I recently picked up a 62 Lancer 4 door with a 170 and a manual 3 speed. The car came with the parts to convert it to 4 speed.

I want to build this car in the spirit of the NASCAR Valiants, 4 doors, manual transmission, 170 and hyper-pak. I want to drive it on track days, but not race for budget reasons. Also a little drag racing too.

I plan on using a Ford 8.8 rear with 4:10 gears and 215/15 tires.

What should I use for a cam? How much compression on pump gas?

Any other thoughts?

Cheers,
Baranby

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Sounds like a great project. You can run somewhere between 9.5 and 10.5:1 on pump premium, depending on the cam and ignition timing curve. Cam will depend on how wild you want the idle and how high you will rev. Spend plenty of time and/or money on the cylinder head for best results.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Thanks Lou, I hope to get the head into the shop today, and I will message the head as for as the budget allows. Should I use the Engine Builder valves or maybe go a little larger? If the head has not been milled, how much can I take off?

I don't car to much about the idle. The furthest I would drive it would be Woodburn Drag Strip which is about 30 miles. All other races it would be trailer-ed. How high do I want to rev? How high can I rev? 6500? 7000? If I do track racing I wont have to worry so much about getting out of the hole and should be able to stay in my rpms?

I wanted to start this project several months from now, but somebody broke a bolt extractor in the head while attempting to fix an exhaust leak. Me.

The early A Bodies are my favorite cars, period. I have always wanted to experience what is was like to be Marvin Panch driving that NASCAR Valiant.

Cheers,
Barnaby

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Head can be milled at least up to 0.150" off the deck. You will not have trouble achieving whatever comp you want.

If you want to make some HP, I would go for 3.46 - 3.50" bore and something like 1.72-1.76 and 1.46-1.50 valves (SB Chev or Ford - longer and 11/32" stems) in the head. 7000 redline should be fine with stock reconditioned rods with good bolts. Balance the bottom end. Cam: go for something like 240 @ 0.050" duration and around 0.500-0.550" lift. 10:1 would be a nice comp for pump premium and that cam. Hopefully others will chime in. If you use engnbldr valves, you are more limited on lift too.

Bob Dally's 170 Bonneville Barracuda makes lots of power and he is in Seattle...

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

You need to be careful with block & head milling with "zero deck height" 170s...
Also cams with big lift numbers will also cause problems with piston to valve clearance in the "low deck" 170s
.
Many performance 170's require valve notches in the pistons to provide the needed clearance.
DD

Great point, Doug on the valve notches and cam lift.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Thanks for the heads up on the valve clearance issues.

B

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