posted 08-27-2003 04:51 PM
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I have a 1979 Z28 with the following set up:

454 .030 over which is a 460.6 cid
The heads have been milled not sure how much but my new intake had to have .050 taken off each side. They are oval port open chamber with the ss valves. They have been ported and cc'ed.
compression is appox. 10-1
cam is .595 lift with 248 duration@ .050
now installing air gap intake
holley 850 double pumper
mallory unilite w/6al box I believe total timing is 36 or 38
400 turbo trans with holeshot 2400 convertor
4.10 gear
here is the deal...the car is strong dont get me wrong, but I feel it should absolutely scream. I know that the convertor is too small and will be looking for something in the 2800-3000 range soon. Do you feel that the carb is too big? Should I run a distributor with a vacuum advance? And does anyone have any knowledge about rhodes type lifters? I will be running the car mostly stop light to stop light. I think the car is a little soggy on the bottom end which may be the convertor and I am installing the air gap intake...I had the performer on it. Would like input from someone on helping me get this setup corrected...thanks in advance.

Are you running street tires?
You say you running the car mostly stop light to stop light. What do you want the car to do?
More converter will help get you out of the hole but are 60' times what your looking for?
Please advise?

Guido

What do you mean by soggy? That car should be a beast. I have a somewhat similar setup 454, .030 over 781 heads with 2.19/1.88 valves, rpm air gap, 850 double pumper. My comp. is 10.3:1 and my chambers are 116cc. I don't see how yours are 119cc and you had to cut your intake. I didn't have to cut my intake and my heads are milled.I run a Crane hyd. roller with 234/242 @.050, .610/.630 lift on a 12 LSA. I run a TH400 with 3.55 gears and my car is too much in first and second. Just driving along in second if I step on the gas the tires light up.I haven't tried it in third but I'm sure I could brake em loose. Sounds like smething else is going on. You have more gear than I do.

Come over to my place and let me take it for a drive :D Really I would suggest you evaluate your timing curve and your trans calibration. If everything is tuned properly that thing should just blow the hides off anytime you want especially if they are street tires. I strongly advise useing a vac advance on a stop light to stoplight car. It will help keep the plugs cleaner.
Milan

Hey guys thanks for the replies. First of all Phel...I never said anything about the cc's being 119. The heads were 113 cc's originally. I bought the engine ready to go. The heads were milled but the guy I bought it from couldn't tell me how much so when I went to put on the new intake it had to be matched and the machinist said he took .050 off each side. The car has Mickey Thomson ET streets on it...which are like slicks but with groves...just in case you are not familiar with them. When I had regular bf goodrich's on the car it ATE them...I mean I could be rolling...25 maybe 30? mash it and they were frying. With the et streets its different...maybe now that these tires hook a little better, the stall and distributor curve are coming into play? What I want is to make this car as fast as possible...and it will be on the street 95% of the time. I want the best combination as far as carb, stall, and timing curve so that everything is matched correctly. About the vacuum advance...I am not good with timing so I was curious why a vacuum advance will help if all the timing is in usually by 2400 rpms? When I switch the convertor and stall closer to 3000 or at 3000...will a vacuum advance still help? Thanks again and Milan...where do ya live...lol.

If you havent ran it with the RPM yet, then it should make a big diff. - a performer
intake sucks on a BBC. The 850 sounds right for a 454 with a dual plane.
Stick a 1" open spacer on it. What kinda fuel and exhaust system do you have.
And a looser stall will help it 60ft. Have you ran it at the track yet, should be in the 11s.

1BadZ : I don't know where I got the 119cc figure either. I must have been hallucinating while I was typing!!!!!

67RS502 I have a holley fuel pump...not sure which model it is not electric and I have 3" dynomax. Phel no big deal...lol...thanks for you help.

I live right around the corner from the Old Carneys cruise in spot.
It's my belief that an the street you need to cater to 2 diferent advance needs. The MAX power advance need where we need to avoid detonation, and the part throttle power need that will tolerate MUCH more advance than a drag race advance number. My guess is this a personal preferance thing. I have played around with my chevelle curve (I know its heavier....) ALOT and that is what I have found. The other thing that WOKE my car up is fooling with the trans. governor. I would think with those tires it would be even more critical to have your whole package tuned and timed (engine and trans working together) correctly. With drag radial tires my car lost the ability to spin the tires at 30 mph thus allowing the engine to reach its powerband. so I had to play with the package to bring it CLOSER to optimal. Its difficult to explain in type I hope its understandable.

Milan

Milan