if youd like a little advise on building a combo...
 

im not a professional car builder but ive made mine to run deep in the 8s at over 155 mph-but if any questions i can help with feel free to pm me or post and if i can i will offer advice...granted other web sites have proffesional engine and tranny guys that do this for a living,(sherman,mamo,chance,etc...) i know bbc stuff a little better,but like i said i will help on combos...

I'll be hitting you up for some advice in about month Russ, and well then probably all summer too. We'll be heading down to the Grove a few times this year again, we will have to hook up and chat.

Jeff

I would like to know what you think of the motor combo we choose for our 72. Thanks

looks like a torquey lil small block...what cubes and operating rpms u wanna spin in>??? also is it gonna see nitrous? i dont know what compression will be but looks like youll have fun!!! motor running yet>?

It should stay under 5300 with the hyd roller cam. Comp should be about 9.8

Not planning on any nitrous but maybe down the line a porting job may be in order.

Was considering a 770 avenger carb but the consensus is the 650 dbl pumper should be fine. Any thoughts on that ? Thanks

what cubes? i may of missed it-if so sorry....also good heads are a prerequisite for good nitrous results...especially good exhaust side,typically a cam that is nitrous friendly will have a lil more exhaust duration and or lift than a n.a. exhaust...

never had an avenger, i dont know of anyone that has one personally....double pumper is a hard one to beat especially if u wanna do some 1320 laps

carb size is dependent on size of motor and operating rpms. you said max around 5300 so if it is around a 355 that is warmed up, id say 650-700 should be good, if it was same but a 406 or bigger, then id start at a 750 and go as much as a 950

New to the Strip
 

I am new to the game. I have a 72. I blew my 350 and dropped in a 454. I love cruising in my car and running parades and stuff. I recently went to the drag strip and got to run my buddy's trans am and I am hooked! I have a 700r4 trans. I desperately need gears. I have a stock 10-bolt malibu rear end. I don't know what gears I have but i have been doing some research and I think I have 2.56's. I definitely want to go higher and switch to a posi. I need some direction. I need information and places where I can find what I am looking for.

Welcome to the site. You should introduce yourself in our welcome forum. Everyone looks for new members to say hi from there, if it matters to you.

With the torque of a big block, you shouldn't need tractor gears to go fast, probably somewhere between a 3.50 gear and a 4.11 gear. You do have a great transmission, with the aggressive first gear, and nice high overdrive.

I think you ought to be looking to beef up if you plan on romping on this thing and expect any sort of longevity. You need either a 12 bolt GM rear, or a F@rd 9" rear...and definitely some sort of limited slip carrier like a true-trac, or posi, or the like. The tough part is that you'll need $2000 plus to go buy one, built and ready to bolt in. 10 bolts like yours (and mine;) ) don't do so well with stout engines or hard launches.

3.73
 

I have been leaning toward 3.73 gears. Do you think the 10 bolt will hold up with those if i do a locker unit? Where is the best place to buy gears and possibly a locker? I definitely don't want to cheap out but at the same time I need to watch my budget considering that I am a full time college student.

If your car spends any time anywhere but the track going in a straight line, a locker is a bad idea. I don't know that it would make it any stronger either.

Some people have 10 bolts behind bigblocks. I wouldn't, unless I knew it wasn't going to last long and was saving for something heavier.

To put the right parts in a 10 bolt, with stronger axles, a rebuild kit, new posi unit, ring/pinion, etc. is right around $1200. If you start searching the internet harder, you'll find places that rebuild/sell rear ends...possibly in your area as well. Used 12 bolts for Chevelles, drum to drum, might go for $1500 ballpark.

Thanks!
 

Thanks a lot. I think I am going to try to find a 12 bolt. My neighbor has a ford 9" that he might be willing to sell...SO MANY DECISIONS! (so little money). Also, I have drum brakes all the way around. I know I should get discs for the front but is it as big of a deal than everyone says it is?

It is really a good idea. Today's cars are lighter and have more braking power, which means that if someone in front of you driving a prius nails the brakes, you may wind up eating it because your 4000# sled with manual drums WILL NOT stop fast enough.

8.8?
 

What are your thoughts on a ford 8.8? I found one at a pretty good deal with 373's and a disc setup for the back. Is that rear end stocky enough?

My 65 elki had 10bolt 3.73 factory with a cable pull overdrive on the manual three speed.Never used the trans and went with a 700r4.I was running a 383 and beat it hard with no problems.The thing I didnt like about the 3.73 gears is it would tac out fast at only 35mph in first gear.I also would have liked my hiway rpms to be a bit lower to save gas.I think 3.08 to 3.50 would be good for a 700r4.I think the 3.08 is what you would find in an iroc with a 700r4 and those things moved good.

I am currently running low 13's and am looking to break in to the high 12's.

69 350 block, 4-bolt mains bored 60 over, Comp cam XE268
just under 10 compression
Summit cast iron heads 1.6/2.02 72cc, 165 intake
heads have been worked and port matched to intake
heads have comp roller rockers 1.6
Performer RPM Air Gap
Holley 670SA or 750
Mallory Unilite ignition
Headers, 2.5 inch pipes, 2-chamber muffler
TH350 with B&M Transpack, 2400 stall convertor, launch at 2000
10-bolt with Eaton posi and 3.73 gears
26" slicks
This is a daily driver, camper haulin, grandson totin race car. I know I can't have everything but want it anyway. I cross the finish line at 4600rpm but not really willing to go steeper in the gears. Would love to get an overdrive with the lower first gear but that is a $1000 swap. Am looking at the Lunato Voodoo 60103 or 60104 cam.

There is the challenge. Thanks for looking.

Russ, I'm curios now. You got any info on your car on here anywhere? Love to see a 8 sec big block. Been toyiny with the idea of a LS, but chevelle's need BB power. Should have kept my 582 out of the dragster. I wantrd to, was going to change cam and alky set up to carb and ended up selling it to a friend. It's gone 4.80's in a tube chassis firebird. Let me see some pics.