I've been out of touch for awhile.
When I last was here, I mentioned my 235 cracking. I have pulled the head off twice and put it back on. I am certain the problem's in the block. It will actually run, until the #2 cylinder gets enough water in it...after a couple of miles, and until then, you'd have no clue there's a problem. It's a shame, because it's a real nice and detailed inline 6.
Anyway, I've tried to buy 292's a couple of times, but have been beaten out both times by just a day or so.
I have a nice 4-bolt 355 engine in an IROC Camaro that my daughter doesn't want. I am rebuilding the stock-type 305 tuned port engine for it so that I can retrieve my 355.
I also have an SM-465 tow truck tranny with a power take off (which won't be used) that I picked up for a song...$75.
I also have a Dana 60 rear end I picked up for $200 bucks which needs a new ring and pinion.
...So basically, I've been collecting parts and researching.
The biggest pain in the butt is going to be moving the steering box. Different people have had various solutions, but none are very straight forward or easy. I am going to try something. Sanderson cast headers are by far the tightest thing out there. It's basically a short-turn radius straight down for each port that only sticks out 2 1/4" from the block. That's at least an inch shorter than shorty headers, and doesn't swing up and to the center like ramshorn manifolds. If anything will work with a minimum of modifications to the truck, that will.
Speedway motors has about 3 or 4 different methods of attaching a V8 between the framerails. So that's not an issue. I've even got the right bellhousing.
The biggest thing will be pulling that 355 out of the IROC, which has never been an easy car to work on. And yes, it's very tempting to simply bolt the 305 in there and save the trouble. That option remains open.
The 305 is warmed over, 30 thousandths overbore, 9.5:1 compression, bigger cam, ported heads. It should pull down at least 275 horsepower, better than 100 horses more than the wheezy 165 horse stock. So yeah, it'd be a HUUGE improvement over a 235.
...But that 355 is almost 100 more horse more than that even...and I'm feeling greedy here.
