Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

My first engine build in the 90's was a 40 over 400 with dished pistons,993 heads, Vic Jr, 750, and a 218/228 crower cam. Embarrassed my buddies with high strung 350's, and a multitude of 5.0 mustangs, while burning 87 octane in a 3rd gen firebird

For cheap street stuff, cubic inches rule. Ignore the cracks from the steam holes to the head bolts, get the block decked, use sealer on the head bolts

I guess the question would be is it worth building a stock block SBC 400 today. I reckon it depends on budget, and HP/TQ goals. For a driver absolutely! For a racecar needing splayed caps and $$machine work, probably better off starting with an aftermarket block

Actual seat duration controls where the engine makes peak HP. Area under the curve, controls how much HP it makes. .020", .050", .200", they're just points on a curve. They're like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. You can't get the full picture, with just a few pieces. Sir, i am here to le...

Should we be focusing on 0.200 duration and area?

Given a comp 3024 thumpr intake lobe
291 adv, 235 @0.050 , 150@0.200 .521 lift with 1.5 rocker. Then..

A Comp 3316 extreme energy lobe
288 adv, 236@50, 157@0.200, 521 lift with 1.5 rocker.

The potential hp difference will mostly be the extra 7 degrees durationat .200.

Given Mr David Vizard's research, tell me why advertised duration and 0.050 seem to be nothing more than details? Actual cylinder filling seems to happen in a totally different valve lift/ duration area . I am asking these questions because i am ignorant. I do not know the answer. I am asking becaus...

Some of Mr David Vizard's research.

A long, long time ago, uninformed/ignorant folks would tell you a .450 lift cam in a sbc was a hot street cam. A .500 lift cam was full race. Magazines (rhs and comp) then introduced seat duration as the way to generalise cams. Shortly afterwards, 0.050 duration became the method preached by magazin...

I have an honest question guys. Given a 383 sbc with a valve lift limit of .650, i'd be looking to improve intake port flow in the 300-650 lift range. Making sure the port didnt back up at higher vacuum depression. I might even try to kill some flow below 200 valve lift to fight reversion. I start l...

I reckon the big question is; would you build a 8000rpm 302, or a 6000rpm 400 burning 87 octane?

Testing on a 248 Dynojet, the most critical part is to have matched rear tires. Knuckle dragging dirt-track guys show up with 3inches difference in diameter after being educated beforehand on the outcome. Locked differential , 3inches difference in tire diameter , and it makes a low rwhp number. No ...

I am the pot callin the kettle black tho. I got a pile of 305's that will die by turbo I'll learn then build a good motor

Nowdays a one piece rear main seal rebuildable 350 goes for 300 bucks. No reason to build a 305.

A 150hp plate for 500ish lets him keep the tall gears, exhaust manifolds, pooch converter, and all. As a plus, tje low cr 289 may not even need the timing reatarded on a 150.