Looking for a good combo for our 360!!!

[MR.7DUSTER3]

Hey Guys,

We just picked up a 360 to drop in to my sons 73 Duster,It presently has a 225 in it .This is my sons daily driver and we are looking for a recipe for a nice street racer.We dont really want just a stock rebuild.We would like some different opinions on what goes with what,your preferances.What size cam,carb,intake,where to go for kits.We are open for suggestions.

Help us out,thanks

MR.7DUSTER3,7DUSTER3

 

[rumblefish360]

A excellent start for a street car IMO would be zero deck (Keith Black 107) piston. Porting the heads bowls and port matching to a RPM and a 750 cfm carb and Hooker Super Comp headers if they fit with your car and it's power steering and or brakes etc..... Or tti's.
Semi manual shift tranny and 3.90 - 4.10's w/ 26 inch tires as wide as you can get them. Aided by Cal-tracs to get that sure grip grabbin.

The only thing missing is a cam. This is like socks or underwhere. Not sure how aggressive you want to be. Chose one with the driving RPM range in mind with as much lift as the head can handle. This should butter the roll for ya.

I'd like to do a comp cams XE285HL. It has a 241 @ .050 intake duration and 247 exhaust with .545 lift on both sides. (Heads should be ported to match for use with this cam.) RPM range is 2500 - 6500.

Comp says 3000 stall, but thats a general guide line and IMO, you should have a good converter made for you.

 

[MR.7DUSTER3]

Hey Rumblefish,
Thanks for your input sounds like a good place to start,roughly what kind of horse power would we be looking at here? also where might we pick up some of these fine ingrediants? We read and have bookmarked your thread on your 318 build back when we were thinking of putting a 318 in the Duster,then this deal came along and we couldnt pass it up.You definatly sound like you have what it takes to get it done right.

thanks again , Bob and Bryce

 

[rumblefish360]

On a build like this, 400 HP and equal torque should not be a problem. Of course quality work and assembly is first and formost the main attetion with 1st class parts. Add on's and tricks in areas help, but your going to have to figure out if anything more than basic parts is what you'll do.
Things like zero gap piston rings are an excellent item for zero leak down. This helps make it effiecnt.
Polishing the chamber with or without coatings on the chamber and piston tops is another trick.
It's coating vs. power return item. Not needed work, but a bennifit at a cost.
Timing chain tentioner. (sp again,) Low cost item to keep the chain tight. Stops the cam from from fowarding and retarding on taking off and stopping.

Keep the overbore limited. Stronger straighter cylinder walls seal better for more power.

I have ordered from Jegs and Mancini racing without ever a problem.
Jegs ships free and quick.
Mancini has been in biz for decades (sp) and have many many MoPar parts on hand.
What ever one doesn't have, the other will.
Huges is another place. Very good rep. I have not ordered from them. Though here is a cam from them very similar to the Comp Cam. I'd also use this. The specs are very close.

Camshaft Technical Details
Intake Valve Lift 1.5
Exhaust Valve Lift 1.5 .555°
.569°

Intake Valve Lift 1.6
Exhaust Valve Lift 1.6 .592°
.606°

Intake Duration at .050"
Exhaust Duration at .050" 242°
246°

Lobe Separation Angle 108

Intake Opening at .050"
Exhaust Opening at .050" 16° BTC
54° BBC

Intake Closing at .050"
Exhaust Closing at .050" 46° ABC
12° ATC

Min. Suggested Cylinder PSI 175

Sweet Spot RPM 2500 - 6000
(According to Hughes, you'll shift a few hundred RPM's above the sweet spot. This puts it on par with the Comp Cam in terms of rpm range. With more lift.)

Links to the spots;
http://www.manciniracing.com/
http://www.hughesengines.com/
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002

You definatly sound like you have what it takes to get it done right.

Thanks for the high praise. It's ethier the use of good skills to do it or cubic dollors to get it done right. LOL, I go the dollor route and keep the eyes and ears open in and around the tracks, mags and shops as to what worked and what didn't with hopefully why. 20+ years into MoPars, you learn a few things. I'm still learning and I think I allways will. But the old tricks of learning still work. Just ask'em. Mechaincs, racers and freinds.
This internet has helped when the dollors run out.

I'm not a machinest. I'm a heavy industrail mechanic that moved on to inspector. I'd love to learn how to machine my own one day instead of just watching from a stool and bench talk about tools.

 

[7DUSTER3]

Is this build off of a stock manifold? Or an Eddy Rpm, Air gap. Sorry to keep shooting off questions but where might we be able to find keith black 107 pistons. And as far as Engine rebuild kits, do you know one that would be ideal for my build? Do we want sealed power rods, mains, and cam bearings, or do we want the clevite series. This kind of stuff is where our knowledge of engines gets fuzzy :sad: We are pretty much going off of what you say. Unfortunatley theres no speed shops in our area and the ones that are around only do Ford and Chevy :angry4:


Bryce/Bob

 

[rumblefish360]

Is this build off of a stock manifold? Or an Eddy Rpm, Air gap.

A Edelbrock RPM regular or Air-Gap. I'd rather the Air-Gap.
You can call Jegs or Mancini racing up direct for these pistons and the rest of the parts. You'll need the block looked at and machined first before you purchase anything. Things like overbore sizes and size bearings if the crank needs to be cut.

I have not used sealed power anything myself. But they have a good rep. here. I have used the clevite series alot.

Theres also no need to purchase rods over the stock ones unless there bent and messed up. Then reworking the rods can be expensive as to a purchase of new rods for the pistons.

Your going to have to do a search for a engine builder in your area. Even if it means a decent little drive to get there. Where is DLI to you?
Make a post. Engine builder needed in your area. Theres lots of Cali. fellas here.