Thoughts on a 225 rebuild
I would suggest you contact Doug Dutra ('Doctor Dodge') over on the www. slantsix.org forum about some new moderate lift/moderate duration cam grinds that make more torque (and thus mid-range HP) with a 1 BBL or 2 BBL carb. I am about to install a new one for the 1 BBL in a fresh engine rebuild; the 2 BBL version should breathe a bit more at mid to higher RPM's to match up with the better flow of the Super Six. These will work with stock or replacement stock springs (like the VS510's), and stock valve trains.
Just one more comment RE: Long rods...
NHRA's National Dragster had a tech article a few years ago, by David Reher, the engine builder that is half of the Reher/Morrison Pro Stock team. These guys spend their LIFE on the dyno, and I mean engine dyno, not chassis dyno.
In this particular article, David was asked the importance of the rod-ratio thing, in reference to longer rods making more power. His response was clear-cut. He said, unequivocally, and without hesitation, that the connecting rods'
sole function, was to connect the piston with the crank-throw...
nothing else! He stressed that the old wives' tale about rod-length having any significant effect on power output was just that; an old wives' tale.
To worry about that (rod-length) in a street engine is a complete waste of time, if you give any credence at all, to what one of the top engine builders in the country (for years,) said about it. It was on the back page of a National Dragster a few years back...
Just a word to the wise...:violent1:
