Alaskan '71 RS/SS

LeftHandPhil · 10-18-2009, 02:56:40 AM

Hey thought I would add my little buildup to the forum.
I bought the car back in December 2008. I found it on Craigslist down in Oregon believe it or not. I found it, contacted the owner started going through the motions. Had it inspected through a 3rd party, and after it was inspected and appraised, I bought it sight unseen. Had it shipped up for about $1800 from Bend Oregon to North Pole Alaska. It got here like 2 days before Christmas, and went straight into storage to wait out the cold. I finally got to drive it in early May. She ran like a champ, I was a happy man.
I drove it as it was until about July. Then I started having low oil pressure problems. Low at idle and when accelerating about 3000 RPMs. Long story short, replaced main bearings (which were down to the copper), that didn't help. Rebuild time. I limped it through summer, and here we are.

This is a picture the appraiser took of it in Bend. It has a built 377.
400 block bored 40 over
KB flat top forged pistons
6 inch Lunati I-beam rods.
cast crank ?
Dart Iron Eagle heads 2.05/1.60
Moroso Roller rockers w/ stud girdles
Weiand Team G single plain intake
Lunati cam can remember the grind
Speed demon carb

This is with my new rims and tires American Racing Torq Thrust M's

This is the cracked main causing my oil problems

My pistons

LeftHandPhil · 10-18-2009, 03:09:33 AM

Muncie 4 speed with Hurst shifter

We believe the cracked main was caused by the 12 or so :1 comp and pump gas...BUMMER. I didn't realize I had such crazy comp. Didn't really hear or feel the detonation either.
Since the block needed new caps and it was already 40 over I had a line on another 400 supposedly with a new crank.

So I pulled it in the dudes front yard...Pain in the ass!!!
It was an unmolested 400 standard bore 4.125. New cast crank...BUT

Whom ever put it back together when they put in the new crank was an idiot. Main caps all mixed up and put on backwards. chewing the lips of the block and destroying the main caps.
Heres the heads. Stock.

LeftHandPhil · 10-18-2009, 03:21:18 AM

2 400 blocks not worth my time or money.

So I think my engine builder was feeling sorry for me. He had a 350 4 bolt bored 40 over. He was building a 383 for his drag car. Forged internal balance crank, forged H beam rods, forged flat top pistons, erson timing gear. He offered to sell it to me.
He as going to put a roller cam in it with the H beams. The block would have needed major clearancing for those rods. So we are going with my cam and some forged I beams.

Build will be ( still need to get brands and specs, but to stoked to wait)
40 over 350 block
Forged crank
forged I beam rods
Forged flat top pistons
Dart 2.05/1.60 heads
Team G intake
My roller rockers and stud girdles
Speed Demon carb

5spd540 · 10-18-2009, 07:37:30 AM

That motor has good stuff installed it should good are you going to install a roller cam.

BTTB71SS · 10-18-2009, 08:35:14 AM

Nice looking car....

Bummer about the engine....

Welcome to the boards

tom3 · 10-18-2009, 11:37:01 AM

Did you drive it with the original engine? I'd bet that thing was a monster while it was right. Nice looking car for sure. Heater work good? (little joke there for Alaska)

LeftHandPhil · 10-18-2009, 12:00:21 PM

I am going to go with my flat tappet cam for now. This build is costing way more than I intended. It is a pretty beefy cam, I will put the specs up when I get my cam card back from my builder.

I drove it all summer with the 377. She was a beast, tricky to get away from a stop light without a launch or copious amounts of clutch manipulation. Lots of clutch work. She never ran bad at all, I was never needing more power. Did a couple of smokey burnouts without even trying.

I am hoping this one is much more tame on the street, while not sacrificing the power. It will be very similar really.

By the way the heater wasn't hooked up. Was only really needed in May.

marc_b · 10-18-2009, 05:44:56 PM

nice looking car. good luck with that new motor.

LeftHandPhil · 01-08-2010, 04:51:25 PM

Well the motor has been done for a while I am just lazy as f*ck. Here she is.
350 block .30 over
Scat 5140 internally balanced 400 crank
6" Scat forged I beam rods
Probe forged flat top pistons w/JHE rings
Erson Gear drive timing set
Lunati cam duration 249/259 @.050 Lift .543/.561
Moroso Roller Rockers w/stud girdles
Dart Iron Eagle heads 2.05/1.60
Weiand Team G intake
Speed Demon carb

I think she is 10:1 Comp or 10.5:1 should be a little more pump gas friendly than the 377 was.

Anybody have any benchracing horsepower guesses?

I will post some pictures when I get home. Also ordered some stainless brakelines, and did a bunch of painting in the engine bay. I need to go take some pictures.

Everything is ready to go back in after the brakelines are done, but its -20 today so it's going to have to wait.

LeftHandPhil · 01-08-2010, 09:24:47 PM

Here is the first start up.
http://s292.photobucket.com/albums/m...t=100_3008.flv
Some more of it running
http://s292.photobucket.com/albums/m...t=100_3009.flv
Here she is partially dressed. I need to touch up the paint and do something about the intake, it looks dingy ass hell now.

Got some POR 15 that stuffs the shiznit

Parts to clean

Before

After

My helper Oliver