Alright so I have a dilema, my car has a 350 in it but its a crate engine [Im guessing] I have NO idea what I should do with it, as I want more power. I dont know what is in the engine so I dont know what I should swap out, is there any way without tearing my engine apart to figure out? Or should I just strip the engine and start over?

Also what kind of power would I need for the car to run like mid/low 12's? I dont want anything too crazy, but I have been told these cars are heavy...

Also sort of related: What would be a better route for a rear axle? I have a 10 bolt in there right now, single-leaf suspension.. its from a '67 {I checked date on the axle} and my car is a '69. I want to put it back to 12-bolt, would finding a 12 bolt be the better route, or buy aftermarket? All the 12 bolts I have seen are around 2,000$ does that sound right? and how can I switch back to multileaf suspension?

Easy gains can be made with heads, cam, carb and intake, headers and ignition. But you won't know what pistons you have until you pull the heads or get a borescope on it.

If I wanted to keep driving it I would build/buy a whole nother engine. The expense wouldn't be that much higher, another 1k or 2k or so. Then you would have your old engine to play with on a running stand in your garage. Once you start down that road, there is no return.:)

Mid to low 12's is easy with a 350 with the right gears.

I wouldn't be afraid of that 10 bolt if it's an 8 1/2". Not if all you're gonna do is a 350. Put some good axles and c clip eliminators in it.

Easy gains can be made with heads, cam, carb and intake, headers and ignition. But you won't know what pistons you have until you pull the heads or get a borescope on it.

If I wanted to keep driving it I would build/buy a whole nother engine. The expense wouldn't be that much higher, another 1k or 2k or so. Then you would have your old engine to play with on a running stand in your garage. Once you start down that road, there is no return.:)

Mid to low 12's is easy with a 350 with the right gears.

I wouldn't be afraid of that 10 bolt if it's an 8 1/2". Not if all you're gonna do is a 350. Put some good axles and c clip eliminators in it.


Do you think 12s is a good target?
I want it to be very streetable, so I picked 12s, do you think 11s are possible and still be streetable?
Also people have told me to swap to auto for a better 1/4 mile time, but I really love 4-speed.
What rear end ratio should I have?
I was thinking 3.73's

Do you think 12s is a good target?
I want it to be very streetable, so I picked 12s, do you think 11s are possible and still be streetable?
Also people have told me to swap to auto for a better 1/4 mile time, but I really love 4-speed.
What rear end ratio should I have?
I was thinking 3.73's
Now we're talking taste/perspective and definition:):)

12's is slow as hell. 12's is faster than a vette. See what I mean?

A 12 second car is nothing to turn your nose up at, my opinion. It takes commitment to bring a car to that level.
11's is of course possible, with more commitment. I know 8 second cars on the street. Very streetable....nawwww not unless you define streetable as "it is possible to have enough self discipline to not get thrown in jail for driving this car". 11's is streetable but not real do-able with a 350 and 3.73 gears unless you get the 11 with juice. I'm sure there's exceptions but they'd be rare and in a light car.

The auto vs 4 spd thing is not perspective, taste or definition. It is ability and self deception. NOTHING is more awesome than a dude that can jam gears in a good car. I can't do it, won't deceive myself. I run a manual auto.

I think you are a candidate for a gmpp zz like Jerome "oldbaldguy" ? Renton Wa ? just got a few months ago. Do some searches, I hope I got his name right.

Hope I'm helping and not muddying hell out of it for you. It is very confusing when you start down this performance path... this works but that doesn't...and about the time you get a concept something shiny distracts you and you forget:). Most of us learned by screwing up/duplicating others efforts/getting lucky etc until the lessons start to sink in. Lots of research and reading, commitment. Remembering what does and doesn't work and trying to learn the why.

Now we're talking taste/perspective and definition:):)

12's is slow as hell. 12's is faster than a vette. See what I mean?

A 12 second car is nothing to turn your nose up at, my opinion. It takes commitment to bring a car to that level.
11's is of course possible, with more commitment. I know 8 second cars on the street. Very streetable....nawwww not unless you define streetable as "it is possible to have enough self discipline to not get thrown in jail for driving this car". 11's is streetable but not real do-able with a 350 and 3.73 gears unless you get the 11 with juice. I'm sure there's exceptions but they'd be rare and in a light car.

The auto vs 4 spd thing is not perspective, taste or definition. It is ability and self deception. NOTHING is more awesome than a dude that can jam gears in a good car. I can't do it, won't deceive myself. I run a manual auto.

I think you are a candidate for a gmpp zz like Jerome "oldbaldguy" ? Renton Wa ? just got a few months ago. Do some searches, I hope I got his name right.

Hope I'm helping and not muddying hell out of it for you. It is very confusing when you start down this performance path... this works but that doesn't...and about the time you get a concept something shiny distracts you and you forget:). Most of us learned by screwing up/duplicating others efforts/getting lucky etc until the lessons start to sink in. Lots of research and reading, commitment. Remembering what does and doesn't work and trying to learn the why.
:yes: Did I write this????;)

:yes: Did I write this????;)

Hell Fred, you are definitely one of my friends I was thinking of when I wrote it. We didn't wake up one morning knowing what does/doesn't work did we? And of course I thought of my buddy Clay who won Pinks All Out San Anton, he has been working on his car since he was 14 years old... probly on about his 50th engine and tranny too:D

Hell Fred, you are definitely one of my friends I was thinking of when I wrote it. We didn't wake up one morning knowing what does/doesn't work did we? And of course I thought of my buddy Clay who won Pinks All Out San Anton, he has been working on his car since he was 14 years old... probly on about his 50th engine and tranny too:D
;)

Now we're talking taste/perspective and definition:):)

12's is slow as hell. 12's is faster than a vette. See what I mean?

A 12 second car is nothing to turn your nose up at, my opinion. It takes commitment to bring a car to that level.
11's is of course possible, with more commitment. I know 8 second cars on the street. Very streetable....nawwww not unless you define streetable as "it is possible to have enough self discipline to not get thrown in jail for driving this car". 11's is streetable but not real do-able with a 350 and 3.73 gears unless you get the 11 with juice. I'm sure there's exceptions but they'd be rare and in a light car.

The auto vs 4 spd thing is not perspective, taste or definition. It is ability and self deception. NOTHING is more awesome than a dude that can jam gears in a good car. I can't do it, won't deceive myself. I run a manual auto.

I think you are a candidate for a gmpp zz like Jerome "oldbaldguy" ? Renton Wa ? just got a few months ago. Do some searches, I hope I got his name right.

Hope I'm helping and not muddying hell out of it for you. It is very confusing when you start down this performance path... this works but that doesn't...and about the time you get a concept something shiny distracts you and you forget:). Most of us learned by screwing up/duplicating others efforts/getting lucky etc until the lessons start to sink in. Lots of research and reading, commitment. Remembering what does and doesn't work and trying to learn the why.

So I was thinking about stroking my 350 out to a 383.. however I found a deal on a 427 block that I might take up. I'd guessing it would be a LOT easier to hit 11s/12s with a 427 than a 383?. Whats your thoughts on 3.73? Some people told me to go 4.10, but that would destroy the car top end wouldnt it? Like to the point where I'd be redlining on the highway hah.