I have a question or more a hypothetical.

Lets say I purchased a used engine, resize the valves and throat to match, install a drag racing specific cam, and move over to a sheet metal manifold and 2x4's up top, what type of power am I making at 10k rpm with a 358?

If you buy a used set of heads it is just like any other used heads. It is not practical to cut guides and weld and move ports around on used heads. That is not the way to go with used heads IMO. However get some raw castings and have at it.

Bob tried the M&M intake and it had huge cylinder to cylinder issues. The single four 2819 made more power. I know of several Chevy guys who don't like the M&M either.

Porting on an existing head and going to tunnel ram is not going to net 950-975 IMO. My current engine dynoed at 903HP with Q16. I can tell you I have ran it with the trick carb and Q16 as well as my carb and 112. There is not much ET and no MPH difference. In my car this engine is not making much more man 850 HP.

EEI has a drag engine with tunnel ram and two fours for sale. I don't know what he made for HP with the 358 in this form.

A Bruno liberty combo is what these engines are going to like.

I got a little secret coming out soon for testing. Then over the winter it will get some changes and really see what can happen.

Your "great bargain" anology makes me chuckle.... but then again, I thought I'd never actually order a brand new block and end up with some W8 heads either... Great read and look forward to more results!!

Leon, is core shift the issue with the cyl to cyl lining up? If so looks like I will need to go to a sheet metal intake.

The rules say 2x4 so I have to run 2.

A friend of mine put one of these in a 235wb Race Tech Dragster, first pass it went 4.83 with a 410 gear and a 16x33 tire, its on cruise control, needs more gear and a smaller tire.

Leon, I give you a lot of credit trying to make this work for you. As for why Chevy guys build those SB2 motors is they are cheaper to build. A dart block is no where near $7500 or from what others have said, a stock block will work as well. Plus making over 1000 Hp is pretty common as well. Still waiting to see a P7 make that power. Anyways, if Leon puts a Pro Flite behind his motor, it will definitely come to life especially in the 60 foot and that gain will show up on the top end as well. I've spoken with him before and he's one dedicated racer.

Leon, True there is a ton of R&D in the NASCAR intakes, the whole engine is highly refined for every HP and endurance.

Do you know if M&M ported the intake or did someone else?

Just wondering.

One thing on my post above. The Q16 in the motor as it is, wouldn't help but I am going to go to 16:1 compression, this should help the HP.

Did you up your compression at all?

The EEI aluminum block is $7,500. That is with Jesel Keyway bushings, head studs, roller cam bearings, align bored, bored and honed to size, and square. The Dart block does not even compare according to the sources I have talked to that build both engines for circle track.

You can still pickup cast iron blocks cheap but are limited by the small mains and displacement if you plan on power adders that is a big deal.

Tony the M&M intake was ported by Dart. The ones I have seen on SB2's were ported else ware and did not make the extra power expected either.

We will not be needing a proflite. Stroke and weight loss are in the near future.

I just bought some more stuff. The spare parts were really nice and just need cleaning up. The candied Apple I was going for can handle a lot of improving on some small issues. The previous owner swapped parts and paid no attention to intake ports matching or anything of the sort. Bound to be some room for improvement. I already have to swap pans. Remove the heads and check everything out so. Just a few more bolts and some huge changed can be made. Just don't know how patient I will be. I may come out in a few weeks with close to what I brought home. Then again things may just turn to a nitrous eating dragon that plans to take no prisoners.

I just have a couple concerns like the steel rods I hate to replace just because they are steel. Know very little about the Mahle pistons. The cam is definitely too small. But, is there time to get a cam ground and I know little about what a P7 combo wants in a nitrous cam. I tried at least 10 different combinations on cams pistons and compression on my W8 before I was satisfied.

And there is a local Outlaw Street race coming up that I would not mind trying out. The track is going to be worse than any highway, that I can guarantee with no prep. Good thing is there are no BS rules that have nothing to do with street legal like some of the others.

Leon

Thank you for this thread Leon, and please keep us posted on what you decide. I would love to hear about this street style race, that's kinda my cup of tea.

Good info here

Well it makes no sense to start making changes right off the start. So I am putting my pan, oil pump, water pump, and motor plate on the engine and sit it in the whole.

I am looking for a 6,000 stall 8" Turbo spline PG converter just to try for now. My converters or either too loose or way too tight.

Leon

Question - Since Dodge quit NASCAR have they quit making these?

Quit. Yes they quit the R5 and P7 stuff several years ago. But, there were around 1,000 engines built. Ernie Elliot alone built several 100's for Ganassi.

The newer version is the R6 P8.

I have accumulated a lot of extra parts. Need to go through and sell all the stuff I no longer need. Heads, valves, springs, valve covers, crank, rods, lifters. They are asking some big prices for some of these parts now.

Leon