That is a nice looking car!! I get the temper, I call it mission creep. I know a guy that makes custom stainless headers if you ever wanted to spend the money. It sure wasn’t cheap, but It’s the best part of my engine. But I have plenty of room in my cuda. He has made headers for lots of original mopar cars that I thought weren’t possible. His headers are a work of art.

Yep, we did the 8 bolt Molnar crank. Competition Products had good pricing on the crank and rods, but that was quite a while ago. You might check them out, though.

I usually use Molnar for cranks and rods unless it is a killer race engine and then we would step up to Callies. But for this engine I'd buy from Molnar if they had them in stock. MI vendor so freight is less too. The dealer discount is significant from Molnar so if you want a Molnar crank see if you can find a local dealer. Could save you about $300 on the crank.

Maybe a getting a little off topic but Jon Kasse says it is very important to use stainless headers or headers that are well coated inside the pipes.

Why? He says rust from the pipes get sucked back into the engine. He said sometimes as far back as the carburetor.

Thanks Thelma, appreciate it!

Andy- right now I have to buy a flexplate too (the one on the car isn't SFI) so I can buy either, looks like both the 6 and 8 bolt ones are available from B&M at Summit right now. Don't think I'll ever exceed 1000 hp with this combo no matter how much it gets sprayed so the 6 bolt should be ok, same with Molnar vs. stepping up to a real Callies USA forged crank. Center counterweight would be nice if I ever swapped the top end to make real power, but I can't find any of the import forgings in CCW.

I worked at Roush 2 decades ago and used to be able to get parts at wholesale cost, got cranks and cams for a few guys on the board, the discount back then was significant. I should've stockpiled parts back then instead of starting fresh.

Competition Products doesn't look like they sell Molnar anymore. Mancinis and Ray Barton both do and they're cheaper than what Molnar would sell them for, thanks!

Bill - that's definitely true. On the Harleys I've owned you can hear and see anything near the exhaust get sucked in and blown back out when they start.

Try Campbell Enterprises for Molnar stuff.
Doug

I've bought all of my Molnar stuff from Campbell. Marshall has been great to deal with. Waiting on a crankshaft for my Dad's 383 now from them.

https://www.enginelabs.com/news/amazing-video-jon-kaase-tests-airflow-dynamics-with-his-finger/

Probably because of all the pulsing going on. There's been rusty exhaust on most of the cars forever and ever. Suppose the greater the investment in the engine the more a person would want to protect the investment.

Me thinks that be baloney sauce, sucked back into the engine up to the carb when running

X2

If it were me and you have to run the smaller headers you need to up the compression and reduce the overlap, build more torque sooner and lower the RPM peak...Kinda similar to if you have FAST Racing type exhaust restrictions....

As small as 1 7/8" x 3 1/2 with a 3" system sounds, I'm sure some of the FAST guys limited to Manifolds and 2 1/2-ish(lol) would kill for the ET gains they might make having the exhaust system you're working with.

Also the 40-50HP difference/advantage with open headers on a Dyno is likely to be considerably reduced in an actual car with full exhaust pushing against rolling and wind resistance.

To me a big C body is going to ET better on FAT mid range torque, it's going to make it's best moves through the middle and on the shift recovery and it's simply not going to top end charge like a lighter car with a lot less frontal area.

You want a big grunt motor not so much a 'horspower' motor.

I got a ported MW Indy Dual plane if you want to borrow it to try it out. I'd run it over a single plane on something like your 68

Unless it's in a really light car like an A body, to me a BB Mopar is less like a Hemi or a Small block Mopar and more like a Buick/Olds/Pontiac type motor, and the ET's respond to a similar kind of race tuning.

Also if you look at your exhaust sytem I would put the 3 1/2" collector on it and bring it straight back and run your "street" system coming out of the collector extention on a 45 degree cut out branch on each side. Forcing your exhaust through that 'double dog leg ' just to get to the cut out is killing some torque and power.

I think this is where I heard him talk about this, Hidden Horsepower episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfAt5XTQDrI

I have always thought Kaase was a smart no BS type of guy and I choose to believe him.

Bill

Edit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moUZPvAmvr4&t=7s

This is the correct video, discussion starts about 31:08

Thanks guys, Campbell looks to have the best advertised prices for Molnar stuff so once I'm back in town I'll definitely order from them. I also called Callies, they weren't sure if a 4.375" crank would fit with the internal pickup, but did confirm a 4.25" fits with no issues. I looked under the car again and I only see one potential routing for an external oil line next to the block, because of where the steering box mount is a taller oil pump or one with a sandwiched plate like the Milodon setups won't fit. I could maybe route a -12 line up to the inlet on the block with a 90* fitting but it's going to be very tight.



This makes a lot of sense, thanks. I definitely want to put as much compression in it as possible. I'm sure I could get by with 12.5:1 on the street with some timing pulled out of it but that will also make it lazy and also run warmer than it would otherwise.

Definitely think I'm going to need a tighter converter. The converter in the car now flashes to ~4500 on motor and maybe 5000 with a 180 shot. Even if this new motor only makes 700, I think that's a solid 100 more than it currently makes on nitrous and should have a similar torque curve too.

Agree totally on the location of the dumps, make the open end have flow priority and then let it make a 45* turn to join the rest of the exhaust.

Appreciate the offer on the intake, honestly I'm probably a year out from getting the motor in the car. Originally thought I'd assemble it myself with help from friends who offered, but am getting gunshy now adding up the receipts of what has been bought already and what it still needs. Might start contacting some builders.

If you want an Indy single plane intake, I have one (4150) that BES ported. It’s too small for my application.

I recall seeing that. He said it occurs at startup and to rev the engine as soon as possible when starting. Reversion tends to suck the debris back up into the plenum. They were finding rust up there and couldn't figure it out.

Dude has done more testing than 99% of the people out there.

"IF IT WERE ME" and I had to rework anything exhaust. I'd look into how well a bigger shelf header fits...2-2.125 step etc Rework whatever few tubes if any need attention. Otherwise you're leaving a good amount on the table. There was at least one other comment about something 'might be a tight fit' and I'll share that THAT'S ALWAYS THE CASE in our world. It's just going to take typical hotrodding ingenuity. Also, with that CID and your small ports, I'd target 11-11.5:1 You can make all the power you're after and get by on cheap gas.

Contact Don Kromer and have him build a modern art masterpiece, and he'll make the right size tubes fit the car. In reality his custom stuff is not that much more expensive than TTI for what you are getting. He was great to deal with, and a wealth of racing knowledge.

Figured I'd pop in for a quick update on this one. Haven't done anything with the car all winter, but parts are piling up, along with the events and to do list. Was already signed up for Sick Summer and just got registered for Drag Week as well.

Have almost everything on order or here now for the motor now besides pushrods. I talked to a few different people, some shops had lead times of > 8 months. In the end it made sense to go with a friend, Jim Pranis originally built the engine and trans that is in the car now and he is excited to help me build the new motor as well. AndyF and Dwayne helped out with parts as well!

Going full speed ahead on a 540, Molnar crank/rods, ATI balancer, Diamond 11:1 pistons ordered through another local friend, 0.060" quench so it's got a wider tuning window for nitrous (or if I ever swap it to procharger or turbo), total overkill BAM DLC lifters, cometics, Andy's billet timing cover/button setup and a rollmaster timing chain, modest Comp custom solid roller, Indy 440-2 intake, Moroso 7 qt pan and 1/2" pickup, Melling HV pump, HS e series rockers. I also have King coated rod bearings, and a set of Clevite 3/4 groove main bearings- I also have a set of King XP series main bearings ordered and I was going to use whichever set had better overall clearances. They were supposed to ship last week, but are now indicating May.

Going to run it initially with the 1 7/8" headers, plate kit and 850 Holley, but expect to eventually swap it to either a Dominator or a Dominator-sized FI unit.

Tom Bailey wanted drag and drive cars in his Sick the Mag display at Autorama next week so I'm in for that. Afterward I'm going to get the rear seatcovers redone and a rollbar put in it before Sick Summer. I also want to install the tailpipes and cutouts before then so it's a little quieter for the street drives.

Then between Sick Summer and Drag Week I'll try to get the new motor in if it's assembled, dynoed and ready to go. Hoping it goes mid-low 11's on motor with the 540 and then can spray it to low 10's for Street Machine Eliminator.

No shortage of work and my wallet is definitely on fire!

Sounds like a great project and I'm sure it will be a big learning experience as well as a fun time.

Cool beans buddy, sounds like you're setting yourself up for the future really well.