[64speed]

My FIL has a 68 Camaro with and an LS3 that has been nothing but a pain in the ass. Mostly from expense of parts and tune perspective. With my first engine I could TOTALLY bust his ass from a stand still or a roll. Caster1 doesn’t post on here very much but he has my exact engine combo almost and he’s put over 10k miles on it. My truck of course has an LM7 5.3 and it’s great but it is soulless. I had a 2002 Camaro SS. Fast as hell but soulless. I got all the creature comforts I want in my Tempest (PW AC etc).

[Formulajones]

Why would anyone not take a 500 or 600 hp engine on a 1000 mile trip? 1000 miles is literally nothing.

Hell those are the mild 11 second combos that survive drag week without a hitch and make it fun. We drive our 600+ HP cars all over the place and I don't even give it a second thought. We put 300-400 miles on them in one day, and drive them back and forth to the track and race the crap out of them, that's a 250 mile round trip just by itself in one night.

If people are getting to the point they can't trust their 500 HP or 600 HP engine to go someplace they must be some pretty crappy builds because we aren't talking about snarly fire breathing monsters here. These are very mild pump gas daily driver builds. Been there and done that for decades. You guys gotta find yourselves a better machinist, engine builder, or start spending more money for better parts.

[64speed]

I have a Butler/Ross all forged rotation assembly. I have the Edelbrock round port heads and everything is studded. The first iteration cracked the lifter bores on the number 2 cylinder. The 2nd engine had a pinhole in one of the cylinder and the block has now been sleeved. That will be my only concern as I know anything can happen but I have faith in my rotating assembly. So many people have blasted my engine "blow ups". The first one was TOTALLY my fault despite what a few people have said. That SOB revved to the damn moon before I even knew what had happened. I think you would be hard pressed to find any street build that could have survived it without really high end lifters and bore braces and all that. This engine failure was a fluke. My machinist was incredibly supportive and even though he has no obligation he took it back and is repairing it as a free job. All new bearings and gaskets and sleeve etc. Basically a total rebuild again reusing only my crank rods and pistons. I cant really complain about that. The only thing I can complain about is his speed which I understand is being done on nights and weekends cause its not a paying job.

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Why would anyone not take a 500 or 600 hp engine on a 1000 mile trip? 1000 miles is literally nothing.

.

Someone whose chit breaks all the time.

My buddy just rode along in a mid seven second Mustang and put more miles than that on it and won Sick Week.

Everyone wants a bargain but a lot of these good deals are unreliable.

[Gach]

The best one is Guido from Canada, total of 4500 miles and won drag week, 8.60’s-8.70’s. Twice. IA block SD performance heads.

[Gach]

By the way solid roller too. Still have cam spec’s LOL.

[geeteeohguy]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

Sure that was 85 ? A guy I work with bought the last year of a Chevy truck with a sbc. It was the early 2000s.

Anyway that reminds me of a camping trip I took with some HS friends my senior year in 1983. On the drive there was this long straight hill. It goes from 2 lanes to at least 4 lanes, so its steep. Trucks have to really slow down.
Our group had a 67 327 Camero and a hot 327. A 396 El Camino, a 351 65 Mustang Fastback, and a 327 El Camino pulling that long hill with my 69 GTO 4 speed 400.
Everyone of them dropped a gear, I just hit the gas and it was not even close. Pulled away from everyone of them.
They all got rid of their cars, not me.

The LS was last month on the trip to CO. I wasn't clear. I've also had great results with Dodge Ram Hemi pickups not being able to keep up due to speed or rev limiter set at around 110-120. My car shifts into 3rd gear at 105 mph and is just getting started. My engine probably produces 300 HP or less at the crank, as well. Agree with Brad 100% and like Dragncar's dedication. I have over 40 years in the auto industry and LS engines aren't all they are cracked up to be. They ARE the 'next SBC' to the current generation due to excellent design, availability, and affordability. When I see an LS swapped anything, I just walk by. They are as boring and soul-less as a Boyd Coddington '32 Ford to me.

[grivera]

What a timely topic - this was just posted on the Pontiac Engine Design and Theory page on FB by someone named Uzek Susol who drives his 67 Firebird on vacations 5-7000 miles per trip: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pont...ibextid=W9rl1R

“Hi all, this is my 67 Firebird 400 that my wife & I use primarily as our vacation car. Most summers we take a few weeks & put 5-7,000 miles per trip. Currently it has 30,000 miles on a rebuild on the stock matching #'s flat top piston 400 with the addition of a large duration/high lift cam, 7/16" screw in studs, 1.5 full roller rockers, wideband O2 sensor tuned 800 CFM Quadrajet, DUI HEI, Dougs headers, Tremec 5 speed. Over the last trip I started to have a lifter noise between 1,200 & 1,800RPM which would not adjust out. I have talked with Butler at length & just recieved their package with the below contents. I'll set the original 670 heads aside looking at the aluminum heads as a slight performance upgrade & more freindly with todays questionable fuels while retaining the same compression ratio. Im looking for reliability as we are sometimes 5 plus States away from home. I will be using the stock cast iron 67 intake manifold as I have functional Ram Air air cleaner, hood panel & have opened up the factory hood vents, Butler advised the Edelbrock RPM manifold but it sits taller than the stock one & the regular Performer does not flow as well as the stock 67 intake as I understand. Any words of advice/tips before or during teardown on this 400? I am an ASE Certified Automotive Tech by trade for the last 35 years so the process does not concern me just looking for any Pontiac tips from Pontiac people. Thank you.

1 EDL-61595-2; Pontiac 72cc DPORT
Edelbrock Heads -
Complete (Pair) **Hyd Roller
(Double Spring)**
2 CCA-BP8020SP; Butler/Comp
SP Street Performance Billet
Roller Cam (HR) 276/282,
224/230, .503/.510, 112LS (Std
Firing Order/ Std Journals)
3 NIC-10120-STD; Pontiac Pro
Billet Timing Set - Billet Gears 9
Keyway Crank Sprocket
w/Bronze bushing on cam gear
4 ARP-190-3609; Pontiac Head
Bolt Kit For Edelbrock DPORT/
Performer Cylinder Heads
5 ABO-KIT-IM; Intake Manifold Bolt
Kit, 65-79 Hex Head Stainless
Steel w/washers
6 SPM-11765; Pontiac 5/16" Thick
High Density Valve Cover Gasket
Set/2
7 SPM-19374; Pontiac 400-455 BP
Head Gaskets (can be used on
350's also) (Set)
8 BPI-Gasket-Header-DP; Butler DPort
Header Gasket, *2.120 X
1.540*, Large Port fits Factory
and Aftermarket Set
June 7, 2023 2:19:40 PM CDT Page 2 of 4
THANKFPR-1233; Pontiac Fel-Pro
Standard Intake Gasket /
Includes Heat X-over Block Off
(Set)
10 CCA-7902; Adjustable Pushrod
Length Checker 5/16 (8.500-
9.800)
11 JLI-2112OPR-16; Johnson
Lifters, Pontiac Lifter Set, Hi-Perf
Hydraulic Roller, 326-455, Set/16
12 BOP-PDG37; Pontiac 301-455
Polymer Dist. Gear -0.491
13 BPI-M54DS-PRO-KIT; B.P PRO
60psi Oil Pump w/pick up and
copper gaskets(gasket taped to
lid/flap of box)
14 BPI-M54DS-PRO-PUMP-ONLY;
B.P PRO 60psi Oil Pump w/pick
up and copper gaskets(gasket
taped to lid/flap of box
15 ASC-3/8 HI Collar Lock Washer
LW; ASC-3/8 HI Collar Lock
Washer LW
16 ASC-3/8-16 x 1 1/2 HHCS GR8;
3/8-16 x 1 1/2 HHCS GR8
17 BOP-RMS18; Pontiac 3.00" Main
DUAL LIP Viton 1 Piece Rear
Main Seal
18 LPI-1P9001; Camshaft Thrust
Plate (high load aluminum nickel
bronze material)”

[64speed]

Assembly began today

[Dragncar]

Hope all goes well. Get her back on the road where she belongs.

[64speed]

Engine is done and will be tested today or Monday. I am leaving for a battery of tests at the hospital in the lower part of the state in the morning and won’t be back till next Friday. I will pick it up Monday the 24th and hope to get it in that week.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Engine is done and will be tested today or Monday. I am leaving for a battery of tests at the hospital in the lower part of the state in the morning and won’t be back till next Friday. I will pick it up Monday the 24th and hope to get it in that week.

Sounds like good news for a change.

[66sprint6]

Can hardly wait to see the car on the road again after all this. Your determination will pay off.

[64speed]

Engine is alive and healthy. Pick it up Monday

[Gach]

Finally good news. Nice !

[grivera]

Excellent!

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Engine is alive and healthy. Pick it up Monday

That is good news!!

[64speed]

Got my CDI box mounted. The wires don’t look that bad when the engines in and they are all hooked up in looms. I am gonna be back on the road as soon as I can get some help.

[64speed]

Got the engine back today. Dont know when I will be able to get it put in. Hopefully in a week or two.

[JSchmitz]

Best of luck to you! Hopefully you can enjoy it for awhile.