Thread: Opinions Please

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I'm new and I may have posted this in the wrong area so forgive me if I did. I have a 67 Chevelle recently purchased and plan to make it a street/strip car. I have a lot of work to do and would like others opinions on several points but the first question I have is pertaining to engine possiblities. Keep in mind I've been out of the loop for nearly 20 years so a lot of what I'm reading (name brands and such) are new to me.

I was wondering if anybody has any experience with the sbc 421. I was reading up on an engine built by Skip White Performance in Tn. I stumbled up on it while on ebay. I'll include some of the specs.

Dart SHP Block
Dart Pro One Aluminum Heads
Scat 4340 Forged Crank, 3.875 Stroke
Scat Competition 6" Forged Rods
Probe Industries Forged Pistions
King HP Race Series Bearings
Howards Tie Bar Roller Lifters
Howards Hyd Roller Cam
Howards 4130 Push Rods
Fel Pro Race Grade Gaskets
Pro Race SFI Damper

I planned to go with a bbc engine but undecided at this point. Any info good or bad would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

i would build a bbc the bbc can be done for about the same money or less if 496 bigger 540to565 about the same cost more tq more less rpm then the sbc on the 434.on the street you going to be driving street more or racing more that would have alot on the build you need to look at were your cruising RPM at most of the time . hi RPM engine get old on the street. i can not say any thing about skip other then he sells alot of procomp stuff on Ebay

You're starting at the wrong end of the car.
Chris Alston's Chassisworks, Inc.; Chris Alston's Chassisworks, Inc. - 4-Link (Pro Street)
Listen to Pat, go with a BBC. Juice roller lifters will want to sign off at just over 6K rpm's due to weight, so if R's are limited, you'll want a wheelbarrow full of cubic inches. I'm bettin' Pat can put you a motor together that will make more hp than you can and do it cheaper.

I would have to disagree. I would go with a LS engine myself. great looks great horse power and easy to install. I seen the other day that GM even makes a wiring harness for there on engine now. Just my two cents.

Originally Posted by sg4356

I would have to disagree. I would go with a LS engine myself. great looks great horse power and easy to install. I seen the other day that GM even makes a wiring harness for there on engine now. Just my two cents.

I agree 100%, you'll get more power for less money without going radical on a big inch SBC or BBC build, great fuel mileage for daily use. The LS engines are being swapped into everything from '67 Chevelles, Fieros, Miatas, BMW, even the Mustang boys are using them!!! For lots of great LS conversion info, click here. I'm putting an LS1 in my '32 coupe.

Mike

Welcome to CHR, chevyfan, now for some questions...

Define street and strip usage, what percentage will be street, what percentage will be track??? Having a dual purpose car requires compromises on one end or the other. Do you want a rumpon' stompin' big block, 4500 stall converter, etc., then have to put up with all the headaches associated with such a car for an occasional street cruise, or do you want a fun to drive, easy to maintain street and highway cruizer that gets good mileage on plain old pump gas and just make a couple passes at the track once in awhile to see what it does????

I'm building one myself, primary emphasis is on driveability and reliability for cruizin' and travelling, with an occasional blast at the track and a few Friday Night Grudge races. It'll be an LS engine with a 6 speed trans, cold air, and canyon carving suspension that will still have a decent ride on the highway just by turning the knobs on the shocks....

As with any build, decide what your priorities for the car are, then avoid the temptation to mix and match components that are designed for different usage, leave the race car stuff on the track and leave the street car stuff on the street!!!

well he said sbc and bbc not ls they are a good engine but if you think the ls sexy to look at your nuts . as for a fire breathing needing a hi stall bbc for the stree/strip that is not how i build them . as for the power of the ls i know what they can do i did a top end on one back in 2005 that made close to 500hp at the rear wheels . there still is a place for the bbc a short deck bbc565/ 582 flat top pump engine will pump out 700+Tq off idle EZ with a small hyd roller cam. you get to a point with the ls it is going to cost just like any thing else and the bbc with make more TQ any day .no the bbc may not get as good as fuel mileage but he was not asken about a ls

I really appreciate all the responses and all made very good points. I really need to decide what I'll be using the car for mostly to determine what type of engine I'll need. I realize now that street/strip is a vague description and that wasn't very helpful. What I really want is to go Pat's route and do a BBC that sounds and performs like you'd expect one to do at the track. That is my roots and what I'd enjoy the most. At the same time I'm trying to be realistic and am wondering just how much time and $$ I'll have to spend at the track. That's where my "street" thoughts come into play and caused me to wonder if I can have both. Dave is right in that trying to mix the two will cause me to compromise on the street side or the strip side. I've never had any experience with SBC or the LS personally other than some of my racing buddies in the 80's ran with the SBC. I do know you can get good HP and TQ with a SBC and I like the way they sound when built for the strip. But I don't know much about the LS engines at all. Can they be made to sound and operate like an old school hot rod?

Thanks again for all the input. Any and all information is welcomed and appreciated.

Originally Posted by Chevyfan67

I really appreciate all the responses and all made very good points. I really need to decide what I'll be using the car for mostly to determine what type of engine I'll need. I realize now that street/strip is a vague description and that wasn't very helpful. What I really want is to go Pat's route and do a BBC that sounds and performs like you'd expect one to do at the track. That is my roots and what I'd enjoy the most. At the same time I'm trying to be realistic and am wondering just how much time and $$ I'll have to spend at the track. That's where my "street" thoughts come into play and caused me to wonder if I can have both. Dave is right in that trying to mix the two will cause me to compromise on the street side or the strip side. I've never had any experience with SBC or the LS personally other than some of my racing buddies in the 80's ran with the SBC. I do know you can get good HP and TQ with a SBC and I like the way they sound when built for the strip. But I don't know much about the LS engines at all. Can they be made to sound and operate like an old school hot rod?

Thanks again for all the input. Any and all information is welcomed and appreciated.

yes the ls when in tune right the feel like a old muscle car. but there not a bbc. the ls for looks the ls looks like a out boad engine set on it,s side drop in. but they can run . a blown ls may make as much tq as a mild bigger bbc. it very well could be about the same in cost or less in the long run .both builds could be driven any were . fuel mpg may be less with a blown ls or not ? how heavy is your foot . the bbc would be for someone to tune in if you know abit about carbs .and want the look. put a dfi on the bbc then your about were you would be with a ls but a bigger engine that can be made to drive on the street to 632 ez on the street if you go 10.200 deck . if your going to drive the hell out of some thing and do not mind all the wires and playing around with a bunch of stuff that you do not need to worry about with a carb Ls beats many sbc builds and may be for you if not build the biggest bbc engine you can for the $$ . i just drove a caddy coup with a ls has some work to it and it was no free lunch over 6000. inparts and labor. i have taken this type car out more then one time with a stick gm stock and reworked.. it.s fun.. but to really make power it not free do not forget it.s not just a engine it is power management to the rear tires.like tech said . were most that do not know how to drive a big power car keeps them form getting killed . the ls in the new car is a full package on the street . most sbc can be replaced by a ls and do a very good job but is going to cost abit more if your looking for number a bbc can make with the new heads and cams out there the bbc is far from dead

Ok Pat if I were to zero in on a bbc (which is most likely what will happen) what direction would you recommend in terms of size and combination? I know I could find a used block and build from there but I'd really rather start with all new components or a crate engine. Also I want something more 500-600 hp. Keeping in mind that at times I will want to drive it on weekends and the occasional car show. Tech mentioned i'm starting at the wrong end. I was thinking to decide on the engine then the trans that would be the best match and do with a ford 9" rear with disc brake and convert the front to disc. I know there are probably other things I should consider but that's why I'm asking for advice from the more seasoned guys. Like I said, any and all advice is welcomed and appreciated.

The term "Street AND Strip" strikes again-------------I used to think that term described the AMCs with the reclining seats!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Chevyfan67

Ok Pat if I were to zero in on a bbc (which is most likely what will happen) what direction would you recommend in terms of size and combination? I know I could find a used block and build from there but I'd really rather start with all new components or a crate engine. Also I want something more 500-600 hp. Keeping in mind that at times I will want to drive it on weekends and the occasional car show. Tech mentioned i'm starting at the wrong end. I was thinking to decide on the engine then the trans that would be the best match and do with a ford 9" rear with disc brake and convert the front to disc. I know there are probably other things I should consider but that's why I'm asking for advice from the more seasoned guys. Like I said, any and all advice is welcomed and appreciated.

i still have some mark 6 and 4 core blocks cleaned and mag i can get you out to 512 with any of them blocks with a 9.800 deck. lets think more about TQ then hp numbers it can get to 600Tq and mild 500sHP . now moving up to a dart block 9.800 deck go to a 565 build can do a 582 but i wound start with a 4.250 crank and 4.600 bore or a shade smaller it.s cost would be the same at this point to build a 509 to a 565 flat top engine . after market at this point if you do not mind custom headers then a 10.200 build with a starting point of 572. all engines would use a small rec port head and smaller hyd roller cam custom to my build . so it would be easy on parts and low rpm and make a lot of tq. i done many things to the A body GM car over the years as my 66 GTOs have had many bbc in them 396to632

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

The term "Street AND Strip" strikes again-------------I used to think that term described the AMCs with the reclining seats!!!!!!!!!!!!!

do they recline when you hit the gas ? hey Jerry playing hooky to day i am how the hell are you doing ? i hope well

chevy fan .i was going to PM you but your blocking or not allowed ?

Ok Pat I changed the settings. Should be good to go now. It may take me a few min to reply though cause I'm driving at the moment