My v8 conversion thread, With pics, progress, questions ect!! Options

[Andyrew]

So making it official I am making this my one v8 progress thread, I will possibly post questions about the conversion elswhere, but my progress will go here.
Anyways, the story..
Knowing that I needed a new engine, I searched for some conversions, finding a few, then falling through, I ask about a v8 conversion, two guys here generously said that they will help and sell me some of their stuff. Together I will be able to make a nice conversion on a very limited budget. Here I will take the time to thanks Scott K and Steve H for what they have done and what they will do.

Anyways with that, I then went to pick and pull and found a 305 engine from some later car. We look all around and cant find an engine number.. Hey, its a v8, we need to pull something, Lets just do it (im very glad I said that..)
We then get the engine home and I plop off the valve covers and find that it has 350 heads(via the number), hmm.. Interesting... So I go and find the block number look it up. Sure enough, its a 350 block. Well thats not enough for me, I take it apart check the bore, theck the stroke, Yuppers 4in bore, something or other stroke, Yup its definately a 350! Whats not known is why it was in a 305 car.. So checking the pistons dad says there high compression, I wouldnt know any better.
So then talking about radiators, Mike Mueller kindly offers me his (very large) aluminum radiator for cheep. I take him up on his offer and drive to his house to see his garage packed with neet toys! Thanks mike for the walk through! We enjoyed it!
So we go home, and later in the week(yesterday) I start taking off the pistons, I get one off and clean it, trying to find an overbore number.. Cant fine one Check the bearings, they have .0005 on them. No clue what that means...
Anyways, while taking out the rest of the pistons dad stares at something for a second, laughs, and shows me that it is a 4 bolt main. So, now where very curious to why it was in a regular family car.. 84 or such.

Anyways, enough with the gabber, heres my list of pics..

[Andyrew]

Im thinking 6k is my rev limit.

I just dont want it to fall off at 5k, I want it to pull to 6k.

Oh ya, its a four bolt main... and I plan on putting roller rockers and possibly destrokeing the crank.. 327 or something...

That should help, right? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Andrew

[Mike T]

My car is an autocross car. No street. So the bracing is a bit extreme for what you would need on a street car.

Here is the front bracing along with the radiator setup.

If you want to destroke your engine the 327 crank would be a good cost effective choice. The 3.25" stroke pistons are available cheap from Summit or other suppliers.

If you wanted to go with a 3.00" stroke and make a 302 you'd have to find a large journal crank and that would cost more as would the pistons.


Mike T

[Mueller]

Hey Mike,

is that a custom radiator or a one from Renegade/Rod Simpson??

[dan10101]

Well, here is the cam that was suggested by the Machine shop.
Now that I'm comparing specs, it seems a bit odd in the Adv Dur vs the Dur @ .050.
None of the cams I'm looking at have that much variation.
Is this totally wrong for our purposes?

It's an Elgin "Pro Stock" Cam
These are the specs on the box.
DURN DUR. @ .050 CAM LIFT Valve Lift Lobe Centers
IN Ex IN Ex IN Ex IN Ex IN Ex
291 291 218 218 0.303 0.303 0.455 0.455 105 115

Thanks,
Dan

[Mike T]

Hey Mike,

is that a custom radiator or a one from Renegade/Rod Simpson??

I bought it used so I'm not sure but believe it's a Simpson. Seems to work well. Temps at this weekend's autocross were never over 200°. It's not a street car and temps were mid 70's. Never had the car running for more that 20 mins at a time. Sufficient for autocross I think.

Mike T

[Andyrew]

Heres an update...

Got the parts from Steve (very much earlyer than I expected. Thanks!!!)

I have the bottom end assembled, the top end... well, silly me, I cant fine a stupid head bolt.. I assume I wont find one at the local flaps... So Im just going to hit pick and pull.

Engine's painted... I'll paint, or clean the carb (depending on how bad it is..) and paint the air cleaner junk black with silver accents..

Should look pretty darn good!

Heres a buncha pics.

[Andyrew]

The twin (huge) fans that I got from Steve... I think I'll just use one.. there 15in...

[Andyrew]

hehe... I know im going to be shot down for this one. But here goes nothing.

Steve dropped off this front hood, and honestly, I really like it! It will create a pull from the front hood, and it will allow for air to escape smoothly. Later on I'll cut the fender wells, and reinforce that area because of the strength lost from cutting the fenderwells.. But currently I think this will be perfect. Its a perfect design for my radiator and fan setup as well.

I will be putting a grill in the opening, adding another layer of fiberglass to fill in any trouble area's, and for strenth, and finishing so it looks nice, and painting it all body color.

ITS FUNCTIONAL..... Im no ricer..

Let me know what you think.

[Andyrew]

Adapter plate for the later model v8 (86 and up to the LS1) that will be for sale on ebay or whatnot soon. also the rails that hold the two radiator fans together.. Dont think im gona use it.

[Andyrew]

Cool trick stuff.

Harmonic balancer from renegade or whatnot.

and hehe, remote oil filter, which I will tap into the lines and add a oil cooler, Yup, I dont want any over heating problems, my big ars aluminum radiator, big old fans, and this oil cooler, should prevent any of that problem. Besides all the engine stuff is clean, hot tanked, and everything should flow very nicely.

[Andyrew]

Water lines.. gona paint tomorrow or so.. (yes, if you dont know, I like keeping things clean..)

[Andyrew]

Boring single exhaust... One cat, one truck muff.. first few miles im going to do will be taking it down to a nice muff shop, and having them take out the cat. Shouldnt be that hard, not that much money.

Later on I'll spend some cash and do a nice, cool sounding dual exhaust. We have some interesting idea's....

[shoguneagle]

Andyrew, you make the old parts look good. Hope they meet and exceed your needs along with being functional. It was good to meet you and your father. Enjoyed your car and what you are doing with it. Glad the parts are being used instead of rusting away.

I know you have a few holes to fill in parts needs. Let me know what they are. It appears I will be getting out of the 914 business until we move. Need to cut down on my P-Car reserves and get back involved when I get moved.

Steve Hurt

[Andyrew]

Alternator mount, and "custom" alternator... I'll just use my basically new alternator from pick and pull, spins better.

In the background is the smog pump... Can you guess what Im going to do with that?..

save it incase the Man says that all cars have to be smogged.

[Andyrew]

OH er.. ya..

Also my 9in Kevlar flywheel... Some interesting wear marks, but asside from those, it looks new.

I'll save it for later, when I get a beeefy trani.. I'll use the 7in clutch Scott gave me for the time being.. mainly so that I break my clutch, and not my trani.

[Andyrew]

Steve, so far, it looks like the only thing I need are the clutch extender (you have... Could use it in a week, or so, We'll drive down there... gota get outa the house), and a throwout bearing. I tried calling Rod simpson (cheapest) today but the guy didnt answer, so I'll call him tomorrow morn.

Next on my list

Box of parts.. Reverse fittings.. some bolts, whatnot.. thermostat stuff, and a water pump!!!!

[Andyrew]

And last, but appropriately not least, is the engine mount bar..

Which I like.. Much better than the clamp two U clamps on with some square tubing, and go...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
Andrew

[Brad Roberts]

Dont install the harmonic balancer until you get the spacer that goes behind it. It should be cheap from Renegade. It appears to be the only thing missing in your pics. If the balancer was installed on another engine (I know it was).. he may have not pulled off the spacer that was sitting behind it.

B

[Andyrew]

Alright, Im sure Steve still has it on his engine.. If not, im going to get a throwout bearing from RSH, so I'll get one from him...(he seems to have the cheapest parts)

And ya, I actually was going to ask about that spacer... Thanks.

Andrew

[Brad Roberts]

Buy the throwout bearing from KEP. This is where everyone gets them from. Rod works from his house (no/low overhead) so yes his prices will be a tad cheaper than RHS.


B