<VV> Re: VirtualVairs Digest, Vol 19, Issue 146

[Mikeamauro at aol.com]

"...well i have been  driving my rampy with its new engine for  at  least 4 
months 
now.  so far it has done well , but in the  pulling power  dept i wonder if i 
shot myself in the foot?. i am  running 140 heads with 2  carbs  (late type 
with 51 jets) , 9889  cam,on a powerglide 3:55  differential. (205r14 tires) 
it 
drives fair  but i think it should have  more low end snot. would it be 
better 
low  end pulling with smaller intake valves  like 95hp heads?..."
 
Tim:
 
I have 110 heads on my wife's daily  driver Greenbrier Deluxe. It's a 
powerglide and I've added air conditioning. It  has a 3:55 rear. This engine has 
plenty of zip. While premium fuel is a  requirement (we reside in hot, central 
Florida), I've reduced the quench  area to .032 (by removing the gasket step), 
and restored the compression to  9.25:1 (by removing material from the top of 
forged pistons). Just in case,  I've installed a Safeguard, but, watching the 
knock indicator, I hardly ever see  the Safeguard having to pull advance out. 
I'm running 16-degrees of initial  advance, and a stock advance curve. 
 
The key to success is to create  a more modern combustion chamber, with the 
biggest factor being reducing the  quench area/height to somewhere real close 
to .032 (the thickness of a  stock head gasket). Besides cutting out the gasket 
step and then shaving the top of the  pistons (away from the quench area 
side), the heads can also be modified by  welding in material in the quench area 
and the gasket surface, and  then machining out the gasket and quench areas to 
obtain the quench height  needed along with stock compression (stay somewhere 
around 9 to 9.5). I  used this method with my 67 110 factory air, PG, coupe 
with equally  excellent results. Cutting the step & pistons method is cheaper, 
while  welding & reworking the combustion chamber leaves more material to work  
with, later. 
 
Cheers!
Mike Mauro