78 project

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Old 12-11-2013, 10:17 PM
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Default 78 project

starting on my project car. I pulled the 350 out and am working on dropping a 454 from my old mud truck in it. The engine has 9 to 1 compression bored .30 over and mild cam. torquer 2 intake, and 800 double pumper carb. What horse you guys think its putting out?

Next is trans i am debating weather to built the 350 turbo, or go with a 700r because of overdrive. If i had overdrive i would go with a 4.56 gear. If not im going with a 4.10 gear. Also wil a 12 bolt from a 70 to 73 bolt right up?

Another question is how to mount the fuel cell? the trunk is awkwardly shaped any advise?

Also what kind of E/T you think it will have. I will be sure to post my first pass in the summer, i just cant help but think ahead. I am hoping for anywhere in the 12's before the 150 shot.

Thanks any divisive or suggestions would be appreciated.

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Old 12-12-2013, 09:58 AM
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Originally Posted by tyler_caz18
starting on my project car. I pulled the 350 out and am working on dropping a 454 from my old mud truck in it. The engine has 9 to 1 compression bored .30 over and mild cam. torquer 2 intake, and 800 double pumper carb. What horse you guys think its putting out?

Next is trans i am debating weather to built the 350 turbo, or go with a 700r because of overdrive. If i had overdrive i would go with a 4.56 gear. If not im going with a 4.10 gear. Also wil a 12 bolt from a 70 to 73 bolt right up?

Another question is how to mount the fuel cell? the trunk is awkwardly shaped any advise?

Also what kind of E/T you think it will have. I will be sure to post my first pass in the summer, i just cant help but think ahead. I am hoping for anywhere in the 12's before the 150 shot.

Thanks any divisive or suggestions would be appreciated.

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Welcome to the forum Tyler!
I'd need a lot more info on the engine to even take a guess at HP. What cam specs, heads, exhaust system, etc. My idea of a mild BBC cam might be different than yours. A mild cammed 454 with peanut heads, vs. a mild cammed 454 with some decent heads could easily be 75-100 hp difference. The heads and which cam will really determine how much HPP the 454 makes.
9:1 cr is a good place to be with today's pump gas, and will allow you to run even regular gas if the timing is set properly. The 800 double pumper is a lot of carb, and might be a bit much, but will work. Not really efficient, but it sure wont starve for fuel.
I'd really rethink the rearend gear choice, unless this is going to be a strictly strip car. A 4.10 rear gear with a non overdrive trans is pretty steep for a BBC engine that isn't built to wind high. It would be a good choice to back up a 700r4, but I'd go taller like 3.73 gears if you use a TH350 or TH400. You're not putting 36" tall tires like you would on a mudder truck, and the average 26"-28" rear tire you'll probably have on a drag or street Camaro will have that 454 really singing at higher speeds.
You need to decide if you want to use the trunk with a fuel cell, or cut the trunk floor and drop the cell partially through the trunk. Also how many gallons it needs to hold. If you use the car strictly for strip, then 5-10 gal. cell is fine. If you plan street/strip then you'll want at least 15-20 gal. cell, as the BBC will suck fuel and have you stopping constantly for fuel. If I ran a fuel cell in a Camaro, I'd cut the floor and drop the cell 1/2 to 2/3 the way through the floor, and mount it with straps to support and secure it. This will leave the trunk more open, and also get weight lower where it helps your car's launch.
As for 12 sec. 1/4 mile times, I think you're in for a surprise. It takes a fair amount of engine and drive train work to get under 13 seconds, and a mild built 454 wont get you there. My '71 with 427 ran 14's the first time I went to the track, and it was over 400 hp. I made changes that quickly got me into the 13's, but it took a lot more changes, and tuning to get into the 12 sec. range, and eventually hit low 12's.
It will be fun, and occasionally frustrating to build your car, and see how it runs. Watch out for the nitrous shot, as many an engine has melted down or broke the lower end when guys start putting 150 shots on a stock lower end engine. Building a nitrous specific engine is a better idea if you plan to run that much shot.
 
  #3  
Old 12-13-2013, 02:34 AM
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Hello Tyler, welcome to camaro forum. Unfortunately I cannot help too much with your questions as I need others to help me on lots of things, but I am pretty sure that many enthusiasts on this forum will give you good ideas. I am also restoring a 78 camaro.
Good luck on your built
 
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Old 12-25-2013, 08:02 PM
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I ended up picking up a cheap set of procomp aluminum rectangle port heads for my big block, i just had peanut ports on it. I found a 10 bolt rear end out of a 78 firbird with a 410 gear and posi in it. im wondering if that will be strong enough for my setup. he is only asking 500 buck from rotor to rotor so i don't think its a bad deal just not sure if it will hold up.
 
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Old 12-25-2013, 11:19 PM
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Originally Posted by tyler_caz18
I ended up picking up a cheap set of procomp aluminum rectangle port heads for my big block, i just had peanut ports on it. I found a 10 bolt rear end out of a 78 firbird with a 410 gear and posi in it. im wondering if that will be strong enough for my setup. he is only asking 500 buck from rotor to rotor so i don't think its a bad deal just not sure if it will hold up.
"rotor to rotor"? Does this 10 bolt have disc brakes on it? If so, then it's a pretty decent price at $500, as very few came with disc brakes. Drums were standard, and if it's a drum rear it's still an OK price, but if disc it's one you should grab.
I ran a '78 TA 8.5" 10 bolt behind the 427 in my '71 Camaro for a lot of years without any troubles. Only thing I would change is the axles if you go to big sticky tires.
 
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Old 12-27-2013, 12:38 AM
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This ten bolt does have disc breaks. The owner of the local speed shop told me that 4 speed 2nd firebirds had steel axels, so i am hoping that this one has steel axels, but who knows. Also i am thinking a bout getting an 11 gallon spun fuel cell that is 33 inches long. It should fit good on the flat spot in my trunk. Has anyone used this approach in there set up? I really do not want to cut up my trunk.
 
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Old 12-27-2013, 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by tyler_caz18
This ten bolt does have disc breaks. The owner of the local speed shop told me that 4 speed 2nd firebirds had steel axels, so i am hoping that this one has steel axels, but who knows. Also i am thinking a bout getting an 11 gallon spun fuel cell that is 33 inches long. It should fit good on the flat spot in my trunk. Has anyone used this approach in there set up? I really do not want to cut up my trunk.
I've never heard of any GM 10 bolt that didn't use steel axle shafts. Far as I know they all use steel. The issue with the factory axles is they are larger at the splines, and bearing, but smaller in size between, which creates a weak point. Aftermarket axles are larger from spline to bearing surface, and less apt to snap an axle.
A spun aluminum round tank wouldn't be my first choice. I'd prefer a square or rectangle aluminum myself, and the stock tank is my first choice.
 
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Old 12-31-2013, 05:07 PM
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I bought the 10 bolt with the 4.10 gear. while removing the rear end i am having some trouble removing the bolts on the top of the shocks. I got the old rear end out, but the shocks are still in. I soaked the bolts in penetrating oil, and then heated them and i still ended up breaking the first one off in the bracket, and now im afraid to try to remove the other one because i know they are going to break. Any suggestions?
 
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Old 01-01-2014, 02:47 AM
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Hi, Happy new year.
First try with an easy out. Drill the bolt with the correct size of drill and use the easy out to unscrew the bolt. It should work.

In the worst case, you have to drill the bolt completely up to the thread diameter and re fresh the threads using the same taps threads.

Hope this helps
 
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Old 01-01-2014, 09:20 AM
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Probably nothing more than you already tried. If penetrant and heat didn't do it, then you're going to have to snap them off. The best way to get the remaining bolt out of the hole is a set of left hand drill bits. They work better to get the hole drilled in the stuck bolt, as they wont tighten it further while drilling, and often catch the bolt and spin it out without even using an easy out.
A decent small set of LH drill bits are under $12 at your local Harbor Freight. I've used mine often, and surprised how well they work, and held up so far. Rarely need my easy outs now. Just start small, and work up the drill size until it's close. Then if it hasn't come out you can finish with an easy out.
 


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