New Job

Had to switch jobs, income was falling off and prevented me from doing anything related to the project. New job pays by the hour instead of flat rate. This means more consistent paychecks so I can actually have money to spend. So hopefully I'll be able to have things to post here soon.

New Intake Project

So the new plan is to get a used intake like an Edelbrock Torker II, it's a single plane design for use inthe 2500 to 6500 rpm range. Edelbrock's victor series would be even better, they have much straighter intake runners, but they are much taller, and hood clearance might be a problem. 

 Then adapt the first throttle body I bored, modified and polished and bolt it in place of the carburetor.

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Then drill the intake for fuel injection. Another reason I chose the torker II intake was ease of access to the intake ports, a dual plane intake has runners that come in from two different heights and that complicates the injector install. As you can see in the last picture. Not that it couldn't be done, but the Torker II will just be easier. Going with fuel injection over carburation allows me to use less complicated intake designs. Dual plane intakes are designed to assist in the flow of air and fuel, I'm only worried about the flow of the air.

Name Change

Yes I changed the name of this blog. Due mostly to the fact that I can't decide which direction to go with the project. I now have a 350 four bolt main block in addition to all the other stuff I have been collecting. The 350 as it turns out makes the project cheaper. Pistons are available from Summit Racing for a ton less than the pistons I would need for any of the other projects. I can also run a stock sized rod to save even more. I'm figuring I can get the rotating assembly together for just under $400. This setup will give me 9:1 to 9.2:1 compression, great for street use, and still safe to do a mild turbo setup. (not that I will but I could)

I used this Compression Calculator and the data:

4.03 bore

3.48 stroke

4.2 gasket bore

0.04 gasket thickness

70cc combustion chamber volume

-6cc piston relief

0.025 deck clearance

Of course thinner gaskets are available, as are thicker ones, I just used the most common thickness. I could use a 0.015 and bump the compression to over 9.5:1 or I could use a 0.06" thick gasket and lower the compression to 8.66:1. That's even better for a turbo. But from my years of reading about V8 Fieros, a turbo really isn't needed. I've been told that the current trans will barely be able to live behind the V8, let alone one with a turbo. The Camquest program says with the combo I'm looking at and a N+L79 cam (updated version of the old Corvette L79 cam) I'll have around 355hp. One HP per CID works for me. Yes I could use a bigger cam and push 375hp, but the N+L79 is supposed to have a decent idle, and let's face facts, I'm getting old and want a car that idles as smooth as possible. By the way, the 9.5:1 compression bumps the HP to 365.

Re-thinking the project...........again

I have the block, crankshaft and heads for a 1969 Camaro 307 (yes it's a chevy motor), I also have all of the pieces of a 3400 v6 except the block and heads. And of course I have the complete IronDuke engine that's still in the fiero.
My dillema is this...which engine should I build?
The 307 parts that I need are cheap (used on Ebay) and can be bought one piece at a time if needed. I can probably get the engine assembled for under $700.
The 3400 project will need a new block, heads and pistons. That will cost around $500.
With either engine I will need custom exhaust, custom flywheel and clutch, and fuel/ignition system modifications. But either of those engines will be very reliable, run nearly forever, and be fast.
The Duke motor, while not needing any custom mounts or specialty clutch, will require turbo fabriaction and computer/fuel/ignition mods. And after all that, might blow up in less than a year.
So I'm leaning towards the V-8 again, I want to build all three engines, mostly because I like building engines. I think the research I've done on the Duke would make it a very fun driver. But I've always wanted a V-8.
And if I go with the V-8, there will not be a turbo, just fuel injection and DIS ignition.
Hp estimates with the parts I'm looking at are 300hp to 340hp and 6500rpm redline. That will be fun.....

First Paid For Parts....

I finally bought something for the project. After going as far as I could on the free path, I purchased my first parts. I went to Ross Machine Racing's Ebay site and bought four weld in injector bungs and a 17" length of fuel rail. I now have enough material and parts to finish the intake manifold. The intake runners aren't straight so I'll need to place the injectors in just the right places so the fuel doesn't shoot into the wall of the head, and I'll need them to be at 33 degrees, not the typical 45 degrees that injectors are usually installed at. This is due to the almost flat path the intake runners take from the plenum to the valve, unlike a v6 or v8 where the plenum comes in from above the valve. Now I need to get the injector bung placement exact, drill the holes (notice I avoided the use of "bung hole"?) install the bungs and weld them in, then mock up the fuel rail and see if it will interfere with the plenum. If so, modify, if not continue welding the rest of the parts.