Dreamin Ta's
 

So I've been laying low unti I get my hip replaced
So finally spent some time looking for my Farm Truck
Took a trip down to Bakersfield and made the deal on a
1963 GMC truck. Full of patina with a rebuilt 350 and gear drive
Plans are to lower, disc brakes and shorten the bed
Just want a cruiser instead of all the go fast stuff

Bob

Nice score, Bob! Good luck with the new hip. When does it go in?

Dreamin Ta's
 

Trey,
Thanks... going to see the surgeon tomorrow and will see how soon
I can get things going

I figure while recovering I can figure out a lot of things on
what to do on the truck, watch videos, get parts ordered etc
My wife is going to be watching me so I don't start working
on things too early:)

Shop down the street from mine is Slabsides and they have
a couple of these old trucks slammed etc... got me wanting one
even more every time I drove by... They have the logo on the
side of the truck.... I am thinking of doing one for mine Benz Sidezzz
Lots of my friends called me Benz or Benny

Bob

Sounds like a good plan to me. Good luck, Bob!

Dreamin Ta's
 

So after almost 13 years it was time to pull the Pantera
Engine... it is a dart block, brodix headed 400" motor
Might use my Bryant crank and destroke it to 366" or
just up the size slightly from the 400"... not sure I want
to give up the torque although my buddy says an 8500 rpm
short stoke engine is killer... still on the fence

It will get a compression bump to 11/1 and a solid roller instead
of the flat tappet and finally go to shaft rockers... will see what
it looks like in the tear down

The Green Pantera in the background is my buddies that will be
receiving an SVO alum 427 short block with Afr heads so it was
time to keep up with the Jones:)

Bob

I have had MANY engines - small block big inch strokers.... big blocks.... high revving and everything in between.


What I look for in a STREET motor is torque at Low RPMS.....


What I look for in my track cars -- QUICK REVVING (meaning lightweight internals and flywheel/clutch etc) -- and they don't start running until 3500 RPM and smooth out about 4000 RPMS..... Race gas/high compression.... but they don't have to rev that high. I shift the Mustang at 7,000 RPM's even though it makes power to 7,400. I also rebuild it after every season. It's a 355 cubic inch Ford R block.... and makes 590 hp and makes 486 TQ at 5300.... and is still making 434 TQ at 7,000


My dyno pulls START at 4,000 RPMs



Talk to Tony Borello at Borello Race Engines - (530) 333-4752 - He's in the bay area

Dreamin Ta's
 

Thanks Greg
Would love to make it a race/track engine only... problem
is I do drive it a lot on the street so that is telling me keep
the torque with the stroker... my buddy back east who builds
a lot of cars and runs them put a destroked motor in his Pantera
and loves it....We ran together briefly at Texas world speedway
until he had a clutch line blow.. He does street drive it but not
sure how much

Bob

That was my point ---- if you want to enjoy it at all on the street -- stick with low end torque - because that's what's FUN to drive....


I would absolutely HATE my high strung race motor on the street.... it would be AWFUL. But on that track -- sings....

Build for a broad power band, Bob. There's no reason you can't build an engine that pulls from about 2000 to 6500 with 400 cu inches on hand. Now, you may have to lower your power goals overall to achieve this but you'll still make plenty of power for the street.

I love the power band on my 383 LT1. Pulls great everywhere yet cruises no problem at 2000 rpm on the highway. Even pulls up hills in sixth gear from 55 mph without issues. It rips to 6500, too. Constantly having to ring out the engine to go is no fun.

On a side note, damn does your car look good.

Dreamin Tas
 

Trey,
The 400 that I pulled has been one of the best engines
I have ever had... I run it to 7500, it has low end, top end
and with the 5 speed that the Pantera came with I just slightly
bumped up the top gear. The car cruising at 165 in the SilverState
still was only 5700 rpm. My biggest problem has been trying to make
my firebird close to this car... not an easy thing as they were at
one time 700 lbs in weight difference... Bird has been on a diet again
so will see how much I shaved this time

Bob