A poll for the Chevy guys, and others too.

Ok, the old 'maro has got to go. One of the threads I did on it was about the color, with all the helpful information given by all of you the car will be painted Resale Red. It's time for me to start lining up some engine parts and I'm curious what the opinions are as to a powerplant for the car..... So, which combination is going to offer the best return on the dollar?


1. Big Block with a stroker kit taking it to 496 inches and a 400 hydro. Reworked oval port cast iron heads....

2. 540 inch Big Block, solid roller cam, aluminum heads, and all the other go fast goodies and a well built 400 hydro with hi stall converter

3. 355 small block, GM heads, hydraulic cam, 350 hydro with a shift kit.

4. Stroker small block (383 or 406), solid roller cam, aluminum heads, 400 hydro, hi stall converter and all the other go fast stuff



A bit of other info about the car....It will have coilover suspension, triangulated 4 bar, tubular A-Arms, 9" Ford rear, 6 point roll bar, frame ties, strut tower braces, a ton of body mods, 4 wheel disc brakes, dash full of Autometer gauges, and a bunch of trick stuff all over.... Weight will come in at around 3,000 pounds dry....

Unless you find an absolute HP nut the basic 355 SB will give you the best ROI in the engine room.

Plus, they're cheap to put together/:D

I agree. I don't think you could recover the additional money spent to go the big block route. If there was a $10,000 difference it might make sense, but I don't see that happening. I think the other components will be the big money bringers.

Don

Dave, Just my two cents, but the turbo 350 may not be a good seller with the high price of gas. An OD trans might be a good selling point, AND they tend to have a lower ratio first gear than the T350 so you get economy for cruising on the Interstate AND a strong first gear/

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

My 2 cents, Resale red needs something with a soul to get the money, ok just won't bring it. I think that it needs a heart, the BB stroker will be very streetable but yet have enough grunt to "raise a wallet" right out of the pockets.
There are a million out there with stock drive trains, yours isn't stock so IMHO the engine shouldn't be either.

what about a Twin turbo 350? that would appeal to a lot of people as the word Turbo usually does.

Can you post a pic to maybe get a idea of what it looks like? I think a pic of it will give a better feel of what it is/needs. If its looking plain than just the basic 355 should be fine. If its looking like a beast might want to set it off with some thing more "killer". Just my 2 cents. With the suspension youve added it can handle all the above.

Dave, You know where my mindset on motors has gone lately. I would get either an LS2 or a 6.0 from a late model GM truck or SUV. Put either an OD automatic or a T-56 6 speed in it. You would have a car that could be scary fast and still be drivable and get decent fuel mileage. These LS conversions have become bolt ins now with kits from folks like BRP hotrods: http://www.brphotrods.com/. This is the way of the future. Even if you don't like the EFI, now there are numerous options to use a carb with these new motors. For the money you would spend on a stroker big block you could easily do the LS. Best of both worlds!

Pat

I would have to say #4

I think I have to agree with Pat. Cheap gas isn't going to come back. A stock 6.0 makes nice power and will yield better mpg than any of the choices you mentioned. Hank

I have to go with the tried and true 350+.030 (355) but with an OD transmission in today's uncertain economic world for ease of sale. You'll get more potential buyers with cash in their pockets then tire kickers who just wont have enough more bucks in their pockets to go the big block direction. One - two years ago I would have gone the BBC with all possible, but not now.

The right Resale Red will IMO help move it (with a bit of sparklie stuff in it:D ) quick

I think I'd go with a 383, 700r4, 3.73:1, 30" tall tires.
Cheap gas won't be back, but I'd guess this won't be someones daily driver....

dave?? are you ok up there?? you have not by chance had a stroke?
a chevy motor?? :D didnt you mention once you was thunkin bout the idea of a foMoCo powered camero!:D

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I agree. I don't think you could recover the additional money spent to go the big block route. If there was a $10,000 difference it might make sense, but I don't see that happening. I think the other components will be the big money bringers.

Don

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I'm with Geezer & Don, 355. Reliable as hell. People buy the complete package anyway. Won't get what you want after you spent tons in the motor. Keep it simple and fast. My 2c.
Bryan

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Originally Posted by Matt167

what about a Twin turbo 350? that would appeal to a lot of people as the word Turbo usually does.

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Hmmmmmm................

A few thoughts:

Will twin turbos raise the price enough to pay for them? Will they require high octane fuel?

If the car has tubs and big tires, a big-inch smallblock might sell. Just do something with the top of the motor to suggest big power....a scoop....multicarbs...etc. Late model injection would give it an interesting look, too.

With the gas scare, and the result I am seeing in parts of the hobby already, I'd bet on the hot smallblock! Driveability, cost of the build, broader appeal,etc.

Well I chose number 4, but was teetering on number 3 also. But in reality I would have voted for "other" if there had been such a category. As gas prices continue to shrink my cruising schedule, I would have voted for a 350/330hp crate engine with a 200 4R trans. Plenty of power, easier on gas than either the Th350 or the 400. JMHO.

If you are going triangulated 4 link---use the smaller hp sbc as the rear suspension won't transmit the power of the bigger mills

well be like ever one and build a small block or build a 496 with a set of hyper piston cast steel crank with the 0 port heads with a take out gm mark 6 roller cam will make alot of power and will be not to$$ bad to build as for gas well if you drive it hard a sbc or a bbc will not make a diff

If you are going to sell the car don't spend big money on custom engine parts. You won't get it back. You can buy a decent 355 crate for less than you can build one. I have $1500. in my long block with mild cam and ported iron heads and every step of the way was done with cost in mind without giving up quality. There are crate motors with warrantys out there now for less than that. Just throw on a bunch of eye candy and spec a cam that talks to you a little and you will have a good selling point. "The engine is new and it has a warranty".

If I was keeping it I'd build a 496. I think Car Craft did a simple 496 oval port build a few months ago and pulled 600 horse on pump gas.

Tom

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Originally Posted by jerry clayton

If you are going triangulated 4 link---use the smaller hp sbc as the rear suspension won't transmit the power of the bigger mills

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Mine are a bit of a departure from the street rod stuff Jerry, played a lot with bar lengths and angles to get a decent hook and still have the ride quality the triangulated setup provides..... I'll put some pics up when everything goes together...

RamJet 350, 700R4
Technology sells

Just my humble option, but I think OD transmissions are going to be more and more of a selling / desirable feature...

I just went thru the same decision on a resale car , I went w a 496. It cost a just a wee bit more than a 355 or 406 (maybe $200) , BUT these days even w gas the way it is. Wow appeal is the thing w BBlocks and 4 speeds gathering the sales over Sblocks and auto's , people want to relive their youth w cars they either had or wanted, open the hood and start it up, BING! they hear the slight lope and see the huge VC's -...SOLD! Whatever the marque, Nothing says the sixties like a Big Block/4speed or 5 speed stick if you want overdrive that would probably help w todays gas prices.Just do not go wild w induction ,valve train and cams ,keep it simple (and cheap). Guys (and gals now) want a Big block, but not the hassles of a Race motor. Its all about the "LOOK" now.
Just to put it into perspective , the daily driver 60's performance car is dead. We/they drive to shows and cruises .Most of us will never see 2500 mi's in a summer season. In my cars thats about 2 maybe part of 3, 18 gal. tank fulls at $63 a pop @3.49 a gal to $83 @ $4.60 ( I HOPE it stops there) thats a lot of local shows and affordable (barely). Of course none of this means anything to the trailer guys the cars fuel cost means very little to them. A purpose built cruiser is another deal entirely as well. They would be a daily driver class car so a Sml Block w overdrive ,maybe w a turbo is almost mandatory.

I have to agree with Dgas. You don't build slapped together junk and the guy that's gonna buy your car is probably gonna keep it in a garage and drive on the weekends. If I was this guy I'd want the biggest bad a$$ motor I could find and it would have to sound that way too!! Even though I don't know as much about cars as most of you, I know that a rumbling big block is cool.

My opinion might not be all that valid though considering I drive a lifted TJ and a '96 F150 king cab as my daily drivers:LOL: , each gets about 10mpg.

Sean

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Originally Posted by Stu Cool

Dave, You know where my mindset on motors has gone lately. I would get either an LS2 or a 6.0 from a late model GM truck or SUV. Put either an OD automatic or a T-56 6 speed in it. You would have a car that could be scary fast and still be drivable and get decent fuel mileage. These LS conversions have become bolt ins now with kits from folks like BRP hotrods: BRP Muscle Rods Your LS1 - LSX Conversion Kit Specialist. This is the way of the future. Even if you don't like the EFI, now there are numerous options to use a carb with these new motors. For the money you would spend on a stroker big block you could easily do the LS. Best of both worlds!

Pat

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This would be my vote, Dave. The Gen III and IV series engines are way ahead of the older engines in design and potential. They already have all the stuff we used to spend big speed buck on like aluminum heads and roller cams; plus they have 6 bolt mains to boot. No contest.

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Originally Posted by falconvan

This would be my vote, Dave. The Gen III and IV series engines are way ahead of the older engines in design and potential. They already have all the stuff we used to spend big speed buck on like aluminum heads and roller cams; plus they have 6 bolt mains to boot. No contest.

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well there is a contest they just do not drop in older cars it will cost money/time to hook at all up they can run and run better in stock form then the older sbc they are $$ to hook it all up. a bbc 496 is the best bang for the buck NO ALUM needed and not much more then headers cam and intake

Hard to beat the roi of a BBC vs mouse, and the Elky did just cost 80. to fill up the other day. But it is only for cruising, and well many SBC at my cruise in may beat me, none of them have that big cube sound, trip every car alarm in the parking lot, or cause people to run out of the bldg when I start it up. I'm reliving my teenage years, while trying to hook my 13 year old on old is good.......still. But certainly not for daily driving, thats what the Yukon is for.

Well, the poll came out with the mouse motor squeaking out (pun intended) a win..... So a skinny block it shall be....

Thanks to all for all the good input and advice!!!!!