I Want to use the Best Parts. Please advise.

Hi,

I have a 72 Chevelle 350 motor going in my 82 El Co and I want to put worry free parts on it so that I do not have to wrench to keep it on the road in the future. I am going to buy a new fuel pump and water pump. My plan is to go with a mechanical fuel pump I do not know if it makes a difference to go down to napa auto parts and pick one up or get a holly or edelbrock fuel pump. Next I plan on using an normal cast water pump. Again should I just go down to Napa and get one or is there a pump worth getting. I will appreciate any help, knowledge, or advice.

Coop

Oh, I am also planning on using the old cast corvette ram horn exhaust manifolds. What do you think.

Coop,

The term "the best" is a subjective matter, to be sure. What exactly are looking for from your 350? How much power? Intended driving conditions?

Whether or not a stock fuel pump will be adequate is determiend by your power requirements.

The ram's horns ("center dump") with the 2 1/4" outlet are the "best" factory exhaust manifolds IF they fit your chassis.

Give more detail about the application.

Ji

The machinist said the motor should put out about 280 hp. The carb is a holly 650 with aluminum intake. The truck has been a daily driver and I take it everywhere all of the time. My trans plan is to go for a TH 400 R to get the smoothes and most efficient ride possible. I am looking for long term reliability. Allot of the parts off of my dead 305 will fit but I want to put it together so I am not replacing parts for another 30 years. The 305 distributor should work fine with a quick rebuild right.

I also need a starter and alternator.

You say the center dumps might not fit. Do you know any way to tell without having to buy the manifolds. They are a little spendy to have and not use.

Coop

It seems to me, no, the center-dump manifolds won't fit the G-body frame. I know the rear-swept "truck" ram's horns DO fit, as they're illegal in a certain circle track class I build for. They are a bit smaller at 2". Call a wrecking yard with an interchange manual and they MAY be able to tell you. A local Chevy "guru" would be the best person to ask.

What is a TH 400 R? Are you refering to the Turbo-Hydramatic (TH) 400? That's a 3-speed heavy duty auto trans. Or maybe TH700-R4? That's a 4-speed (OD) auto, light-to-medium duty.

Knowing what intake it is would be helpful. There are dozens of aluminum intakes for SBC.

Next? Internal engine parts? "Bolt ons"? Be more specific.

Jim

Yah the trans I want to go with is the TH700-R4 Sorry I was thinking of something else when I typed that. The manifold is edelbrock and looking back so is the carb. The intake looks like the stock intake accept it is aluminum I do not think there is any rise to it. You know I am not sure about the cam( I know it is mild), bore, or compression. I got it from a friend who is a mechanic and had the work done at a machine shop. He sold his Chevelle before he got the motor back. I am sure it is steel pistons and solid rockers and lifters (not roller or Hydraulic) I am looking to get the 18 mpg that I have been getting with the 305 so if I need to change some things I will. My main concern is getting good quality parts with a good warranty. There are so many brands and beyond that there are a tone of no name parts. I will post more on the cam and compression.

Another option for cast exhaust would be the later LT1 parts. They tend to get a little thin and can crack near the rear cylinder outlets, so inspect them closely. They exit toward the rear (well clear of the K member) , which is nearly the stock location for your chassis.

The pistons are most likely aluminum, not steel, but they may be forged.

If you want maximum MPG, consider getting a good handle on the cam specs. Without knowing the cam profile and the heads you are using, selecting and setting up a fuel system is all but useless.

Ideally, you would use a dual-pattern cam grind with hydraulic rollers, suitable for the intended application. Any flat-tappet cam will require special lubrication, since typical passenger car engine oils no longer contain adequate extreme pressure lubricant additives.

Solid lifters are fine as long as you don't mind adjusting every few thousand miles, but a good hydraulic lifter will do just as well if not better. And you can't just change to hydraulic, since the cam pre-lash ramps are entirely different for a solid lifter cam grind.

On a positive note, if the cam is intended for solid lifters, it likely has a fairly aggressive profile, otherwise it would be unnecessary, even in a "retro/nostalgia" build. In any case, with either solid or hydraulic flat tappets, you'll need to add EP ingredients or use a heavy duty truck oil to provide protection. I've recently seen two Crane cams with wiped lobes in less than 10,000 miles, and one with a wiped fuel pump lobe (which was mostly unheard of in the past).

Have you considered EFI instead of a carb? The included ECM would also be suitable for controlling the lockup on the trans, and fuel mileage would improve along with power and driveability.

I have thought of throttle body injection. I will get the details to my motor thank you for your input