Thread: My new baby arrived today

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Sounds real good, Bob. I'm looking forward to seeing it running down the road soon.

Originally Posted by deckofficer

That was the 383 in cool weather and no t-stat. I haven't driven it yet with the 427.

Thanks for the reply. I just noticed the gauge in the pics.

Originally Posted by Hot Rod Nick

Sounds real good, Bob. I'm looking forward to seeing it running down the road soon.

Nick, and I'm waiting for the outcome of your 427 transplant. How is that going?

Thanks for asking, Bob. My ZZ4 motor is out today so the new one is going in over the next few days. While it's out my buddy is rebuilding my TH350 with some beefy parts to handle the torque. I still need to get headers...first I thought about larger block huggers, then thought about having my buddy fab up some custom ones but I really want to keep it inside the frame for now, so I decided to go with Sanderson long tubes like this pic below and we'll make some exhaust pipes and use a couple of Magnaflow mufflers.

Nick,

Are you going to be changing the stall speed of your torque converter? At what rpm was your HP peak on the old engine and this one?

Lucky you.

Only new babies in my world just now, are 17 baby chickens.

But I do also have the new (longer) pushrods for the 318 in the steaming turd aka 73 dodge charger. I'll get them in soon.

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Nick,

Are you going to be changing the stall speed of your torque converter? At what rpm was your HP peak on the old engine and this one?

Bob,

I don't have a dyno chart on my previous ZZ4 but I believe that info is widely available online ...I just haven't even looked for it. It seemed to be a reasonable match to the stall speed of the TH350 since it never pulled while idling nor other similar bad behaviour.

Now we're completely rebuilding my stock level TH350, I think stock stall is around 1800 but I never actually "tested" it on this one. I'm going with all heavy duty parts (Jakes Performance kit) and a 2400rpm stall B&M Nitrous Holeshot torque converter; I don't use nitrous but that one holds up better for high torque applications. My 427 has a "milder" cam option to be compatible with a 2400 stall converter since I don't like higher stalls and I was willing to give up a few ponies. The "standard" cam offering with this motor recommends a 3000rpm stall. I haven't even opened the package with the dyno chart but I'll post details later this week when I do.

The "mild" cam option is a Howard Hydraulic Roller Tappet, Duration 286/294, Lift .530/.545

Good choice Nick. I'm not a fan of cammed up engines that need a real high stall speed torque converter, as the higher the stall speed, the more heat they produce just cruising down the highway with worse MPG. One good way around it is a modern OD like a 700R4 with a lock up torque converter. Gives a lower first gear, OD top gear for the highway, and torque converter locks so no heat from slippage and much improved MPG.

As most of you will attest, any project will turn out to be a bigger project than planned. After mounting the Mickey Thompson radials to the front rims, after awhile one tire was flat. Turns out the bead on the M/T's are twice as big as other tires and the bead was causing the rubber valve stem to tear a bit when inflated. Smaller metal valve stems are now in place. As added protection of the oil pan, bell housing and transmission, I've had fabricated a bolt in skid plate to protect all of it. I let my little torque monster 383 go for about 20 cents on the dollar to a guy that wants it for his truck. Still need to get my hood to a sheet metal fabricator for the needed bulge to clear the carb and also to fab up a dual plenum intake with flat panel filters to line up with my hood louvers when the hood is closed. I have sent out for bids on this. When done, the Track-T will retain the same look and lines, when sitting at car events I'll still hear spectators comment "Must be a four banger".

A Real Sleeper Now!

Originally Posted by stovens

A Real Sleeper Now!

I'll have to change my signature, as the 427 doesn't produce 516 lb/ft @ 2800, but it does produce 206 more ponies than the 383. The 427 being a more "normal" build than the 383 has its torque peak at 4400, with 40 more lb/ft. I'll miss the low rpm grunt of the 383, but the higher rpm sizzle will make up for that.

Deckofficer Sir,

Beyond the impressive 427 and it's amazing performance my eye was drawn to the beautiful fan shroud. Did you fabricate that or can you give a source for another? I have gone through two plastic shrouds from Walker but it is difficult to center the hole and the depth is shallow whereas your shroud has an excellent cylindrical depth. My limited understanding of shroud design tells me that cylindrical sleeve makes your shroud very effective.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist.Teen Rodder

Yes, fabricated from aluminum. When your engine bay is as tight as mine, combined with a small frontal area radiator, you have to pull as much air through as you can. There is only 1/8" clearance between the blade tips of the flex fan and the shroud.

First driving impressions, a little freeway and my twisty mountain roads. 1st and 2nd gear, I don't even bother to see what it will do, but did later in the test drive. The engine isn't happy below 2000 rpm, unlike the 383 which loved low rpm. Above 2000 though, smooth, strong power. Above 3000 rpm, still in 3rd, pulling like crazy, very impressed. Above 4000 rpm still in 3rd, now were talking, tach seems spring loaded, going for redline, speedo same thing, going from 80 mph to pegged in no time.

Skid plate was used 6 times already.

Driving the mountain roads, if in 5th gear engine not happy like it was with the 383, 4th gear engine happy but even with the slightest pressure of resting my foot on the throttle will creep up to 80 mph.

Passing 3 cars up a steep hill after the hairpin 15 mph posted curve on hwy 49 in 2nd gear, good thing I don't have posi, stayed where I pointed it with one tire spinning but still accelerating at a crazy rate. I would guess those 3 drivers have never been passed on that part of the road, or passed as fast.

Can't wait for a drive up to Tahoe on 2 lane hwy 50, with its few passing lanes, should be a lot of fun.

Am I happy with the engine, yes, for the 40 miles I've driven it. Do I still think it should get 20 mpg on the highway, no I don't think so, and the 383 broke 30 mpg a couple of times but my guess is 12~14 mpg.

OK Nick, we are all waiting for your first driving impression of the 427 High Boy. Below is a post I did on the Cobra forum I'm active on.................

Having fun is an understatement. After all these years I finally know what it feels like with you Cobra folks when you drop 650 HP into a 2300 lb car. Over the years I've learned not to fight The Laws of Physics, learning that traction is much harder to maintain when accelerating a 4000 lb car, and when traction is lost on such a heavy car, so to is the rate of acceleration. When you get to cars as light as ours, they tend to accelerate rather than spin the tires with the same contact patch of rubber to the road. I'll never go heavy again. For safety's sake I'll probably stay with non posi, because the car stays straight even with one tire spinning and for what it is worth, the rate of acceleration didn't seem to drop when that tire broke loose, unlike my heavy hot rods.