Hey guys,

Looking for some advice on a drivetrain combination.

For the motor I've been mostly following Dart270's 200 HP build

I have a complete head with the engnbldr valves ,performance springs, and porting done. It has a 51.5 cc chamber volume which I believe is about .060 off the head.
The block so far is completely stock. I believe to get the desired 9.5:1 compression ratio I will need to take off about .030 off the block. (Please correct me if I am wrong). I will need to replace the pistons as they have some damage and I will need to overbore a fair bit. My question here is are the Keith Black Silv-o-lite pistons the best option for this build?
For the carb and intake I acquired the Carter BBD and marine intake that Dan was selling a few weeks ago. I will be using a stock rear manifold with a dutra dual front.
With all of that said what are the best options for cam grind? It looks like the closest thing from OCG to the recommended is grind 346. Would there be a better choice based on my combination?


So moving past the engine I have a completely stock 904. I assume I will need a new torque converter with a higher stall? What are the better brands and how high of a stall should it have? As for the rear end I am running the stock 7.25 with the stock gears (2.76 in a 68 I beleive) How will this affect performance and should I be looking at replacing this sooner rather than later?
I'm running the stock wheels right now but I plan on installing some 15x6 wheels when I do a front disc conversion. Whether or not I get that installed before the engine is ready is up in the air...


So this car will be used as my daily driver but will also be my weekend fun car. I'm worried about fuel economy a whole lot because work is only 2.5 miles away from home. (almost close enough to ride a bike but there's a large elevation change.)
Before I completely committed to this build I wanted to get everything squared away.


For recap:
Cam choice? OCG 346 good or bad option?
KB/Silv-o-lite pistons a good choice?
New torque converter needed?
Will I blow up my rear end with this build if I leave it stock?
Am I a rambling idiot that can't put a sentence together let alone an engine?

Give me your thoughts, concerns, or comments. I am all ears.

Sounds like a good plan to me. Best to check compression with an online calculator before you decide on block milling. You will need to know your piston-deck height to know anything for sure. That said, 0.030-0.050" is the right ballpark for most blocks and your other measurements.

Assuming you will run a 2500-2800 stall torque converter, then the OCG 346 is a good choice. Install at 99-100 deg centerline.

You can stick with the 7.25" axle for a while, but you will blow it eventually. Might last a long time IF you don't do many one-legger burnouts. 8.25" or 8.75" axles, or a Ford 8" are other good choices and are nearly bolt in. Ford 8" is the most direct bolt in of all.

Assuming you have an early trans (PB, what year?) you will need a small hub torque converter. Edge will no longer make these, but Midwest will make one in any stall. You should also get a shift kit at least. Transgo is supposed to be the best, but I don't know about pre-66 tranny application.

I believe Silvolite is still a good quality piston, but it is difficult to tell these days. Maybe someone else will chime in on that. I that that is safe. Go 0.060" over for less valve shrouding. Make sure you get the flat top Silvolites, not the dished ones. You can bore at least to 0.100" over later if needed.

Happy building!

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Would the BBD be too small for the 200horse build? It flows something like 280cfm right? And I think that even on the 2v scale... I know Sandy used a BBD on a similar build... His poor mans stroker? That sounds like a fun build too, with a light car. Does too small of a carb only hold it back a little bit?

Inquiring minds want to know...

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1976 Dart Sport
Currently under revision

Yep I've been verifying with a compression calculator. I need to take the exact deck height measurements still but was using the .180 number I've seen quoted as a ballpark figure.

I will be replacing the rear end eventually. The engine required a rebuild sooner than expected so I'm having to acquire the pieces as I go and unfortunately a swap is outside the budget right now. I'll go easy on it until I can replace it.

The transmission is a 68 so will I still need the small hub converter? Transgo shift kit is on the list of things to buy. At ~$65 it really won't break the bank.

Unfortunately at .060 over the only piston brands available are Sealed Power (I've heard bad things about them) and Enginetech. Unless I get forged pistons which is definitely outside of the budget. So is Enginetech a good brand? I think I've read good things about them but can't remember where.

Thanks for all of the help.