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halflingsrock80 · 05-18-2010, 02:33 PM

Judging by the other posts here this might be a first! I have posted this in other "muscle car" forums and basically everyone knows how to make a car get 400horsepower and 8 MPG, but NOBODY knows how to make a muscle car that is a good balance of Horseys AND Not a total hog.

I am looking into changing my green-unfriendly muscle care into a "greener" car. My goals are to get the MOST "bang for the buck" out of every Cubic inch of the SBC 350. The car was never a computer controlled car and never had an o2 sensor. It was the LAST of that type of car from GM in 1980 sold outside of CA. Where I live now there are no smog regulations and zero testing, so whatever I do is safe as far as "legal", but I want to get the max fuel MPG and also cut down on Co2 emissions. P.S. My Daily Drive is a 2009 Jetta with 34MPG. This is just a project car!

Mission Objectives:
1. Use existing GM 350 Hencho En Mexico short block with no modificaitons
2. Use existing 600 CFM Edelbrock 1406 carb and Performer EGR Intake (currently plugged with included cap as I dont think my heads have the needed crossover?), flowtech headers, dual exhaust, MSD pro billet distributer (no multispark setup....yet)
3. Still use 87 octane gas
4. Idle smooth, not wake the neighborhood, be useful around town and get reasonable MPG of 12+ city, 17ish Highway (or better) (i have a TH350 tranny (tranmission, not cross dresser!) and 3:42 rear gears)

Preliminary research:
1. Edelbrock heads and CAM seem to be a good deal.
Question: Do I go with the 50 State Legal heads? Or the E-street series? The 50 state ones allow EGR, i.e. will that help increase mileage and smooth idle? OR do the newer style heads burn less fuel more efficiently for a more complete burn thus making ERG on this type of engine obsolete? or overkill?

2. I am sitting at 76cc heads and 8.5:1 compression. I am Thinking of using 70cc heads. That should be around 9:1 compression. I think...
Question: Can I still run 87 Octane? if so what do I have to look out for to avoid detonation? Will running higher octane help or change nothing?

3. Comp Cams has nice Ultra Gold rockers at stock ratios for much more reasonable price than Edelbrock, AND lifetime warranty.
Question: Will those mate up nice on the Edelbrock heads and increase horsepower? or should I stick with Stock rockers? Is 1.5 or 1.6 the correct stock ratio that the Edelbrock head require?

4. go with a matched Double Roller timing chain
Question, will that fit on my Hench En Mexico block without modification?

05-18-2010, 02:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
halflingsrock80 EcoModding Lurker Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chicago Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Building a SBC for both POWER AND MPG Judging by the other posts here this might be a first! I have posted this in other "muscle car" forums and basically everyone knows how to make a car get 400horsepower and 8 MPG, but NOBODY knows how to make a muscle car that is a good balance of Horseys AND Not a total hog. I am looking into changing my green-unfriendly muscle care into a "greener" car. My goals are to get the MOST "bang for the buck" out of every Cubic inch of the SBC 350. The car was never a computer controlled car and never had an o2 sensor. It was the LAST of that type of car from GM in 1980 sold outside of CA. Where I live now there are no smog regulations and zero testing, so whatever I do is safe as far as "legal", but I want to get the max fuel MPG and also cut down on Co2 emissions. P.S. My Daily Drive is a 2009 Jetta with 34MPG. This is just a project car! Mission Objectives: 1. Use existing GM 350 Hencho En Mexico short block with no modificaitons 2. Use existing 600 CFM Edelbrock 1406 carb and Performer EGR Intake (currently plugged with included cap as I dont think my heads have the needed crossover?), flowtech headers, dual exhaust, MSD pro billet distributer (no multispark setup....yet) 3. Still use 87 octane gas 4. Idle smooth, not wake the neighborhood, be useful around town and get reasonable MPG of 12+ city, 17ish Highway (or better) (i have a TH350 tranny (tranmission, not cross dresser!) and 3:42 rear gears) Preliminary research: 1. Edelbrock heads and CAM seem to be a good deal. Question: Do I go with the 50 State Legal heads? Or the E-street series? The 50 state ones allow EGR, i.e. will that help increase mileage and smooth idle? OR do the newer style heads burn less fuel more efficiently for a more complete burn thus making ERG on this type of engine obsolete? or overkill? 2. I am sitting at 76cc heads and 8.5:1 compression. I am Thinking of using 70cc heads. That should be around 9:1 compression. I think... Question: Can I still run 87 Octane? if so what do I have to look out for to avoid detonation? Will running higher octane help or change nothing? 3. Comp Cams has nice Ultra Gold rockers at stock ratios for much more reasonable price than Edelbrock, AND lifetime warranty. Question: Will those mate up nice on the Edelbrock heads and increase horsepower? or should I stick with Stock rockers? Is 1.5 or 1.6 the correct stock ratio that the Edelbrock head require? 4. go with a matched Double Roller timing chain Question, will that fit on my Hench En Mexico block without modification?