51 replies to this topic

[Struggler]

Thanks struggler that helps, so maybe a 304 with a carby manifold so it removes all the fuel injection gear and get better flow to all cyc. Do you keep the computer though for the ignition or can you put on a commo HEI like you said on a 304???

An aftermarket manifold, with the 90 degree throttle body adapter off a V6 and a V8 TB works a treat with EFI.

Sorry, no idea on legalities.

[LhMusL]

Does having a single plane or dual plane manifold make an difference on a FI application???? The GRA single carb with 90 bend out to the side look sh%t, what about plenum box on top where the petrol carb usually sits and the GRA carb sticking into the side or front of that. That could look interesting????
What about the ignition side: computer or HEI??
Sorry don't follow with the "90 degree throttle body adapter off a V6"
Sorry for all the q's dude

[Struggler]

Are you planning on running straight LPG on this thing ?

[LhMusL]

Does it matter/whats better dual or single plane on a FI application? any benfits?? The GRA single carb 90' bend to the side setup look sh%t i recon, what about building a plenum box to go where the petrol carb sits, then have the GRA carb sticking out to the side or front of that??? Could look interesting....
Sorry dont get what you mean with "90 degree throttle body adapter off a V6"
So do you keep the computer then or run commo HEI on a straight LPG 304?
Sorry for all the q's dude

[LhMusL]

YES
Sorry didn't think first post went through

[LhMusL]

BUmp

[Struggler]

Does it matter/whats better dual or single plane on a FI application? any benfits?? The GRA single carb 90' bend to the side setup look sh%t i recon, what about building a plenum box to go where the petrol carb sits, then have the GRA carb sticking out to the side or front of that??? Could look interesting....
Sorry dont get what you mean with "90 degree throttle body adapter off a V6"
So do you keep the computer then or run commo HEI on a straight LPG 304?
Sorry for all the q's dude

If using LPG you need as much manifold volume as you can find, use a single plane.

I would lose the GRA stuff and use a Impco 425 or 2, with a carb bonnet/hat.

A V6 engine has a 90 degree adapter so the throttle body doesnt hit the firewall. I have used these to mount a standard VN throttle body to a Harrop style intake.

With straight LPG use a c/dore HEI with locked advance.

Hope this helps, sorry I didn't see the post earlier.

[LhMusL]

Ah cool thanks man, so the current plan is stock 304, single plane carby manifold Impco lpg setup, remove all efi and ECU, HEI ignition.
Will prob run NA for a while, depends how much $$ is used up to get this far, then go FI later.
Do you know anyone/recomend to setup up the LPG in Melbourne?? And then later mod setup and help fabricate what is needed to go FI.
Oh yeah, about 2 bolt mains again, how far should you go Hp wise, or are there other areas on a stock 304 that i should worry about first when winding up the boost later on?
Thanks again mate for all the help

[Struggler]

Ah cool thanks man, so the current plan is stock 304, single plane carby manifold Impco lpg setup, remove all efi and ECU, HEI ignition.
Will prob run NA for a while, depends how much $$ is used up to get this far, then go FI later.
Do you know anyone/recomend to setup up the LPG in Melbourne?? And then later mod setup and help fabricate what is needed to go FI.
Oh yeah, about 2 bolt mains again, how far should you go Hp wise, or are there other areas on a stock 304 that i should worry about first when winding up the boost later on?
Thanks again mate for all the help

Sounds like a plan.

Sorry, don't know anyone in Melb, could try Mikes Dyno - he is fairly cluey.

2B mains is fine, if concerned use studs.

Good luck with it.

[LhMusL]

Was just wondering what gears you were running in your combo Struggler, think i read somewhere that you had a corona 4sp hooked up to this combo. If the gears you had weren't idea what would you recomend??

Might go down the corona path not sure yet......

Reading over a few other V8 turbo/supercharged cars and some seem to run lower ratios eg. 2.78 3.0 instead of 3.9 4.11 like most of the na racers. Any reason or just suits a FI engine better??????? Or is it just so it was more streetable?? Anyone know????????

[Struggler]

I was using a welded 3.90 fine spline banjo, behind the aforementioned Corona 4speed.

First gear was a little low (great for getting off the line without boost)but overall I was happy with it, with a N/A engine and taller diff gears it would have been perfect.

As to the choice of gears..... I originally used 2.78's but due to the centrifugal supercharger being rpm dependent for boost the performance was greatly increased (engine could pick up revs quicker, and therefore build boost quicker). I never got around to changing them once I swapped to the turbo. As far as I am concerned if you want something to go fast you have to gear it accordingly. Having said that, big turbo engines seem to build boost better with some tall gear to slow the RPM acceleration rate down. Want to post impressive dyno numbers ?...use a taller gear. On the track they always go faster with the shorter (numerically higher) gears.

JMHO

[Struggler]

FYI I am currently assisting in a budget blow thru single turbo carb 308 ATM. It has forged 350 pistons, stock VN rods, stock crank, stock HQ heads, torquer intake, locked C/dore HEI and 650 DP Holley. Uses standard exhaust manifolds and a TO4E. It is all going in a Gemini. The engine is going together now and the owner hopes to have it at the Summernats.

I just noticed this.

This beast has been together for a while now. On 8 or 9psi it made 200rwkw before smoking the tyres on the rollers. Being a Gemini it has a welded 3.90 diff and 13" wheels. It took the owner only a couple of hours before his driving technique was noticed by the police. His brother now drives it to work almost daily and everyone that gets out of it cheers. It has proven fairly reliable for a budget build with no intercooler or water injection. Every time the key gets turned it gets caned unmercifully. Next time I see it I will get a pic or 2 (the car is quite ugly, even for a Gem!)

[LhMusL]

Thanks for all that struggler
Ok so maybe 3.5's????? would be a good choice, so it can still be driven on the highway without any drama's, and prob better for a bit of track racing every now and then. Yeah its not gonna be a drag only car its still gonna be a daily so don't need 4.11's this time.

This Gem sounds real nice, will be waiting for those picks!!!

[LhMusL]

Hmmm in a diff post some one mentioned 3.0:1 gearing, would that be better?

[Struggler]

On the road it won't really matter. Like I said before, if you want to race it then gear it accordingly. With the taller gears the car will probably feel like it pulls harder, but ultimately it won't be as fast as it could be.

[LhMusL]

How did the Banjo survive!! Or since it was welded are they only weak in the centre's, how strong are the fine spline axels then?????????
Seeing i don't really care for my tyres and have driven a mini-spooled street car before, could just welding up the banjo and changing to fine spline axels be sufficent untill the 9' goes in. I am guessing you had a decent tail shaft then with at least v8 uni's to take all that punishment!!!
Thanks again mate your an invaluable source of information

[Struggler]

Just a 6cyl tailshaft. Uni's are cheap and I would replace them every year.

The trick is to use skinny tyres, less load on everything.

I have successfully used fine spline welded banjo's heaps in the past. One LX used to get driven to Eastern Creek and Calder from the ACT and raced regularly. I always took tools and a spare centre and axles. Never needed them.

Some folk though can break a bowling ball in a sand pit with their bare hands.

[TerrA LX]

If you flog it you will only break something else, like the end caps, drive it normal and a stock centre will last.

as struggler said, its the luck of the draw, i never had luck with the bangos but some peoples seem to live forever.

[LhMusL]

Interesting about the banjo, so how skinny can you go and still have enough traction to run 11sec passes on a super/turbo 308/304 then?
Street tyres or i slicks?

[LhMusL]

bump

[Struggler]

LH Musl, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Everytime I put slicks on it an axle broke.

Toranamuk, great effort. Those old school setups are really quite rare.
They seemed to work OK for a draw thru though.

[LhMusL]

Nice 253 you have there!
Yeah that makes sense struggler, prob going 9' anyway.