Please help... Engine decision?

[Vegas69]

I'm a big block guy myself. I always wanted a 69 Camaro and big block growing up. All my cars had small blocks. I considered an LS7 but the old school convinced me otherwise. That's only a decision you can make. The LS motors are clearly the cheapest way to make good reliable power. EVERYBODY is doing it for a good reason. I'm just not everybody. Used big blocks go pretty damn cheap. You may want to consider buying one from a stalled project at a discount. Building a big block from scratch isn't cheap. Then I'd throw an EZ EFI on it for a mix of old school and new. A 489,496,502,509 will all make 550-600 ft lbs easily with a wimpy cam and keep you in that sweet spot for the EZ EFI. If you want to push the envelope and I wish I would've a little more. You can go mechanical cam and a little higher compression and make 650-700hp with a wilder combo. You just need to keep in mind that takes you into a more expenisive injection system and rules out power brakes completely. You will need to be super careful even with a hydaulic cam for power brakes.

[wedged]

dare to be different. All aluminum 540 cid crate Hemi

[70rs]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

I'm a big block guy myself. I always wanted a 69 Camaro and big block growing up. All my cars had small blocks. I considered an LS7 but the old school convinced me otherwise. That's only a decision you can make. The LS motors are clearly the cheapest way to make good reliable power. EVERYBODY is doing it for a good reason. I'm just not everybody. Used big blocks go pretty damn cheap. You may want to consider buying one from a stalled project at a discount. Building a big block from scratch isn't cheap. Then I'd throw an EZ EFI on it for a mix of old school and new. A 489,496,502,509 will all make 550-600 ft lbs easily with a wimpy cam and keep you in that sweet spot for the EZ EFI. If you want to push the envelope and I wish I would've a little more. You can go mechanical cam and a little higher compression and make 650-700hp with a wilder combo. You just need to keep in mind that takes you into a more expenisive injection system and rules out power brakes completely. You will need to be super careful even with a hydaulic cam for power brakes.

Nick,

Todd was a huge help in my big block design. As was a guy named Mike Lewis. He is also in Nor Cal. Look up Lewis Racing Engines. Between Mike and Todd I landed on a killer 489 build that should hit well over 600hp and run on pump gas without any troubles. Mike is a very good builder, can work up a good plan with your budget and goals in mind and has GREAT customer service too. He builds big blocks for a living and knows what he is doing. There are several guys on the Teamchevele.com forum running his engines. You can contact him at [email protected] or on the phone at 707-984-6103. He goes by the screen name "wolfplace" on Team Chevelle.com
Good luck with your project. Please let us know what you decide on.

[camcojb]

Originally Posted by 70rs

Nick,

Todd was a huge help in my big block design. As was a guy named Mike Lewis. He is also in Nor Cal. Look up Lewis Racing Engines. Between Mike and Todd I landed on a killer 489 build that should hit well over 600hp and run on pump gas without any troubles. Mike is a very good builder, can work up a good plan with your budget and goals in mind and has GREAT customer service too. He builds big blocks for a living and knows what he is doing. There are several guys on the Teamchevele.com forum running his engines. You can contact him at [email protected] or on the phone at 707-984-6103. He goes by the screen name "wolfplace" on Team Chevelle.com
Good luck with your project. Please let us know what you decide on.

I second the Mike Lewis recommendation, great guy to work with.

Jody

[70rs]

Originally Posted by camcojb

I second the Mike Lewis recommendation, great guy to work with.

Jody

I apologize Jody. You were the first to send me searching for Mike and I neglegted to mention that. Mike is a really good guy to work with.

[camcojb]

Originally Posted by 70rs

I apologize Jody. You were the first to send me searching for Mike and I neglegted to mention that. Mike is a really good guy to work with.

no reason to apologize, you were correct, Mike is one of the good guys.............

Jody

[awr68]

Yep, Jody sent me to Mike for my LT1 build and I can't thank him enough! Mike was a real pleasure to work with!!

[Nick.V70]

Ok so now we are talking about a carbed 540 BBC range. For something good and streetable but power on tap, what might be looking at spending for a set up from oil pan up before all the other needed upgrades to go with a swap like this. Just he complete motor, also are we talking getting a block and building it or just getting a crate motor from gm. What's the pros vs cons I should conseder?

By the way you guys are a great help, saving money in the end will be doing it once and not finding out I should have purchased something better for my personal use of what I want out of the motor.

[Nick.V70]

Also I will hheck this Mike guy out. I want to get a better direction before I start calling people so I have more feed back for them to help me.

[Vegas69]

A 540 will take you into aftermarket block territory. There was a recent article in one of the magazines on a 502 build up. Just a set of Dart Pro 1 heads like I run, around 10-1 compression, and not an overly radical cam. It made like 670hp and around 640 ftlbs. I looked for the article and couldn't find it. I'm sure Mike will point you in the right direction.