Made it on the road!

[ron19]

Well, I finally got her out on the road. This little monster has a bit of attitude when it comes to cruisin. She's got a bit of a lope at idle and when I've opened her up, she hammers down! I'm really happy with it. I took my Dad for a ride on Fathers Day, he had a smile ear to ear. It's really awesome opening it up with those truck arms underneath, the whole back end kind of lifts up and even with an open rearend, she hooks up pretty good. I can't wait to see how it hooks when I get the Eaton posi in it this winter.......

Thanks to everyone on this board that has a project going and shares it here, that's what kept me inspired while getting this one to this point for the past 1-1/2 years.

[Captainfab]

That's a great feeling when you finally get to drive it isn't it?

Truck is looking good, engine looks good too. If I might ask where did you get the air cleaner?

You need to post a video!

[bubba327]

looking good!!!

[4dranch]

cool father's day gift ..

[daverod]

That's got to feel great. I can't wait to hammer down on mine. Watch out for the men in black.

[ChiefRocka]

Originally Posted by daverod

That's got to feel great. I can't wait to hammer down on mine. Watch out for the men in black.

Thats cool man !!

[Corts60]

Awesome! I really like the way those original TT wheels and white letter tires look with your stance. Are you keeping that style?

[MacAttack]

Ron - sweet ride. Very stout and it looks like it will punish the pavement.

Mac.

[Frizzle Fry]

Congrats!

[protrash64]

No replies...........must be out driving at a high rate of speed

[Alan's Classic]

It's always nice to hear about someone driving theirs. Nice progress. I have probably already ask you some where (I think I PM'd you in the past, I can't remember), but are those shorty headers?

Congrats!!

[shortbed70]

Congrats man it must be rewarding.

[scotts62]

Congrats! It looks good!

[ron19]

Thanks for the replies guys! Sorry I haven't gotten back on here, but been a busy holiday weekend and yes, definately took it out and laid down some rubber. I've now made up to a 60mile journey, so I'm getting more faith to venture out further.

A couple quick followups, yes I'm going to keep the TT's. When I tear down the rear of the truck this winter, I'm looking to install an Eaton posi, disc brakes, 5 - lug axles, new stock car style panhard bar and TT's on the back.

The air cleaner is a circle track stock car type. As I've spent the better part of the last 20 years racing stock cars, that's what I know and you can see a lot of the influence in the truck: Air cleaner, power steering pump style, pulley types, water pump mods, tubular uppers and steering mods.

Alan, you did ask, those are long style headers. I've got a pic of how low they sit. At the height my truck is at, I don't have any issues, but I don't think I could lower it anymore without having problems.

Thanks again to all those who post on this board.

[72BlckButy]

Looking good!

But where's the burnout video...

[steverino66]

Congrats. That's SO cool - this morning I finally made it to the grass lot next door to my garage, drove back and forth for a about 5 minutes for the first time since stuffing the 454 in mine last year - I got the brakes adjusted well enough to stop without crunching something, even the wife was excited!

[ruffrida2005]

Nice truck, Can you give us a little info on the SB you have. How do you like that fuel pump. I have the same one but didn't know how good it is.

[ron19]

Originally Posted by ruffrida2005

Nice truck, Can you give us a little info on the SB you have. How do you like that fuel pump. I have the same one but didn't know how good it is.

Fuel pump works good, no problems so far. As for the engine, it's a 400 small block chevy. Bored .030 over, Eagle cast steel crank, Scat I beam rods, JE forged pistons. AFR 190cc heads, Ultradyne .518 .530 solid lift cam, Edlebrock RPM Airgap manifold, shaft rockers, Holley 750 street hp carb, MSD billet distributor. Hedman 1-3/4 headers, 2-1/2" exhaust flowing through flowmaster 40 series mufflers. Everything I calculated puts it a bit over 500hp.

Extras on the engine: Road race champ pan, Edlebrock street fuel pump, alumimum long style water pump, GM cast alum valve covers, Moroso Blue Max spark plug wires, Quarter Master super starter, aluminum stock car style pulleys, Cloyes hex adjust true roller timing chain, Cast aluminum timing chain cover, Fluidampr harmonic balancer, Mellings hi volume oil pump.... that's all I can think of right now...

[ruffrida2005]

sounds like one heck of a motor. Bet you dont get real good gas miliage!

[ron19]

Originally Posted by ruffrida2005

sounds like one heck of a motor. Bet you dont get real good gas miliage!

Ya, it gets terrible gas mileage, worse than my big block 2500. But I didn't build it for gas mileage and it's pretty hard to keep your foot out it when it sounds that good. Also, I have a 4 speed, so when I'm on the highway, at 65mph I'm taching 3600 rpm. That's not so good for gas either......

[Captainfab]

I'm curious...did you have to mod the clutch bellcrank with those Hedman Hedders?

[ron19]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I'm curious...did you have to mod the clutch bellcrank with those Hedman Hedders?

Actually, I had originally planned to go with a slave cylinder from the beginning, so I didn't care if it would clear or not. But I installed the headers on the engine while still on the engine stand (posted pics a while back on it) and they looked like there would be plenty of room for the bellcrank. There is a clear path to the mounting hole. If you would like, I could post the pics again, or do a search for my posts and they should be there.

[joe231]

Nice progress!!


is your '02 8.1L a monster?

I want one of those

[Captainfab]

Originally Posted by ron19

Actually, I had originally planned to go with a slave cylinder from the beginning, so I didn't care if it would clear or not. But I installed the headers on the engine while still on the engine stand (posted pics a while back on it) and they looked like there would be plenty of room for the bellcrank. There is a clear path to the mounting hole. If you would like, I could post the pics again, or do a search for my posts and they should be there.

Thanks for jogging my memory.....I posted a few times in that thread too. I see you are running some extra plumbing from the water pump to the block. Can you elaborate on that? I assume that is a circle track water pump?

[ron19]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Thanks for jogging my memory.....I posted a few times in that thread too. I see you are running some extra plumbing from the water pump to the block. Can you elaborate on that? I assume that is a circle track water pump?

Hey Captainfab, very good observation. That is a trick I learned from Circle track racing. Back when I used a stock block 400 sbc, we found that the center cylinders, and temp in general, ran a quite a bit hotter than a 350. Especially when your hammering on them. An old machine shop guy turned my Dad onto this fix, drill and tap the top (pressure) part of the water pump, plumb lines from that to the bottom, center port on the block. The block always had pipe plugs there. This pushes cool water in between the "siamese" cylinders in the 400, up through the steam holes into the head. If you don't have steam holes, for the street they need to be drilled, for all out racing, it is good, but not absolutely neccesary. This drops the temp considerably. With the setup I have, my engine runs about 160 degrees. Should be a long life motor like that.