Engine Build, Which Parts to Purchase Options

[sjhenry1075]

Hey everyone,

For those of you who are on the east coast, I really wish I could have made it to the gathering, but I had just moved, and I am in the process of having the car re-sprayed, so it was just bad timing.

I am in the process of building a 2056 from my stock 1.7 case. I just have a few questions, and as many times I have searched this, I just did not get a concrete answer so here I am. Also, sorry for the length of this post.

In regard to the engine build:

- which pistons should I use? AA, Keith Black, or JE?
- Should I stick with the FI, or switch to carbs? What are the pros/cons? I realize that switching to carbs allows a more aggressive cam, but how much of a difference would it make performance wise?
- For heads, 2.0 heads have a reputation for cracking, so I was going to use 1.8's with 44x38 valves. Thoughts? Is it worth it to upgrade to the 911 swivel feet?
- For my exhaust I'll be using my MSDS header with a spintech muffler.

lastly, the car is being painted in the original Adriatic Blue. I'll definitely share photos once it's completely finished!

Thanks everyone!

[BeatNavy]

Hey Steve,

I agree with Robert's thoughts. I'm not sure there is a huge difference between in P&C's now days. My two cents:

1. What are your objectives? Pure HP or drivability / reliability? Idle stability? Build cost? Engine longevity? Regular vs. premium gas? Etc. These aren't all mutually exclusive, but there are compromises sometimes that help drive decisions. I greatly prefer FI to carbs, for several reasons, so that limits my cam selection and compression ratio target.

2. Speaking of CR: make sure you have a target CR in mind before you start purchasing parts or start doing any machine work.

3. Do have your case checked by machine shop, particularly for bore alignment and drooping spigots.

4. Make a spreadsheet to start tracking part options, costs, etc.

5. Get Jake's video and the Wilson book.

6. Mayve talk to Len at HAM about head options. Those AA ones are pretty nice, especially with the ceramic coating.

7. Take your time and ask questions.

Also, you're now right up the road from me. I have some parts/tools that might be helpful at some point, including the book/videos.

Who's painting your car??

[sjhenry1075]

Hey Steve,

I agree with Robert's thoughts. I'm not sure there is a huge difference between in P&C's now days. My two cents:

1. What are your objectives? Pure HP or drivability / reliability? Idle stability? Build cost? Engine longevity? Regular vs. premium gas? Etc. These aren't all mutually exclusive, but there are compromises sometimes that help drive decisions. I greatly prefer FI to carbs, for several reasons, so that limits my cam selection and compression ratio target.

2. Speaking of CR: make sure you have a target CR in mind before you start purchasing parts or start doing any machine work.

3. Do have your case checked by machine shop, particularly for bore alignment and drooping spigots.

4. Make a spreadsheet to start tracking part options, costs, etc.

5. Get Jake's video and the Wilson book.

6. Mayve talk to Len at HAM about head options. Those AA ones are pretty nice, especially with the ceramic coating.

7. Take your time and ask questions.

Also, you're now right up the road from me. I have some parts/tools that might be helpful at some point, including the book/videos.

Who's painting your car??

You're in Easton right? I'd definitely be interested in taking a field trip to see your shop. A friend of mine did all the body work/rust repair and painting for free; I just had to pay for materials. It looks amazing.

I've made a spreadsheet, I just wasn't sure about the differences between the different kinds of pistons, FI vs. Carbs, etc.. Here's a photo of the car before and after paint.

[sjhenry1075]

Hey Steve,

I agree with Robert's thoughts. I'm not sure there is a huge difference between in P&C's now days. My two cents:

1. What are your objectives? Pure HP or drivability / reliability? Idle stability? Build cost? Engine longevity? Regular vs. premium gas? Etc. These aren't all mutually exclusive, but there are compromises sometimes that help drive decisions. I greatly prefer FI to carbs, for several reasons, so that limits my cam selection and compression ratio target.

2. Speaking of CR: make sure you have a target CR in mind before you start purchasing parts or start doing any machine work.

3. Do have your case checked by machine shop, particularly for bore alignment and drooping spigots.

4. Make a spreadsheet to start tracking part options, costs, etc.

5. Get Jake's video and the Wilson book.

6. Mayve talk to Len at HAM about head options. Those AA ones are pretty nice, especially with the ceramic coating.

7. Take your time and ask questions.

Also, you're now right up the road from me. I have some parts/tools that might be helpful at some point, including the book/videos.

Who's painting your car??

You're in Easton right? I'd definitely be interested in taking a field trip to see your shop. A friend of mine did all the body work/rust repair and painting for free; I just had to pay for materials. It looks amazing.

I've made a spreadsheet, I just wasn't sure about the differences between the different kinds of pistons, FI vs. Carbs, etc.. Here's a photo of the car before and after paint.

That's with two coats of base / clear coat. It still needs to be polished and waxed to get the orange peel out.