if I were to do cams while the heads are off the car, would it make it easier or harder on the whole process. I guess what i am wondering is if it is easy or hard to screw up the cam rotation to sprocket hash mark, or if it will only really go one way. would save me a tool.

 

My heads are off right now and I plan to do the cams before putting them back on.
FWIW, the service manual process has you remove the cams before removing the heads. I didn't do that. As long as you have the timing proper and havent rotated anything, you won't have possible valve-piston interference or contact.
Put the cams on with the rockers and sprockets in the same position, and line it all up, it should be ok.

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks how it goes (my custom-grind comp-cams are supposed to arrive before Christmas)

 

I found some things that might be helpful for those rebuilding their own engine or just want to know more about how it works:

http://www.amazon.com/Rebuild-5-4-Li...0461997&sr=8-1

http://www.ninosport.com/HPVideo-DVD...5-p/hp1005.htm

I'm thinking of buying that book myself.

 

Those HP books are great!

When building my first muscle car motor about 25 years ago, I started the project by reading HP's "How to rebuild..." book and my build went flawlessly. This thread has me seriously considering taking on a forged build/upgrade down the road.

 

yeah, this thread started as a information gathering expedition for me, and last night I was literaly dreaming about doing the build... I was using plastic zip lock bags to keep the bolts straigt durring dissasembly. LOL

After gaining confidence in pricing and understanding.... I am seriously debating now, tax returns has two possabilites at this point:
1. Suspension. Shocks, springs, watts link, sway arm, brakes,(maybe cams)

2. Motor. Forged, maybe stroked, 14PSI Pulley, GT500 fuel pumps, MAFia, custom tune, (maybe cams)

Either way, getting a aluminum drive shaft.

 

Even though having a supercharger and stock engine is like playing russian roulette, LOL, I think you'll get more gains out of option 1. What's good with all that power if you can't put it down and handle safely?

 

There is a ton of talk in this thread and a few good posts. Just use your stock crank, a good set of rods and pistons and go the smallest bore you can get away with. I went with an .011 to give me a rebuild down the road. Take the block to the shop and have it prepped, drop the guts in yourself, check clearances, put the rings in and call it a day. Spend the money you saved on some billet gears like mentioned, or lock your VCT and add a Melling pump with their billet gears. That's easily good to 650 or so. Go with a 4032 piston, your not planning on enough power to justify the 2618.

Just plan it out well. There are a lot of things I would do differently given the options on the market today.

To answer your question on the heads I would wait. When you only change a few things at a time it's easier to trouble shoot when a problem comes up. It will be more time consuming but it will save a lot of headaches!

 

What's wrong with going to a larger bore? I still dream of Livernois' big bore stroker.

 

More expensive block, ill sleeve an aluminum for the same affect one day....

 

I see. I thought you might have meant some kind of problem with going bigger.