Alright, so Project: Hot Rod Hoe is being modified.

[General Stalin]

As some of you may remember, I have been working on building a nice little 355 street/strip motor for my '95 Tahoe 4-door. I was tlaking about keeping the TBI fuel delivery and beefing up the 4L60e, or maybe trying to find a 4L80e for cheap from a boneyard.

Well, a few things have happened. One, I planned on this being a fairl short project and only taking this year to complete. Money troubles over the summer/early fall have turned this into a long term project... so it got me thinking why not play around with some different avenues and just take my time. Second, I live in Massachusetts and the emissions laws are officially changing next year: All vehicles made before 1996 do not need to pass emissions tests for state inspection in MA, they only need to pass a safety test. This definitely got my gears going.

So, now the new spin on the original plan. My engine is already in the hands of a trusted machinist, and it is already cleaned and bored .030" over. My next step I was waiting on was to buy a new bottom end kit, and give my machinist the pistons so he could hone the block. I decided I'm going to have him stroke the engine and build a 383 instead... but it will be a unique engine because it has a 4.030" bore instead of a 4.000" bore. So this would officially make it a 388 if I'm not mistaken. I'm gonna get myself a 383 stroker bottom end assembly with .030" oversized dish pistons, and changing the entire fuel delivery and gearing plan. Carburetor and maybe a Turbo 400 transmission.

Now, here comes some questions for you motorheads out there: What would you suggest as a good cam for this engine? Keep in mind that I do plan to drive on the road and on the highway; it will remain streetable, and it would need to make it's power down lower, not at 7 grand haha. I want something with power, but not so much power that I need to dump a fortune into the vehicle so that it doesn't explode when I try to drive it. I also plan on keeping it 4WD. I would like to keep it as a hydraulic flat tappet setup as it's maintanence free and doesn't cost and arm and a leg, unless someone can persuade me another way.

I also would love some advice on carburetors. There are a ton of carburetors, and I personally have no experience with carburetors, I just know they are simple and cheaper than fuel injection and make awesome power.

Lastly, what is the best way to go about getting my hands on a transmission? Should I buy a built up one off of Summit, call a tranny place and have them build me one, or tear one out of an old truck and build it/have it built?

I am obviously going to be investing a considerable amount more time into this, and a bit more money, but I don't want to spend years paying for everything, so I am trying to find the most cost effective means of getting the work done and the parts acquired (within reason). Any help would be very greatly appreciated.

 

[treepete]

:10s:Im just going to sit in this thread and watch. That was a great opening post.

and new Meshuggah?

Hmmmph, yeeeeeaaaaahhhhh. :10s:

 

[GMCYukalade]

I think you should keep it fuel injected, that would probably cuase less headaches down the road - keep in mind you can get independant systems to run the fuel injection so you dont have to run off of the factory computer - you could get a different intake and a different fuel injection kit - because you already have a higher-flowing pump in the tank around 16psi i do believe.. Trannys... the turbo-400 isn't a rare tranny... around here i can find them pretty easy - there is one sitting behind a 454 in an older suburban at my local exhuast shop - you could probably find one of them and have it looked-at/built cheaper than buying a brand-new one - Cams.. im sure someone else will chime in on this one.. im not a cam man lol

 

[Whippled2dr]

Nice build.

I'm assuming the crank you are using has a 3.75 stroke so

4.030 bore x 3.75 stroke = 383

Also just to note GM in their crate 383 motors uses 4.000 bore x 3.80 stroke because they don't want to bore out a brand new block.

 

[General Stalin]

Thanks for the support/compliments.

4.030 bore x 3.75 stroke = 383

Yeah... true lol. I was thinking with the 3.800" stroke.

I may have found the bottom end kit I want: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=ESP-B13404L03068&autoview=sku

$800 and it comes balanced and with a flexplate.

I think you should keep it fuel injected

That is what I was trying to do originally, but I have been told by motorhead after motorhead that I should just go carbureted. The thing you gotta realize, is that if I were get a different fuel injection kit, then that is a lot of money, and a lot of headache in my opinion. As it is, the TBI unit I was planning on buying was $500, and that is not including getting a new computer/getting my stock computer tuned, and if I actually wanted to get a whole new setup... then forget it. An aftermarket fuel injection system like Edelbrock Pro-flow, or Holley Projection or Commander TBI is anywhere from $1,000 - $3,000+. then, because it is computer controlled, I will have the have to buy a computer or have the kit computer tuned for me engine. When it comes down to it, I can spend like $400 tops on a nice Holley carburetor and make nearly just as much power. I have actually started thinking messing with a new fuel injection system and computers/wiring would be more of a pain than just bolting on a carb and adjusting the mixture screws.

and new Meshuggah?

Yeah, the long awaited new CD is great. Meshuggah has been one of my all time favorite bands since I was in like 9th grade. I wish they came to the States more often.

 

[treepete]

yeah, I love meshuggah.. you caht go wrong with it if you love polyrhythmic metal madness...

here. a little bonus for you.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5YEqmIIdj8

and dont forget the Dutch band Textures.

Sorry Im off topic.