RustyRatRod's Guide To Hot Rod Bliss

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so very cool , that blown 370 ci hemi shuck the floor under your feet when he rev'd it a bit , in taller r's you could not hear yourself think , lol . so cool !
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Very cool old school stuff right there. Thanks for sharing. Maybe mine will run one day. I sure hope so.
 
hey i have plenty of i'll get them done to , lol . he's selling his stuff off and wants real money for the motors , but he is 77 years young , he's like a kid when he fires them up . he built this rail as well .

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it starts and drives forward just like days of old . he put this 38 ford with a early 331 in it , yes sold it too .

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its just old school by a old school guy , butch has been 300plus mph in he's own build at bonnyville salt flats , twin 500ci caddy's turbo charged , hell he went 240plus in his blown 392 mga he built . he stretched it 18 inches in wheel base . yes butch is a bread of his own , lol .
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bighammer said:
Great post, RRR! I've always known you were a true gear head! Not only does all of this make sense, you no doubt saved a few people a lot of coin! Good job Rob! Same goes to the other posters in this thread. There's a lot of knowledge to be found here, due to the kindness of those willing to share. Two thumbs up from this guy!
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It's an ancient thead I see , but allow me to Second this man. Thank you one and all for a bodies only.
 
RustyRatRod said:
RustyRatRod's Guide To Hot Rod Bliss

Recent threads have prompted me to write this up.
It seems people get caught up in marketing and hype that advertisers spread through ads in magazines and on the internet and through internet forums such as this. Although some of these marketing tactics are legitimate, I want to dispel a few myths.

1). You do not need a large by huge MSD or any other fancy brand ignition system on most vehicles. All out race cars racing for money and points need the hot spark and consistency these type systems can deliver. Your everyday or even weekend race car does not.
Stock ignition systems are perfectly suitable for everyday street applications. That's what they were designed for. They can be upgraded to even withstand the rigors or an all out race car, if you so desire.

2). When choosing a camshaft, always err on the smaller side of any multiple choice decision. Why? Because of all of the outside influences from the aftermarket through magazine ads and the internet that seem to indicate that bigger is better. It's not.
You will be much happier with a camshaft that's too small than one that is too large. We all get caught up in what an engine will sound like. Throw that out the window. If an engine is built to true HP standards, it will have the snappy sound of an HP engine, regardless of camshaft choice. The higher cylinder pressure, free flowing intake and exhaust will all have a direct impact on how an engine sounds.

Stock factory camshafts were designed for everyday driving, within RPM ranges of idle to about 4500 or so RPM. Guess what? That's right were 90% or more of street driving is done, regardless of what type vehicle you have. That means with a few upgrades such as intake and exhaust and carburetor, an engine with a stock camshaft will respond surprisingly well!

Factory HP camshafts were a fantastic marvel. Although considered "small" or "baby" by some, consider this. The factory had to design them so as to still retain some form of mileage, street manners and ability to run power accessories with a good vacuum signal, all the while exceeding the performance of the stock camshaft. That's a pretty tall order.
Most people don't realize a stock HP camshaft will pull well beyond 5K RPM. Ask yourself honestly. How often and how long will your engine be operated in that RPM range? Chances are your honest answer is "not very often".

The truth of it is, the factory HP packages are hard to improve upon. Sure, you can build an engine that easily eclipses them, but at what cost? The inability to run power brakes? A poor idle? Poor drivability? Extremely poor bottom end performance? Poor mileage?
I have seen stone stock 340 Darts get close to 20 MPG and then spank some high 13 second quarter mile times with slicks. That's a ball of badassary that's tough to duplicate. And the recipe is already laid out.

No cooling problems. No stupid oil pressure problems. No dumbass header leaks. It's all right there in front of you.

Aftermarket camshafts are always ground with advance figured in. Usually 4* is the industry standard, but it can vary. Know why? Because 90% or more of people out there make two mistakes.

First, they choose a camshaft that's too "large" for their application. Second, they don't degree the camshaft. Make these two mistakes together, and you will have an engine that might sound good, but it won't pull a greasy string out of a cat's ***.

This is why you err on the small side. Have a stock 318 and want to re cam? Then it's probably best not to go over 220 degrees @ .050" lift. Considering that stock camshafts have a good bit less then 200* @ .050", going over .200 is an upgrade.

How many times have you seen or heard someone that revved a totally stock engine above 5K RPM? A LOT. So, what makes you think you need 240* @ .050" to make one run strong? You do not. That will be wasted duration on most any street engine.

Some stock camshafts were in the 190* range @ .050". So, a 220* @ .050" is a huge upgrade. With everything matching the cam, intake, carb and exhaust, there's no reason that engine cannot pull past 6K RPM. There is NO need for some thing bigger other than sound and bragging rights. And if it won't run worth a darn, what's the sound worth?

3). Same considerations should be taken with the drive train. Why does a street car need a 3K RPM stall converter? Kinda makes it not a street car anymore. Why does a mild street engine need all that? In most instances, you can get by with nothing more than the stock Hi Stall 340 converter......although I will admit converter technology has exploded in the past 20 years.

A good converter that can flash to your matched combination's stall speed, yet still remain "tight" while cruising, is a big bonus. The converter is probably the single biggest consideration to make in a hot rod. No skimping here can do you any good. Get a GOOD converter.

4). Why do you need an 850 double pumper on the street? Because Chevy Action said so? Wrong. Most of these online carburetor formulas are right on the mark. Around 360 cubes needs something like 600-650 CFM to be happy. Find a calculator and use it.

5). Do you need 2.5" primary tube headers on a street car? Yeah, if you want bottom end to SUCK, you might. Stick with the 1 5/8 tube and you will be fine. As to brand, I ain't goin there. But lets just say if I ever build another A body, it will sit at the stock ride height, not some ghetto lookin stuff scrapin the ground, so Summit headers will work for ME.

6). With all this mildness going on, why in the world would you need a 4.10 gear out back? Unless you are running an overdrive, you don't. I have seen FIRST HAND in my life time a stone stock 340 Duster mop the FLOOR with an LS6 454 Chevelle. It was pretty embarrassing.

Why stray too far from such a FANTASTIC formula? We all see it on here everyday. People asking "What's the best......."

The best gear is usually what matches what you will be DOING with the car. Not what you WANT. Not what some Chevy guy told you. Not what you read on some forum or in some magazine.

Somewhere between 3:1 and 4:1 works best. If you are using an overdrive transmission, closer to 4:1 is better. If not, probably 3:23 or 3:55.

Use your head. Ask around. Don't fall for gimmicks. Don't try to build a race car to drive back and forth to work everyday. The farther you get from the factory HP packages, the more "unstreetable" it will be.

Pretty simple, really.


Thank you drive through.
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Damn, Thanks for making this thread, I have a "quarter time" job and only work 23 hours every two weeks.(still in high school) I have definitely fallen for the aftermarket overbuild and buy expensive parts trick that come from reading all the magazines and watching those highly unrealistic build shows. I have no money to waste on "good" parts and only have budgeted around 2000 dollars to build a 440 for my Duster. Thanks for the reality check.
 
shittyslant6 said:
Damn, Thanks for making this thread, I have a "quarter time" job and only work 23 hours every two weeks.(still in high school) I have definitely fallen for the aftermarket overbuild and buy expensive parts trick that come from reading all the magazines and watching those highly unrealistic build shows. I have no money to waste on "good" parts and only have budgeted around 2000 dollars to build a 440 for my Duster. Thanks for the reality check.
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That's gonna be difficult. Get ready to spend more......but not a LOT more if your core is in good shape. I just did a bare bones 400 build not long ago and 2000 was my goal budget. Ain't happenin and I had a pristine core. I'm at about 2800 and the engine is pretty much done from carburetor to oil pan. Still a really inexpensive big block.
 
Yeah, I know that i am going to overrun the budget a little bit, but I am thinking I have enough mopar sources around me that can help. I have three guys looking for an a-body bench seat for me just just because I mentioned the fact that the one I have is not for the car. Hell, one guy has a 550hp 73' cuda and a 1968 dart with a 572 Hemi just as cruisers. will it be tough? yes. Do-able? maybe. Thanks for the tips. (The 440 I am looking to buy is stock and fully assembled and supposedly has less than 100,000 miles on it.)
 
shittyslant6 said:
Yeah, I know that i am going to overrun the budget a little bit, but I am thinking I have enough mopar sources around me that can help. I have three guys looking for an a-body bench seat for me just just because I mentioned the fact that the one I have is not for the car. Hell, one guy has a 550hp 73' cuda and a 1968 dart with a 572 Hemi just as cruisers. will it be tough? yes. Do-able? maybe. Thanks for the tips. (The 440 I am looking to buy is stock and fully assembled and supposedly has less than 100,000 miles on it.)
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Why the 440 when a low deck will fit better and be less costly?
 
Yes, a 383 would be great, but I can't find one for super cheap (still looking) that is complete enough to reuse some parts. like keeping the stock heads and just porting them, or just putting a new piston and arp bolts on a stock rod. it seems that they are just bare blocks, or fully assembled race motors. I can't find one in the middle. I will see what I can find in 4 months while saving enough money to build one, but the 440 is there and complete. plus the guy has all the parts to build it in his garage.
 
shittyslant6 said:
Yes, a 383 would be great, but I can't find one for super cheap (still looking) that is complete enough to reuse some parts. like keeping the stock heads and just porting them, or just putting a new piston and arp bolts on a stock rod. it seems that they are just bare blocks, or fully assembled race motors. I can't find one in the middle. I will see what I can find in 4 months while saving enough money to build one, but the 440 is there and complete. plus the guy has all the parts to build it in his garage.
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Check the for sale ads daily in as many forums as you can, they pop up CHEAP all the time. I got one for 100 bucks last year
 
shittyslant6 said:
Yes, a 383 would be great, but I can't find one for super cheap (still looking) that is complete enough to reuse some parts. like keeping the stock heads and just porting them, or just putting a new piston and arp bolts on a stock rod. it seems that they are just bare blocks, or fully assembled race motors. I can't find one in the middle. I will see what I can find in 4 months while saving enough money to build one, but the 440 is there and complete. plus the guy has all the parts to build it in his garage.
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I just sold a 400 block and crank and other odds and ends for 100 bucks.
 
Best way to find engines/parts is to get to know as many local Mopar guys as you can, and net work. A bud of a bud of a bud knows someone with such. Thats how we did it back before whats his name invented the net! Al somebody.
 
Yeah, thats what I have been doing for the past 3-4 years, that is where I am sourcing the 440 as well as an 8 3/4 and a 727.
 
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