[blueghoast]

Originally Posted by General Z

Thanks Steve. The 700R4 isn't stock. It was built for strength. So you're recommending the RPM intake? The 60919 cam? Crower Cam Saver Lifters? 68404 springs? That's a good combo that will wake it up?

Yes, I've got the same combo other then mine is only .030 over @ 9:50:1
Runs super strong and I run a 3:73 gear with a 350-turbo trans 700r4
coming later. I run a 750 vac sedary holley but with the rear metering
block so I can jet the rear of the carb too. I run 72 front and 78 rear jets.
I run the RPM intake also but the torkerII will work as well. The RPM will
fit under the hood of the 67-firebird at least it did on my friends firebird.
Hope this helps and thanks to Gach for his info. I run 38-40 degree timing too.

GT

[General Z]

Originally Posted by ta man

Can you describe how the car responds from a standstill and floored?

Sure, perfect street manners, like a modern car. If I let off the gas and accelerate like normal, its like a normal car. If I straight up floor it, the tires will spin. Controlled flooring it, it gets up and goes, but like a locomotive. It's like it builds up speed, instead of all right now.

I just feel like it should be faster/quicker. It acts like it has power, but is overly heavy. For comparison, my Solstice GXP with a manual "feels" like it accelerates MUCH faster, but in reality are probably close in a quarter mile.

[General Z]

Originally Posted by blueghoast

Yes, I've got the same combo other then mine is only .030 over @ 9:50:1
Runs super strong and I run a 3:73 gear with a 350-turbo trans 700r4
coming later. I run a 750 vac sedary holley but with the rear metering
block so I can jet the rear of the carb too. I run 72 front and 78 rear jets.
I run the RPM intake also but the torkerII will work as well. The RPM will
fit under the hood of the 67-firebird at least it did on my friends firebird.
Hope this helps and thanks to Gach for his info. I run 38-40 degree timing too.

GT

Sweet! Nice to find someone with the same combo. So how does it run? Any idea on HP or torque or quarter mile? What's it like when you floor it? How's the street manners?

[Gach]

[QUOTE=General Z ]

I know your running The 96 there a good heads, but let me give you example of a combo. And why the Crower 60919 cam is such a good cam. For must Street cruiser guys. Here’s the combo, 461 ci. 400 block .060 over. With 455 crank. E-heads out of the box, perform RPM intake Q’jet ( Cliff R Q’jet ) Crower 60919 cam, 3.73 gear, in his 67 GTO which weighs 3600 lbs. he ran at Norwalk 11.60 its on video here some where. That works out to 500 hp.

Yes his heads flow 270-280 and yours are probably around 220-250 cfm not sure? So there’s no doubt with your heads a good carburetor you’ll be in 400+ range. Either way the killer for you is definitely 2 things the cam and the carburetor. Is the rpm a better intake yes definitely. So my suggestion to you and it depends on weather or not you want to go with rpm a intake. Is definitely make cam change and definitely carburetor, you to get your Holly reworked like Blue Ghost did so you can jet The secondaries. Or go Q’jet. Trust me you won’t be disappointed.

[General Z]

[QUOTE=Gach;6478930]

Originally Posted by General Z

I know your running The 96 there a good heads, but let me give you example of a combo. And why the Crower 60919 cam is such a good cam. For must Street cruiser guys. Here’s the combo, 461 ci. 400 block .060 over. With 455 crank. E-heads out of the box, perform RPM intake Q’jet ( Cliff R Q’jet ) Crower 60919 cam, 3.73 gear, in his 67 GTO which weighs 3600 lbs. he ran at Norwalk 11.60 its on video here some where. That works out to 500 hp.

Yes his heads flow 270-280 and yours are probably around 220-250 cfm not sure? So there’s no doubt with your heads a good carburetor you’ll be in 400+ range. Either way the killer for you is definitely 2 things the cam and the carburetor. Is the rpm a better intake yes definitely. So my suggestion to you and it depends on weather or not you want to go with rpm a intake. Is definitely make cam change and definitely carburetor, you to get your Holly reworked like Blue Ghost did so you can jet The secondaries. Or go Q’jet. Trust me you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm starting to wonder if I'd be better with the 60243 perhaps.

[blueghoast]

[QUOTE=Gach;6478930]

Originally Posted by General Z

I know your running The 96 there a good heads, but let me give you example of a combo. And why the Crower 60919 cam is such a good cam. For must Street cruiser guys. Here’s the combo, 461 ci. 400 block .060 over. With 455 crank. E-heads out of the box, perform RPM intake Q’jet ( Cliff R Q’jet ) Crower 60919 cam, 3.73 gear, in his 67 GTO which weighs 3600 lbs. he ran at Norwalk 11.60 its on video here some where. That works out to 500 hp.

Yes his heads flow 270-280 and yours are probably around 220-250 cfm not sure? So there’s no doubt with your heads a good carburetor you’ll be in 400+ range. Either way the killer for you is definitely 2 things the cam and the carburetor. Is the rpm a better intake yes definitely. So my suggestion to you and it depends on weather or not you want to go with rpm a intake. Is definitely make cam change and definitely carburetor, you to get your Holly reworked like Blue Ghost did so you can jet The secondaries. Or go Q’jet. Trust me you won’t be disappointed.

I would follow these guide lines and then try changes like intake and carb.
My motor is iron headed and probibly 400-450 HP and maybe close to
500LBS of torqe. it does pull hard and is a blast to drive.

GT

[Gach]

[QUOTE=General Z;6478934]

Originally Posted by Gach

Thanks for the feedback. I'm starting to wonder if I'd be better with the 60243 perhaps.

Personally I wouldn’t but thats up to you. Tell you why thats on a 112, you get timing chain stretch you’ll be at 114, not good for a automatic.

[ta man]

Originally Posted by General Z

Sure, perfect street manners, like a modern car. If I let off the gas and accelerate like normal, its like a normal car. If I straight up floor it, the tires will spin. Controlled flooring it, it gets up and goes, but like a locomotive. It's like it builds up speed, instead of all right now.

I just feel like it should be faster/quicker. It acts like it has power, but is overly heavy. For comparison, my Solstice GXP with a manual "feels" like it accelerates MUCH faster, but in reality are probably close in a quarter mile.

I think something is off with your current tune. The current combo even though not optimum the car should hit hard and rev fast up to 5000 rpm. What is your exhaust? A slushy torque convertor can also kill power. How is your timing set? Is your vacuum secondary carb tuned? Was the current cam degreed?

[General Z]

Thank Gach and blueghoast, great feedback. Much appreciated.

[General Z]

Originally Posted by ta man

I think something is off with your current tune. The current combo even though not optimum the car should hit hard and rev fast up to 5000 rpm. What is your exhaust? A slushy torque convertor can also kill power. How is your timing set? Is your vacuum secondary carb tuned? Was the current cam degreed?

Current 2802 cam was not degreed. Installed dot to dot and I was surprised at the amount of slack in the chain. Exhaust is Hedman headers true duals with Magnaflow mufflers and an H pipe. The torque converter is supposedly extreme duty and probably only has 1500 miles on it. I've tuned the carb to the best of my ability. I put the bigger accelerator pump and power valve on it. Bigger front jets. Haven't changed the rear jets. Have the lightest spring, I think for the vacuum secondary too.

The car pulls, but it feels like a locomotive building up steam and just doesn't pull as hard as I think it could/should.

[OCMDGTO]

Z, are your throttle blades straight up when you floor it? One of my buds had a hard time getting this right with his OD trans and when he got it right said it was like a new car.

[chuckies76ta]

I would also agree cam is too small . But I'm like TA man and wondering about you tune. I'm curious about your timing. Do you know what it's set at for initial, mechanical advance and total timing and at what rpm? Also from my experience with the 60243 cam in a 455 that was not degree ed was like you mentioned. Like a locomotive off the line.
Even though the cam is too small for the size of cubes, shouldn't this thing just scream when hitting the throttle off the line? I realize it will run out of power sooner than if the cam was property matched to the heads. I'm thinking timing chain (degree cam) and tune.

I put the bigger accelerator pump and power valve on it. Bigger front jets. Haven't changed the rear jets. Have the lightest spring, I think for the vacuum secondary too. I'm also wondering about this carb. Have you tune it with an air fuel ratio gauge or are you just winging it so to speak? Are the secondaries actually opening up?

[General Z]

Yes, the throttle blades are vertical when floored. TV cable is set correctly to trans as well.

As for carb tuning, I'm winging it like you said and using a vacuum gauge for the idle screws. Besides that, seat of the pants meter and sound.

My timing is total around 38. Not sure initial. I've always thought total was much more important and let initial be whatever. I've got no ping on a hot day, floored with 89 octane. We also have 91 or even 93 readily available here too.

[steve25]

If you have not pulled the motor yet you really should do a cranking compression test, just for the sake of curiosity and for your records that you should be keeping.
Your cam isn’t necessarily too small unless your cranking compression is too high.

Also keep in mind these two things , it’s 100% always better to be slightly under Cam’ed then over Cam’ed , and top end MPH is a great thing once you get there!

[General Z]

Originally Posted by steve25

If you have not pulled the motor yet you really should do a cranking compression test, just for the sake of curiosity and for your records that you should be keeping.
Your cam isn’t necessarily too small unless your by cranking compression is too high.
Also keep in mind these two things , it’s 100% always better to be slightly under Cam’ed then over Cam’ed , and top end MPH is a great thing once you get there!

Good idea. Thanks. It's still in the car. I really should do a cranking compression test. Top end mph isn't really a concern for me. It's a street driven convertible. I'd take mpg over mph. LOL.

[Cliff R]

The Performer intake is a "turd" on a 455 build, get a factory intake or the RPM if you have room to get it all under the hood.'

Below is a dyno sheet comparing a 224/230 @ .050" on a 110LSA HR cam with a 236/245 @ .050"/114LSA HR cam in a build very close to yours. 455, 9.3 to 1 compression, #96 heads flowing 250cfm. Back to back cam swap with no other changes.

You simply do not have nearly enough cam in it to make big power and the intake is a choke point in the recipe to get there.......IMHO

[TransAm 474]

At 9.5 Compression, I would run the Crower 60243 with 1.65 Rockers, or the Crower 60919 with Rhoads lifters. Make sure to degree the camshaft, as every Crower camshaft we have used, both the 60243 and 60919, came in at around 112° Intake Centerline when installed "Dot to Dot". They don't seem to have any advance ground into them. I would install it at 108-109° Intake Centerline. In any case, MAKE SURE you use good USA Lifters such as Hylift Johnson from Topline Automotive, Rhoads uses Hylift Johnson for their lifter, if you opt to go with the 60919/Rhodes route. I would definitly use the Crower 68404 Springs with either camshaft, set up at 1.600" Installed Height. Make sure to run a good timing set, that is tight when installed, we use the Cloyes street Billet sets. Switch the Intake to either a Performer RPM if you have the hood clearance, or a stock iron intake. The regular Performer intake is a choke on the big 455, as it atctually has smaller runners than a factory iron manifold. I would do away with the Holley carb, and find a good late 70's pontiac Quadrajet, contact Cliff Ruggles with the carb number, and have him provide you with his HP rebuild kit, parts. and recipe he recommends for your engine combination. Nothing beats a good running Q-Jet on the street, when they are correctly setup for the engine. They provide the best Throttle Response, driveability, and mileage when calibrated correctly..

[General Z]

Thanks Cliff and Trans Am474. Much appreciated.

[General Z]

Originally Posted by TransAm 474

At 9.5 Compression, I would run the Crower 60243 with 1.65 Rockers, or the Crower 60919 with Rhoads lifters. Make sure to degree the camshaft, as every Crower camshaft we have used, both the 60243 and 60919, came in at around 112° Intake Centerline when installed "Dot to Dot". They don't seem to have any advance ground into them. I would install it at 108-109° Intake Centerline. In any case, MAKE SURE you use good USA Lifters such as Hylift Johnson from Topline Automotive, Rhoads uses Hylift Johnson for their lifter, if you opt to go with the 60919/Rhodes route. I would definitly use the Crower 68404 Springs with either camshaft, set up at 1.600" Installed Height. Make sure to run a good timing set, that is tight when installed, we use the Cloyes street Billet sets. Switch the Intake to either a Performer RPM if you have the hood clearance, or a stock iron intake. The regular Performer intake is a choke on the big 455, as it atctually has smaller runners than a factory iron manifold. I would do away with the Holley carb, and find a good late 70's pontiac Quadrajet, contact Cliff Ruggles with the carb number, and have him provide you with his HP rebuild kit, parts. and recipe he recommends for your engine combination. Nothing beats a good running Q-Jet on the street, when they are correctly setup for the engine. They provide the best Throttle Response, driveability, and mileage when calibrated correctly..

Thanks for the information. How crucial is using the Rhodes lifters with the 60919? I was going to use the Crower cam saver lifters. Do I need the Rhodes for vacuum or is it another reason? With my current setup I have 16" of vacuum at idle?

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by General Z

put the cam in dot to dot

That's a mistake.

There's no telling how many manufacturing errors--never mind assembly errors--are in the various machined parts that affect cam timing unless you look for them with a dial indicator and a degree wheel.