No more Road for the Runner!

[Sixtynine_Bird]

I just took my bird out on the highway (600km round trip) with my new 4:10 gears. 110km/h - 68mph - at about 3400rpm. But I do have the 275/60 R15 tires on the rear which help a bit.

Ok thanks for the feedback, we are also planning on running 275/60 R15 tires out back, so maybe we'll drop to 3000/3200rpm...

 

[RonLiv]

Hello guys,

I have some news regarding the engine. So the 400 block is stroked to a 451ci. It has a couple thousands miles on it. The engine will be disassembled and sonic tested to see if everything is good. The valve springs will be changed as well as the camshaft and lifters. Every gasket will be changed too. It has indy heads 440-1, indy intake and valley pan and a Milodon oil pan.
Buying this engine and refurbished it to as new condition will cost the same as if we go with our 383 and make it a stroker to 438ci from 440 source.

We are right now on a lot of thinking pros and cons. Staying with the 383 is more in the spirit on how we built the car, meaning that the car if you look at it without paying attention it'll look like a stock roadrunner with 15inch steelies, original interior and exterior, but if you start looking closer you'll find out that the car is everything but stock. No one is gonna notice that the engine has been stroked until we would race it from a stop light lol.

On the other hand, the 400ci has some parts like the heads and oil pan that we can not afford for the 383.

I would like to keep the 383 in the car, but the 400 is a good compromise too. I don't know lol can't make up my mind...

Also once the engine is done, we are not planning on modify it anymore, the car will stay as it is for a long long time.

Tough call. Good luck with the decision. I don't think there is a wrong one.

 

[Russ69Runner]

So just to ask what will change with motor mount's-Fan clearance- inner fender clearance- mounting the transmission. Would that much stuff change. Alinement of components. How much will you have to do too make the swap. This is things to consider I found out putting different motors in a vehicle. I am with you buddy on getting what you want. If you turn the 383 into a stroker would it cost that much over putting the 400ci swap in it. Just a few two cent's worth of thought's.

 

[Sixtynine_Bird]

Thanks RonLiv we then have to figure it out.

Those are good points Russ you're right, think I can answer to two of your questions and the third one I didn't thought of it. But we asked to the engine guy and he told us that we can bolt our bellhousing and 4 speed right into place on that 400ci and the motor mounts are the same. However I didn't thought about the inner fender clearance. Can some of you double approved that?
Thanks guy

 

[Sixtynine_Bird]

Here are a couple of pics of the front end painted. We forgot t take pictures while it was in primer, but we used the same green epoxy primer that we used on the car and other parts that you have seen during our build.

 

[Sixtynine_Bird]

Here is the rest of it :

 

[RonLiv]

Thanks RonLiv we then have to figure it out.

Those are good points Russ you're right, think I can answer to two of your questions and the third one I didn't thought of it. But we asked to the engine guy and he told us that we can bolt our bellhousing and 4 speed right into place on that 400ci and the motor mounts are the same. However I didn't thought about the inner fender clearance. Can some of you double approved that?
Thanks guy

This may have been answered all ready, I'm too lazy to look back through this thread, after all there are 18 pages of it. But if you decide on the 400 do you still get to keep the 383? Or is trading that back part of the cost to acquire the 400block? If you get to keep the 383, and the cost to do both engines is the same, I'd go with the 400, and you still have the 383 as a back up plan if it turns out the 400 isn't what you want, or sell it, or use it for a future project.

 

[Sixtynine_Bird]

This may have been answered all ready, I'm too lazy to look back through this thread, after all there are 18 pages of it. But if you decide on the 400 do you still get to keep the 383? Or is trading that back part of the cost to acquire the 400block? If you get to keep the 383, and the cost to do both engines is the same, I'd go with the 400, and you still have the 383 as a back up plan if it turns out the 400 isn't what you want, or sell it, or use it for a future project.

This has not been answered yet or asked.
But yes, if we go for the 400ci we will keep our 383 block and you are right, it then could be a back up plan.
So yes we do get to keep the 383 and the cost to do both engines is roughly the same.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Really nice job on the K member. Is that the hotchkis member. Looks really beefy. This was what you where waiting on being shipped form the state's?

 

[Sixtynine_Bird]

this is absolutely what I was waiting on being shipped from the states since February, gad it finally arrived.
This is not the hotchkiss member (didn't know that they were doing one), this is the Transformer Kmember from MagnumForce. Those LCA's are huge! Was really impressed by that. Welds looked good, and yes it looks like it is beefy.
Can't wait to have it all assembled. Only once thing was missing, the bushing for the rack and pinion. Called them and they shipped it to my address, now I am waiting for these to arrive.

Now we will let it dry for at least a week, then start the assembly of the LCA's the rack&pinion once we received the bushings. Then once the car is home will do a mock assembly on the car without the engine to see if everything goes well and finally we will see the bird back on all 4! And will check the stance! Can't wait for that too.

 

[RonLiv]

This has not been answered yet or asked.
But yes, if we go for the 400ci we will keep our 383 block and you are right, it then could be a back up plan.
So yes we do get to keep the 383 and the cost to do both engines is roughly the same.

Then I think you go ahead with the 400. Keep the 383 in your pocket. If the 400 works out like you want, then either sell the 383 or save it for another project. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezey.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Darn another parts snail mailed. Hope you get the bushings PDQ. Yes I would hang on to that 383. Like I said have not gotten into my motor yet. You never know what you will find. But hope it is not like the car it's self. Hoping that all I have to do is seal and gasket it. Will put new water pump on and look at the bushing and gear for the distributor. It sounded fine and figured the guy that had it before me put most of the money in the motor no it is 30 over. Good luck and keep us up on the build. Russ.

 

[RKNRLR]

sounds like a tough choice. That Indy top end sounds real nice.
Good luck with that one, Sir.

 

[RKNRLR]

Ok thanks for the feedback, we are also planning on running 275/60 R15 tires out back, so maybe we'll drop to 3000/3200rpm...

same tires on a 3:55 rear ratio was running about 2700/2800 at the same speed.

 

[Sixtynine_Bird]

Thank you guys for all your comments and advice. This is helpful.

Russ normally I should received these bushings this week, so that is cool, I'll take some pictures during the assembly of the kmember and post them here.

Ok nice sounds good RKNRLR!

 

[Sixtynine_Bird]

I have another question for you guys lol

I am planing to do the new year eve at San Francisco this year, does anyone leave near by or anyone knows well that city?
Do you have any tips on where to go or where to sleep out there? or where is the place to be for the 31st?

I am landing in Los Angeles on the 25th then go all the way up taking route 1 to San Francisco. My plan is to arrive the 30 and then live the 2nd and going back to LA with another route, maybe going around national parks the way down.

And of course to answer the question I'm sure all of you are asking for, yes I did rent a Mopar for the trip lol

 

[69hemibeep]

Ive only been to San Francisco once and if you are driving make sure the place you stay has parking. Public transportation is the only way to get around because there is no place to park and get out to look. I wish we had bought tickets to Alcatraz ahead of time I really wanted to see it but it books up several days out.

 

[quikbird]

highly recommend visiting Remington house in san jose( south san Francisco, all one big city)lots of fun

 

[69hemibeep]

highly recommend visiting Remington house in san jose( south san Francisco, all one big city)lots of fun

We did that

 

[Sixtynine_Bird]

All right thanks for the advice guys.
Bob I followed what you said and I booked an hotel not that far from downtown and it has a free parking access for hotel guests.

Ok will check San Jose then on my way up to San Francisco