[DeTomaso] Possible club/list/forum 351C dyno project?

[Garth Rodericks]

Great idea Dan!  Thanks for offering to do this. So, count me in!
   
  FWIW, I'd love to see the testing follow gradual simple changes first - headers, carb, intake 
  manifold, carb spacer, electronic ignition...  Then progress onto bigger changes - heads, 
  cam & lifters, etc.  The October 2006 issue of HotRod magazine did an article following a 
  similar process - "Junkyard Jewel: Pontiac 400" - and it was great to see just how much hp 
  they could massage out of a "tired" 400. 
   
  The started with a 100,000+ mile engine from the junkyard, then performed changes in stages:
   
  Stage 1: Baseline Tune Up
  336 lb-ft @ 2600 rpm
  247 hp @ 4300 rpm
  Cost: $138
   
  Stage 2: 1-5/8" Headers
  360 lb-ft @ 2900 rpm
  262 hp @ 4300 rpm
  Cost: $99
   
  Stage 3: Ignition Mods
  391 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
  274 hp @ 4400 rpm
  Cost: $95
   
  Stage 4: Cam & Valvetrain
  391 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
  326 hp @ 4800, 5000, and 5100 rpm
  Cost: $1135
   
  Stage 5: Rebuild Engine
  407 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
  352 hp @ 5300 rpm
  Cost: $1450
   
  Stage 6: Intake Manifold
  407 lb-ft @ 3800 and 4200 rpm
  361 hp @ 5300-5400 rpm
  Cost: $214
   
  Stage 7: Carb Swap
  419 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
  367 hp @ 5400 rpm
  Cost: $440
   
  Stage 8: Head Swap
  478 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm
  465 hp @ 5700-5800 rpm
  Cost: $2309
   
  I would have liked to see the stages start with only the bolt-on's and then progress to Cam and valvetrain, heads, rebuild, etc.  
   
  So, my recommendation would be to do something similar, but in the following order...
   
  Stage 1: Baseline tune-up
  Stage 2: Headers - Several types would be fun
  Stage 3: Ignition - Duraspark, Mallory Unilite, etc.
  Stage 4: Carb - I'd particularly like to see the Holley Avenger 670 tried, as well as a 600-750 cfm Demon.
  Stage 5: Intake manifolds - Stock cast iron, Blue Thunder; Edelbrock Performer, AirGap, Torker; Autolite inline (very cool! - I've seen it in your photo album); MadDawg's IR EFI; and others
  Stage 6: Cam & Valvetrain - maybe several different cams (I'm personally interested in more power, but not at the expense of daily driveability)
  Stage 7: Heads - Stock Open Chamber, Stock Close Chamber, A3's, CHI's, Edelbrocks, etc. (I think you've already done extensive flow and dyno testing on a number of heads, so no need to go sourcing expensive aftermarket units. but a comparison of the open and closed chamber 4V heads would be great)
  Stage 8: Rebuild - then ship to me in CA since my motor is at the end of it's life
  Seriously, probably not a need to "rebuild" for the sake of this test.
   
  Anyway, there's my 2-cents.
   
  Thanks!
  Garth
  www.banzairunnerpantera.com
   

       
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