??? street build suggestions...

"...My desires for this car are for it to be a really fun and quick street car.
I'm not out street racing or anything but at the same time don't want to get left at the green light by every ricer.
I do want to be able to cruise at 70mph or more on the interstate. An smoke the tires leaving the parkig lot if I'm feeling stupid.
What would be a good direction to go...?"
How bout some more detail on your end goal?

Click to expand...

That's about it? Lol...

I've had this car for over a decade now. Pretty amazing as I usually only keep cars for a year or so. The goal has always been fun daily driver. I don't want to go for any race type mods that reduce reliability or drivability.

Five speed is definitely a desirable swap to me. I had never fully absorbed how much difference it could make, but I do prefer a manual shift car. I'm guessing the old 250 has enough torque that stop and go isn't all that rough? I used to love the fact that in my TR6 I could start out on a level road without touching the throttle. Made it way easier to teach my ex to drive a stick.

Wheels vs. rear end is something I'll have to think about.

Turbos are interesting. If'n building an engine to leave a turbo as an option later would you do everything like any performance build but leave compression stock?

I've screwed up and started reading about fuel injection. Some of y'all have made converting the log to multi port injection look so damn easy. I've for years, back to my triumphs, wanted to build an efi system.

I do not have a dog in this fight, but, I would:

1) Start specific and small; do not try to solve would hunger all at once.
2) Assuming you have a sound engine you can live with, do the dizzy and carb,
3) Next, do a 5 speed conversion, and
4) Reassess your goals and budget after that.

Consolidating smaller victories is an incentive to continue progress.

As I stated at the beginning I don't have a sound engine. I have a low oil pressure blow by from hell engine, so a rebuild is happening.

I'm in process of a dizzy upgrade just because its something I can afford while making future plans. Going to a DSII, maybe using a HEI controller? Been reading about such things.

A transmission swap would come after an engine build, just because I'm not sure how many miles I have until catastrophic failure.

Main thing is I want to hash out lots of thoughts before I tear apart the motor so as to not wind up with expensive backtracking.

Before I did the turbo build I built up my 200 with a big log head, 2300 2 barrel, dual out header, better ignition and it was fun but nothing even close to quick. I swapped in a T5 out of a 90 GT and it became alot more fun but still south of quick. If I were gonna do a budget minded fun NA (non turbo) build I would do a simple refresh/rebuild on the motor and head, toss on the 2 barrel, header and ignition upgrades and then put together a good T5 swap but go one step further and that gear the rear end better. I now have a 3.55 rear gear in an 8.8 and it made the car SO much better around town staying out of the turbo. I wish I had geared it better before the turbo, woulda been halfway considered quick, especially light to light had I done it back then!

Cliffs notes, freshen up the motor, look for a good manual tranny swap and slap a better gear in the rear (3.5-3.7ish gear) to make a fun little six banger in the sub 200hp range feel even quicker than it is!

Matt

"...Main thing is I want to hash out lots of thoughts before I tear apart the motor so as to not wind up with expensive backtracking..."
Guys here have really taught me to get that end application clearly in mind (w/details) not just for expense, as U stated above, but so the vehicle doesn't look like a hack job, CAN be completed, is together effectively/efficiently to do what it was designed for, etc...
We, also have to be 'systems thinkers', cuz each part of the car (not just within the engine as in quotes above) wrks w/da others.

"...That's about it? Lol..."
research is important for you to do. It's your vehicle so U make all decisions.
I didn't really ask for your answer (a strategic Q) but more for you to put some flesh on the bones of your image.
Yes, problems can be worked out in-process but my belief is plans prevent innumerable problems. U can pull the engine out (or do it in the car) again - to add the right cam for a turbo after mounting a newer carb and other later thought changes, but boy, that's complicating situations...
Glad ur askin!

My build has really begun to open up. Tri-Power 147hp/185tq at the wheels. I actually feel that I have picked up some additional HP now that I have miles on the motor.
kevin

So the more research I do the more I come to the conclusion that if I just want to go fast the pocket book would be much happier with swapping to a bent engine.....

Makes me wonder if I'm honestly expecting my Comet to be too much of a jack of all trades. As in if I want a fast car should just start with a different platform. I have been wanting a Maverick for a while anyway...

That being said... What if rather than sheer performance my goal with the Comet should simply be a fun to drive and relatively economic daily driver? I've already got the suspension built to where its much more nimble than it left the factory.

Maybe just a stockish rebuild on the old 250 engine, electronic ignition, small progressive two barrel carb, T5 transmission to make driving more fun? Already have a header intended for the car, grumpy enough mufflers to make it sound mean?

Then I can start looking for a Maverick to build a 300 I6 turboed street freak from!

Sav63comet":21rfuaq1 said:

Maybe just a stockish rebuild on the old 250 engine, electronic ignition, small progressive two barrel carb, T5 transmission to make driving more fun? Already have a header intended for the car, grumpy enough mufflers to make it sound mean?

Click to expand...

Changing to a mild performance cam would be a wise decision and would make you happier with the above decision.

24 hours of Lemonz 3.3 racers make 150 hp with just homebuild headers, a Rochest 2CG carb, and a C4, SROD or T5 gearbox.

A cam change, a 2-bbl carb, and some time spent finding the right exhast and transmission will really make a quick car.

In terms of matching a 5.0, every 2V 250 would go faster than a 302 Cleveland 2V, but a junked Explorer or Mountainer GT40 roller capable block is a 300 to 350 hp engine with the right cam and heads.

These days, you should use Crosley or Gene's advice, and follow it to the letter. A copy cat swap will make the hp.

But for dollars, a Classic Inlines head, a 465 Holley 4-bbl or Autolite, and a good 3.3 or 4.1 with a 264 cam will make an easy 200 hp and 235 lb-ft to 295 ft lb of torque. Then you can forget about expensive gearboxes, and just pop in a C4 or AOD or 4 cylinder T5, and go for any diff ratio you choose.

The tradeoff in the extra expense of the 3.3 or 4.1 verses a Windsor 302/5.0 is always drivetrain, no mandatory power steering, lighter duty diff, brakes, wheels, ease of air con fitting, and then the worlds easiest exhast. Then the economy of it in day to day work.The network of other I6 people here makes those seven pluses evident every post. For the rest of us, when a person sells there 200 or 250 I6, pick it up, and remember....good engines don't just happen, they are made.

Remember a 250 can take more cam than a similarly built 200 so I would go with more than the 264 cam IMHO. As an example, I am running the 278/110 clay smith cam from Mike and it idles nicely but makes nice power. With my log head I am seeing 170 hp at the wheels...who knows what it would be with the aluminum head and small 4 barrel carb.

i like the simplicity,

260 cam
250 ci
2bbl carb
t5
DSII

This will get you lots of fun in the seat... I recommend 3.55 gears, I had 3.2 then 4.11 now 3.8, wish I had 3.5 honestly... 3.2 won't let you spin tire too easily, the 3.8 isn't economical, the 3.5 is in between...

just remember to only do the 2bbl mod on the head and nothing else... to keep the costs down...

my 250 head...
valve guides
larger valves
porting
de-shrouding
2bbl conversion + fix
I have invest 1500 into the head... no joke...

I wish I just did the 2bbl brazing and kept the stock valves and no porting, I would have spent $400-600 total or spend $800 on a oz-250 and keep it stock enjoying a native 2bbl. (a ported 250 head has less flow than a stock oz-250 head making it more cost effective to keep either stock) if you want to port the oz-250 head, just go for the alum... I have heard some invest 2k in their oz-250 heads and wish they just got a stock alum...

For the costs, all the heads and it's work is very aggressively priced depending on what air flow you want out of them...

sry for the long ramble... I understand it's blunt but it's pretty accurate, and If I've made a mistake, I'm sry, let me know as I'm not afraid of being wrong.

The 250 just needs a little more of everything to be a great street engine.

- Little more cam, one of the 264 to 270 degree grinds;

- Little more compression, 255 pistons help a lot. Get it up the to 9.1 - 9.2 neighborhood to be able to run mid range fuel;

- Little more port efficiency. Don't worry about the ports - just take care of the valve pockets and a goo three angle valve job.

- Little more exhaust. Headers help, but just an upgrade to a good 2 1/4" single system is a good upgrade.

- Little more carburetor. Direct mount 2bbl Autolite or 350 Holley. But don't rule out the YF or RBS. At the low revs you really use on the street, those will get you most of the torque you need.

- Little more ignition. Definitely upgrade to something electronic and curve it to get 32-33 degrees @ about 2500

- Little more gear. Maybe....the 2.79 gear is ok with the C4, but if you add an AOD a 3.55 or 3.73 is a better choice. The T5 is the best option.

You'll end up with a responsive, punchy engine with a boatload of torque. It'll be smooth, run easily to 5200-5500 rpm, make maybe 170-175 hp and will easily get 25 mph in a lightweight Comet.