Pondering power for my 59 El Camino . <O</O Once I finish my 32, the plan is to make the 59 my daily driver. Ill have to be reliable. Since it will be my daily, it will need to be relatively economical too. Considering how much I drive, ****ty mileage wont cut it. Id prefer to be in the 18-22mpg range. Naturally, I want to run a SBC. I wont be towing anything with it & I wont be driving it like a hot rod. It needs to run the interstate as good as it runs to the parts store. <O ***uming that I run a good later model overdrive trans (700R4 or 4L80E?) Should I be thinking about a 350 or 283?<O <O 2bbl carb or 4bbl? How would the addition of a Thumpr cam effect either engine? <O</O TIA, JH
i have a 305 4barrel with the 700r4 . in a full size 83 truck. i can get 20 or a little better on the interstate if i keep it at 60-65. it will pull a car trailer with car on it. a thumper cam will cut into the gas milage in any engine you put it in.
I guess the right a 350 would be smart but a 283 or 327 would be cool and smart! Go with a 4bbl carb and try to hit 200-230-hp. The way I figure it is that if you go ahead and do all this and you don't get a little power out of it you'll regret it in the end. Somewhere in the 2-300 range isn't going to have any negative side effects when you're talking a SBC. It'll also help sell the thing if you ever choose to get rid of it I think. My goals if I were you would be... -Mild SBC motor with a very streetable but cool sounding cam -4bbl 1501 600cfm edelbrock -Decent dress up parts like Corvette Valve covers and a clean engine etc I mean, it's a '59 Elky!!! It's not like it's a 4dr falcon. I would keep everything reliable and replaceable but would not make it "dull". Make it fun to drive even though it's a daily.
I would just try and find a 5.7 Vortec SBC ... and install a Edelbrock intake, a 600 cfm carb and a HEI. That is the plan for my new Mercury pickup M-47 project. I just bought a 1996 Silverado ... rollover ( 50 something thousand original 1 owner miles ) for not a lot of money ... Not a straight place on the truck you can place two hands but ... did not really hurt the driveline. I will use the 5.7 and the automatic overdrive ... even the water pump and single fan belt system. I had a new 96 Silverado in 1996 ... and I got 21/22 MPG easily. I know you have had ( or still have ) Silverados ... and the good mileage and good service they can provide. Perfect donor vehicle IMHO. .
Using a 2bbl, you'll have your foot in it, looking for more power.(overall, using more gas) Did yours come with an engine at all? My 350 in traffic & around town is horrible in my 57. On the fwy w/o interuption, I have achieved mileage in the high 20's. No power brakes & the crank only turns a w/pump & alt. I'm going with a 327 my Dad's had for ever, to put in my '59. I am willing to see how much the 327 will save me in gas, cos' I keep hearing it will.
Its all about finding max vacuum at the right cruising speed, ie geared just right for the cam. quadrajets can be tuned for efficiency, come on aluminum intakes, and they are downright free. I had a 86 roller cam 305, 4 speed and 3.43 gears with 26.5" or so tires and got 10-12 mpg with a 600 afb, only a little better with a holley 600 single pumper. Never tried the qjet. Should have. It would get scratch into 3rd at 60 though.
your cam choice (& eng speed) will determine MPG. Im building a 327 for my 59 Chevy p/u. I ordered a custom cam from Lunati. its the same as their 268 voodoo, but I wanted a 112 LSA & a 4/7 lobe swap I'll let you know
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