Bore new Bow small block or buy pistons that fit?

[dieselhead]

Where near Austin? I'm from Pflugerville originally but hardly know anything about stuff there anymore. Place has changed so much since I moved away!

I live in Cedar Park which is just northwest of Austin. I live in one of the fastest growing areas in the nation. My son and his family live in Pflugerville. If you come back for a visit you won't like the traffic.

[DanStokes]

Here's the info on the shop I was mentioning as sent by my bro, cut and paste:

"If he is looking for a real engine machine shop, the Duffin Brothers can't be beat. The business is called Duffin Engine, 210.341.8183. They call themselves "San Antonio's #1 Engine Machine Shop." email: [email protected] "

Rock on!

Dan

[cstmwgn]

Which brand billet cam are you using?

I like CompCams camshafts
I use either Crower or Morel lifters

the solid roller lifter kit that I'm thinking about using costs a little over $700

Yes good roller lifters usually run between $700 - $1,000 a set. Of course you can spend a lot more on Jessel if you feel the need.

they will charge $70 more to make it with the larger cam bearing journals for this block

This part confused me. Are you talking about a larger diameter cam journal or a wider cam journal?
If you are talking about a wider journal and babbitt bearings - that would be money well spent in my opinion.
If you are talking about a larger diameter cam journal so they can grind the cam with more lift - that seems OK to me. If they do this does it also mean that the only bearing you can run on this style cam is a roller bearing?

On the Ford stuff that I have messed with, you have to bore the cam tunnel to a larger diameter if you want to run roller bearings. The actual OD on the camshaft journal is the same regardless if you are running a babbitt or roller for the camshaft bearings.

Again, find an engine builder that you trust and is reputable and ask him these questions. I have had two combinations with billet cams in them and the two issues that caused me the most anxiety was the roller lifters and distributor gear.

Good Luck

[dieselhead]

Here's the info on the shop I was mentioning as sent by my bro, cut and paste:

"If he is looking for a real engine machine shop, the Duffin Brothers can't be beat. The business is called Duffin Engine, 210.341.8183. They call themselves "San Antonio's #1 Engine Machine Shop." email: [email protected] "

Rock on!

Dan

Thanks Dan, I'll check them out.

[dieselhead]

cstmwgn,

1) The $700 Lunati price is for the cam and solid roller lifters. Their better competition rollers lifters add about $350 to that price. Somebody makes roller lifters that can be rebuilt but I can't remember who right now. I'm glad you brought up the price for good roller lifters.

2) This is the type block that the NASCAR racers used before they went to the new style blocks they use now (the NASCAR block had a 4.125" bore). It has larger cam bearing bores than a standard SBC and they can be bored even larger if required for big cam lobes. The $70 charge is for grinding a cam to fit these larger cam bearings. I don't know what cam bearing size is required for roller bearings yet. I'm guessing standard size since the block has to be bored for the roller bearings, I'll find out.

This block can be either wet sump or dry sump. It comes with a wet sump rear main cap but it can be converted to dry sump by plugging some oil passages. I pretty sure it was intended to be a dry sump engine since there is no dip stick hole in the block.

[Deaf Bob]

Lack of dipstick holes on block could mean the dipstick is in the pan.

[krusty]

Dan has the right name - Duffin Bros. They are Bonneville racers and record holders, so the quality should be there. Only other San Antonio builders I am familiar with are the Lozano Brothers who built us some great TransAm racing engines in the '90s.

vic