1979 Big 10 Engine & Transmission Upgrade

[Mark Jones]

My new goal is to make my Big 10 run 11.50 ETs at the drag strip. We did a complete rebuild of my Turbo 350 transmission and found several things my previous builder did that will slow the truck down, I believe the trans rebuild will be worth at least .2 off my ET. My new engine will be a .060 over 350 with a solid lifter cam and 291 double hump fuelie heads with 2.050/1.60 valves, Performer RPM air gap intake and a 850 Holley. MSD 6 AL ignition will be used. I will post pictures as I go.

 

[Vbb199]

Following

 

[peats]

Thumper cam for sure

 

[bucket]

Looking forward to pictures and specs!

 

[Craig Nedrow]

Mark is a great and careful machinist, have been following him because I learn from him, and he gets results.

 

[Mark Jones]

My heads are done some pictures, 291 casting fuelie heads.

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[Craig Nedrow]

Look great Mark. The shop where I work has been in the same location for about fifty years, and they are Chevy guys, have a bunch of 2.02's....watching the progress. What are the cam specs?

 

[Mark Jones]

Cam is a solid flat tappet 264 @ .050 .528 net lift, 108 lobe separation, with a 1.5 rocker, might go 1.6 on the intake, very mild lobes that will live on the street. My 327s cam was 480 240 @ .050.

 

[Itali83]

Very nice! I’ll be following too. I dream of building a serious drag truck from a square body too. I’d like to see how/what you do with the truck itself to get you to that goal.

Ben

 

[QBuff02]

I grew up in an engine shop so I can appreciate all the work and effort that's obviously being put into these heads! But I am curious with the affordability of good aftermarket heads (although they all have their pros and cons, and some require hours of rework right out of the box) why sticking with the old castings on a project like this? Is it a class rule thing or just because you can? And i'd like to add that is some of the nicest port work i've seen in a long time!

 

[Mark Jones]

I like production parts, no rules, I just want the engine to look like my older 327 did. I drive this truck a lot and enjoy it, its certainly no show truck, we just like it how it is, a picture of the old 327.

 

[Shorty81]

TOTALLY agree!!

 

[Mark Jones]

Done, now dyno testing then installing it in the truck.

 

[Mark Jones]

Dyno test of the new 350

537 HP
504 TQ

Looks like my truck is going to run mid 11s. My old 327 made:

447 HP
400 TQ

Now the question is: will it run 1.4 60 foots with the factory 2 piece drive shaft?

 

[bucket]

Killer mouse! I'm curious at what RPM those peaks were?