. 21.-TCI RATTLER harmonic ballencer. 22.-Hooker Super Comp 2129 headers. well that's the pieces do you think we can make our goals? LET ME KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!

[Troadster]

Wow just read what you are building. Sounds like a screamer. Hope you don't mind a question. I all ways heard not to run aluminum rods on a engine like that. That they were more for a drag race engine. Something about were you would be on and off the gas that they would stretch. Thanks for the info and I want to hear it when done . I am not brave enough to ride it LOL

[NixVegaGT]

Hey Bruce. Any updates?

[mldeolde]

sorry it took me so long to reply on up dates. been going thru hell trying to buy a new truck for the last month. finally gave up last week. too many sales men "AND WOEMEN"pissed me off too many times. so now i'm thinking of spending my down payment $$$$ on the new engine and putting the truck purchase off till mid June. am in the process of dickering with MAD DOG RACEING on a set of PROGRAM main caps and a front cap for the 345 sbc. should know in a day or so if they accept my offer. i'd rather have the best stuff if i can get it and these caps are about the best money can buy and the price is right if they accept it. the question about aluminum rods is basically right about strech but i need to loose rotating weight wearever i can and this will help and they are way overkill for evven this motor as they have beenlong term dyno tested on a motor puting out 200 hp per cylinder with no failures and this engine won't even make half that so it's pretty safe.

[mldeolde]

hurray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MADDOG RACING AND I WERE ABLE TO COME TO AN AMICABLE AGREEMENT ON PRICE FOR THE MAINS AND FRONT CAP FOR THE NEW ENGINE. PAID $ 250.00 FOR ABOUT $700.00 worth of PRO GRAM parts. el cheapo is a happy camper right now. because there aern't many NASCAR types useing factory 400 blocks any more i was able to score a real good deal on some top of the line killer parts. another security blanket for the engine and me. won't be looseing sleep over the quality of the 50-75 dollar Chineese metal cheapies with questionable quality.

[SWT Racing]

here is the list of the parts that i have well that's the pieces do you think we can make our goals? LET ME KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!

I think those heads may run out of steam before 9000 RPM. What are the specs on the cam? What about the valves and springs? At 9000 RPM, you should be running a titanium intake valve at the very least, as well as a set of shaft mount rockers.

[mldeolde]

my brother who has done some great head work in the past on small blocks and is going to port the hell out of those heads to get the best possable flow numbers we can get and the cam is right at 700 lift with the 1.6 rockers. i was going to pick COMP CAMS brains about the springs for this application and the titainium valves are already being considered. i thought about the shaft rockers but unless i find a deal on a set i'll be going with the pro magnums for now. srickly for economic reasons and yes i realize i'm pushing the envelope here. hopeing for the best.

[Troadster]

Something I readied a wile back is to use titanium(sorry might be spelled wrong) is lighter and stronger. I think it NASCAR was using it. But one bad thing it cost a lot.

[SWT Racing]

my brother who has done some great head work in the past on small blocks and is going to port the hell out of those heads to get the best possable flow numbers we can get and the cam is right at 700 lift with the 1.6 rockers. i was going to pick COMP CAMS brains about the springs for this application and the titainium valves are already being considered. i thought about the shaft rockers but unless i find a deal on a set i'll be going with the pro magnums for now. srickly for economic reasons and yes i realize i'm pushing the envelope here. hopeing for the best.

What are the specs on the cam? .700" lift with 1.6 rockers is fairly small for that RPM if you actually want to make power in a useable range for a 9000 RPM shift point. I'd expect to see something in the .900" range for a drag race engine in that CID, with valvespring changes every 30-40 passes. . .and that's with a good spring, like a NexTek.

Don't take this the wrong way, but why do you want to spin 9000?

[SWT Racing]

Something I readied a wile back is to use titanium(sorry might be spelled wrong) is lighter and stronger. I think it NASCAR was using it. But one bad thing it cost a lot.

Yep. . .try $60-$80 each.

[Troadster]

Something I readied a wile back is to use titanium(sorry might be spelled wrong) is lighter and stronger. I think it NASCAR was using it. But one bad thing it cost a lot.

Yep. . .try $60-$80 each.

OUTCH!!!!!!

[mldeolde]

that's why i i look for used NASCAR parts. looks like tthe titainium valves can be had for about 10-15 % of thier original cost. the 9000 rpm target is srickly for the benifit of top speed numbers. the IMSA is a road racer not a drag car so some of the specs we are shooting for are geared to a very different outcome. the car is already running 3.08's and i'd hate to think about running lower numbers than that seeing this car will occasionally see street duty.

[SWT Racing]

that's why i i look for used NASCAR parts. looks the 9000 rpm target is srickly for the benifit of top speed numbers. the IMSA is a road racer not a drag car so some of the specs we are shooting for are geared to a very different outcome. the car is already running 3.08's and i'd hate to think about running lower numbers than that seeing this car will occasionally see street duty.

I see what your're trying to do now. What are your speed goals? 9000 RPM with a 3.08 gear, depending upon tire size and final drive ratio, is a tall order for only 550 HP. You may not be able to pull that kind of RPM on the top end. You should be albe to make more than 550 fairly easily though.