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As near as I can tell, this 27 mpg configuration should be over 200 HP, but cannot hope to top 300 HP without either nitrous or boost. Because this build does not use aftermarket heads. Nor does it use a big cam. What it does have to recommend it is it just feels right. It's surprisingly good in heavy traffic around town, it'll cruise along at 830 rpm at 30 mph in OD without lugging, and as mentioned, will return 27 mph cruising in OD at 65 mph. But the first time I did this, a power adder was out of the question. This time, it could happen. But the only concession I'll make is better pistons, since those won't affect mileage. So TRBOPWR just affected this build that way, getting me to install forged pistons.
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people, the 400 hp comment was over a year ago, long before the 27 mpg build came up. 235/60R15 BFG Radial T/As (NOT drag radials)can be spun by the 27 mpg combo, but in normal driving, they're fine. I will concede that the foxstang is much lighter in the tail than a '78 Camaro, but the foxstang has a superior rear suspension. And no, I didn't have traction bars on the Camaro. The whole point of installing an engine in a car is to power it. And While efficiency is great, if there isn't enough power, the efficiency doesn't matter. You can turbo the heck out of a 2.3 and get power, yes, but it still lacks the feel of the cubic inches. There's no denying you'll never find a 347, or a 347 crank, at the salvage yard, so a salvaged 350 must be, and is, cheaper than a 347. The 351W? Doesn't fit under a stock flat hood, requires a $130 oilpan, and the b4est 1970 heads still have only 1.84" intake valves, that without porting won't equal unported 305 chevy heads with 1.84" intake valves. Stock 350 heads mostly came with 1.94" valves. Which is what I'm going with. Stock heads. And can anyone even find me a 347-351W that gets 27 mpg, even with a T56? Don't bother. This is a how-to, as a gift to the open minded non-haters.
Okay, let's consider that for a second, I try to be fair. You didn't deny the oilpan issue. And if I did install a 351w, I could either use an AOD, or spend $440 adapting a 700R-4, using TCI's kit, or spend nearly $700 for a wide-ratio AOD. Now, the AOD's fourth gear ratio is close enough to that of the 700R-4 that 27 mpg highway should still be possible. But aside from the dramatically worse acceleration up to 35 mph, the AOD just plain sucks to drive. I had a good one in my '87 Cougar XR7 5.0L. I hated it. So, to use the 351w would add $130 for the oilpan, and $440 to adapt the 700R-4. I have better uses for that $570.
Skar, I just don't know what to think of you, are you playing devil's advocate, or what? Until now, I was getting upset by you, but not this time. So, headers: I've done about 2 hours of searching, and haven't found any swap headers for my swap, but I have found that both Jegs and Summit offer headers for a '67-'69 Camaro for $90. I just went back and looked for 351w-into-fox headers, and they were easy to find, but not for less than $150 for shorties. With the $90 headers, I can have shorties, long-tubes or mid-length. And buying used exhaust manifolds is a gamble. You may need the faces surfaced back to flat to seal to the heads. Buying manifolds in good condition, then having them surfaced, can easily run $90. And considering the possibility of a power adder, manifolds seem dumb. Figure the gas to go get manifolds, then take them for surfacing, will at least equal the cost of shipping on the headers, makes the cost a wash.
Now, on to the project: I'll do my level best to post some pics before Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, and I will be going to the salvage yard by Thanksgiving, to get a good 350. Not just the first one I find, I pop the "tin" and inspect everything. I'll post pics, of whatever I bring home, by December 2009.
C6?!?! no OD, no 27 mpg, and first gear is really no better than the AOD. Up to 35 or so MPH, the 700R-4 is way better for acceleration, especially with a tall 3.08:1 axle. The 700 does suffer from a greater rpm drop on the 1-2 upshift, but even so, the 1.625:1 second is still better than any Ford automatic. The 351w is fine for those wanting to spend $3500 to equal a built-up LS1, or a cheap 408 that'll embarass the Chevy 383s that are everywhere now, but for this build, even if I wanted a 351W, I already committed to showing how the 350 swap is done. And it looks like I'll have pics up in a few minutes.
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