Critique this combo - 318!
Beware, the 67 casting usually isn't thick, the 68 up to about 72 are tho....
We'll see when I get it machined how thick it is. Plan is for .040" over, I would think most LA blocks should be able to handle that without issue. I've
read that some of the earlier blocks can go over 4". Obviously sonic checking is the only way to verify.
Look carefully at the crank, -3 trusk engines past about 70 usually had dish pistons and cast cranks..
Pretty sure this is a '68 model year short block. Didn't think the truck cranks went past 1970.
Please get Forged pistons, no use spending all kindsa dough and using hyper pistons. Yeah yeah, I know, so and so has ran them 2400 runs at 9200 RPM, with no issues....... but when the bore wears, the skirts like to migrate to your pan, and face it, good exhaust and flat to the floor, it's hard to hear it ping, and I have seen pistons become see through in one pass.
Think I'll stick with the KBs. Can't beat the price and despite your opinion, I think they
are proven parts. If I'm at the point of bore wear, I think
I will have gotten my dollar's worth out of them and will probably be in for a rebuild anyway. Let's hope I can put that many miles on the car! Like everything else, if they're set up correctly they should work OK. Might even get them coated! Probably not though.
With the cam, and the small cubes, I would go Performer RPM, or a worked over street dominator. For a 318, your cam is in the dual plane range. IMO
Strip Dom. is a 'small' single plane and it's got a TQ flange. IMO, the Air Gap is essentially a dual plane Strip Dominator. Something is telling me to use an Air Gap though.
TQ??? Really? Nothing like leaving HP on the table. (thinking maybe one of those cool holley ofshoot carbs, or even a 750EB, before a big ol thermobog) Good carb for the street, but, squareish bore feeds the cylinders fuel more equally. Anyone who has pulled the four corner plugs while tuning knows thiis.
I won't get into a disagreement about the merit of TQs. Ma Mopar seemed to think they were OK enough to use them for what, 15 years? I have a 6139 which is the small primary one, so part throttle cruisng will benefit. But when the secondaries open, it's 800 CFM. Plus mine's NOS so the phenolic body is good. Keeps the fuel cooler, can't argue with that. I am considering a Holley though because of parts availability. Ever try finding a Strip Kit for a 6139?
I'm thinking a voodoo can about the same size....... But, Just like the hyper pistons, I don't trust comps in my motors, not even a stock motor. The ol 260/260 I used to use tons in my stock rebuilds, but after a few lobes dissapearing..... Nahh.
Took a long time to arrive at the 282s. Don't want a hydraulic like the Voodoo. As I said above, as long as I set it up correctly, i.e. ensure the lifters are rotating, use the right additives and adjust the lash correctly it should be fine.
With that cam, if you really get a stall speed of 4K, your probably about 1K under your peak torque, and take it from someone who ran a 318 with a 3500, drop her in gear and the car wont move, 4.88 car. 3500 stall in a short stroke SB equals HOT trany temps, and slippery times in the rain, hehe. (and 5MPG) *4K in say, a 440, almost will feel stock at low throttle settings, because of the greater torque of the motor)
I understand that the converter will likely be inefficient under 3K. What am
I going to do? That's the street car trade off - want to go fast? You need a good converter to take advantage of the combo but don't expect it to be street friendly. A custom conveter is part of the budget.
Make sure the rods are the old floaters, the old 318 rods were pretty strong, and lighter than the HD 318 rod. (*Stock 360 rods were called the HD 318 rod in about 72, I am guessing to save money)
Floating rods, yes. Plan to polish the beams, re-size, shot peen, ARP bolts, yada yada.
And, again, all my opinions are exactly that, opinions from a 318 guy, who has built many many many of them.
Thanks for the input. So I'm guessing that you think it will 'run the number'?