Thread: 66 chevy cranks...

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Ray, here's your chance to be a hero.

There are 2 ways to go with the motor, naturally aspirated or blown.

Naturally aspirated upside: Easier to do, more off the shelf parts available. Reasonable cost and fuel mileage if not overdone.
Naturally aspirated downside: Gets very expensive if you really want power. As you increase power, you move further and further away from streetability such as moving the power up in the rpm range with a wilder cam, thus realizing less manifold vacuum for efficient carb signal and to operate other vacuum-operated accessories like power brakes. Requires stiffer rear gear and/or looser converter. Extensive cylinder head modifications required by high-priced professional head porters. Horrible fuel mileage. Bottom line is: Even after spending beaucoup bucks, you're probably not going to embarrass any V8 owners.
Blown upside: TREMENDOUS POWER at any rpm. Reasonable fuel mileage when using a light touch on the loud pedal. Embarrass most v8's on Saturday night. Use stock-type cam. Excellent vacuum at no boost (off the loud pedal). Maximum power with an intercooler.
Blown downside: Expensive. Good parts required in the short block (forged pistons and good rods). Possibility you could shotpeen the 292 rods and make them work. You already have a crank that will work, just polish it or grind it to the next undersize. Although the Chevy six has been supercharged many times, some parts may have to be fabricated due to scarcity.

Do some reading before you dive in, but I would think that a GMC 4-71 would be the perfect lung to hang on that motor.

I highly recommend Pat Ganahl's book....
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/188...Fencoding=UTF8

Study these recommendations from Blower Drive Service....
http://www.blowerdriveservice.com/recommend.php

Many times you can find stock 4-71 units (unmodified and fresh off a diesel) for a couple hundred bucks or less. These will have to be clearanced and upgraded to use on a gasoline engine. Any of the blower shops can do this for you, so if you could fabricate most of the rest of the package (intake manifold, drive system, etc.), you could probably come out fairly inexpensively. Call the tech guys at Blower Drive Service and talk it over with them. Also, here is a paper I wrote a couple of years ago explaining the different types of blowers...
http://streetmachinesoftablerock.com...topic.php?t=81

And here is an incomplete 4-71 on ebay....
http://cgi.ebay.com/GMC-blower-super...QQcmdZViewItem

Oh, and I forgot about the WOW factor when you raise the hood....