BC

And all it cost was 60 dollars.....

So Far.

I will have to be towing the 928 alot. If I keep the 86 tub it will be even more towing, more than the minium which will be my towing of the 78 all around for stuff that needs to be done like exhaust, headers (built on the car), etc - stuff that could more easily be done just before the car is done if I tow it there....



NOW that the 928 portion of my post is done so that I can stay on topic in this forum -

The DARK side - is the chevy Tahoe I have. I will need to tow at least 4500 pounds probably - maybe more, depending on the trailer weight.

So I bought a whole bunch of Big Block parts for 60 dollars. I already emailed Hammer, one of the resident domestic motor guys. I really, honestly, have very little idea what I am doing with this stuff. It doesn't come out of my head as detailed and perfectly as the 928 tech info I have ingrained on my soul. Spring heights, piston sizes, cam specs - I have to learn all new info if I am going to buy the right parts to put this BBC engine together.

For 60 dollars, I got:

2 sets of Iron heads, one with a bigger chamber than the other - the smaller chamber was referred to as the "newer" set. They both have valves in them, and one set has rockers and things.
2 sets of "very" long rods.
1 very good shape 454 block with 2 bolt mains
1 dual plane intake manifold.
1 set of aluminum pistons that look "very big"


I was referred to PAW, which has some very good pieces and prices. Ebay seems to have some very good deals as well.

I want to build the motor to put in the tahoe so I can two my 928s easily and without having to hope and pray... as I climb hills.

largecar379

Brendan----

I will try to help you regain your sanity......

The Tahoe is fully capable of pulling your 928 (with all of the parts put back in it) and a trailer to haul it on.

sell the BBC parts to someone who has need.

(the big chamber heads are good for racing, bad for towing. the 2 bolt main block is good for a truck motor, bad for a race motor. the dual plane intake is perfect for a truck motor, but sucks for anything over 6000rpms. rods and pistons are probably just stock smog parts, but what difference does it make....? None, in your case ?)

I have towed the Quick 16 car and a 28 foot enclosed trailer with my Tahoe for years. (it's a little unstable at 80 mph, but would be better if it was a Suburban due to the longer wheelbase.)

I towed the Euro on my open trailer with ease behind my Tahoe.

Since I finally bought my dually, there is nothing I can't tow......up to 12,000 lbs., probably 15,000 if I push it. If I pull anything bigger than that, I've got three Peterbilts to choose from---but I digress.

Forget the big block. You'll have to change trannies to take advantage of shoving a BBC in the Tahoe, but that's just the start of it. Exhaust, tranny cooler, torque converter, drive shaft, brakes, ad nauseum......nothing in your Tahoe is rated to handle the torque of the BBC, unless your Tahoe is a 3/4 ton version.

I still have my Tahoe, and can tow with it anytime, but you're headed down a path that's seriously costly and won't gain anything by swapping the BBC for the SBC that's already in it.


My .25 cents worth----

--Russ

FBIII

If you do this you are going to be really pissed at how cheap it is to build an engine with over 500 hp and 500 lbs of torque. 15 years ago they started building 1/4 inch strokers using 60 over pistons that created the 496 or 502. They did it with stock rods, pedestrian open chamber cylinder heads from the early 70's that had oversize valves and they used the 2 bolt block. The only "expensive" part at the time was the forged stroker crank. Today they can be had for about five hundred dollars and I think they are also available as a casting which should make it even cheaper. I think John Lingenfelder pioneered a lot of work in this area. I had been saving a lot of parts to build a similar engine but recently got rid of them when I lost garage space. I think I might still have some artlicles related to the engine builds I might be able to locate and give to you.

largecar379

true, but it's an exercise that our friend in San Diego doesn't really need to do, unless the engine in his Tahoe is torn up......

My Tahoe has over 165,000 miles on it, has never been rebuilt or reworked (it's all stock) and still hauls a 928 w/car trailer if necessary (I use my dually now).

--Russ

JHowell37

I hauled my 928 back from TN on a flatbed trailer. My tow vehicle was a '96 Explorer 5.0 bone stock. The hitch receiver was rated at 5000lbs with a 500lb tongue. I added a weight distributing hitch which upped the hitch capacity to 8000lbs with a 800lb tongue weight just to be on the safe side and keep the front of the Explorer on the ground. I'm not sure what the max limit is on the Explorer, but tow ratings are usually marketing BS anyway.

The bottom line is if I can tow a complete 928 600 miles up and down 5-6% grades without incident in an old beat-to-**** Explorer you can tow a 928 across town with a Tahoe.

largecar379

my point exactly------

--Russ

Landseer

Brendan,

Summit Racing is also reliable for parts.

Do you intend to simultanously trailer both the 928's? That's a lot of weight. I can understand your reasons to want more power and a reliable engine. The rear end ratio might be another important consideration.

My 6 liter suburban is great for flat terrain towing, but it has the wrong rear for mountain towing and struggles with my ski boat (about 3500 lbs w/trailer). Have somebody with specific knowledge evaluate your gear ratio on paper compared to what the ideal towing options would be for your tahoe.

The other real important (more important) consideration is brakes. The 2500 burb has huge disc brakes, not sure about the tahoe. I'll be you can do a brake upgrade inexpensively and feel safer with the rig.

All said, despite the thrill of building the new engine (which you should do anyway for the hell of it) and upgrading brakes ( you can't go wrong on this), I wonder if you might be able to simply find a used heavyduty tow vehicle, maybe a 3/4 ton, for next to nothing in the current market.

We're seeing so many burbs for sale we are thinking of picking-up another just to have it.

FBIII

I think this issue with Brendan is more "wants to" as opposed to "needs to." Look at all his 928's. Has he ever left one stock?

Ispeed

His next ride should be a tow truck with the hood welded shut so it will not get disassembled!!!



J/K

BPG_Austin

Brendan, you can build that bigblock and ship it over to me. My wagoneer is ready for a rebuild too. Build me a torquer, I need it for crawling the rocks here in Texas.

foamcores's off the mill.

jleidel

I hauled my little 928 project home with the wife's car. 2003 Excursion... aka, the Bulldozer. With a full UHaul flatbed car hauler loaded with the car, the Excursion didn't even burp. Of course, the only thing I don't pass is a gas station [with my 55 gallon tank!!].

Dennis Wilson

Yep, take a stock 454 short block, add pre 73 409 heads, 2 Carter AFB's and a Mark VII cam and you'll have plenty of torque and HP. You will also need to upgrade the brakes, since you will have to stop at every other gas station.

Dennis

BC

All good points.

My tahoe has an interesting character. It may be one of the few Chevy trucks where the paint somehow outlasted the machanicals. The engine has dropped a cylinder - so its running on 7.

The rear end has about 1/4 inch of play in the pinion. The transmission is okay right now, but if I tow much more, its going to blow anyway.

So... That said, I want a big block. I am careful that it doesn't push me off the deep end, but I admit I am one of those people that when I want to do something in a certain way, logic may take a back seat - if I LIKE the idea. (See Powdercoated suspension and TT under the 928 - Crazy but cool)

So, that said - the big block is the plan. I have the big chamber heads, and the small chamber heads. I will measure the rods because that will determine if I can get a stroker crank.

BC

Love the comments guys, keep them comming. This should be fun, and it seems like if I keep it under 800hp, everything will stay together.

This guy also has a Dana 60 rear end that I can pick up cheap - so I may do that today. I will have to relocate the spring perches - is that a big deal?

BC

How can I figure out what heads I have bought? Does anyone do standard CNC porting on Iron heads?