Adam H P15 D30

California is probably in the top 5 globally in regards to the amount of hot rods or modified vehicles on the road, probably #1... I cannot remember the last time I heard of a poorly modified vehicle causing an issue or an accident on the road because of it's modifications. There were a few on the HAMB regarding aftermarket Ford cast I-beam axles failing but that is a purchased and supposed engineered product (by someone with an Engineering Degree no less), not a garage modification. Believe me, if a vehicle caused an accident here because of being modified it would be all over the news! I have also seen some really scary setups particularly with subframes or frame swaps, but no wrecks. Most of these setups have been on the road for a long time too. We also have some of the cr@ppiest roads and the worst traffic in the country here so they are not babied. So, I stand by my remarks saying these gommerment mandated inspections are nothing more than extortion and control. The data is here in California to back it up too. The inability to see it for what it is and to defend it is shows how complacent with control society has become. I can understand some sort of inspection in salt states because the cars just rot away from under you and I can even see the value in bi-annual smog checks but the fact that some idiot with a piece of paper (degree) who has probably never lifted a welding torch or had a grinder eat his thumb up telling me how to build a chassis is absurd. I've been installing suspensions, pro streeting chassis, subframing vehicles for 25 years without failure and WOW I don't have a metallurgy degree or mechanical engineering degree, Why? Because it's NOT rocket science. Andy- In NO way am I trying to single you out and I truly apologize if it comes off that way. You have been doing this a long time also and do some top notch work and have a beautiful MOPAR. I especially like the early V8 you installed and proven over many miles of enjoyment. Adam EDIT: I certainly did not intend the above post to be political in any way. I also did not intend to single anyone out. That said, this is a debate thread as the title says, correct?

Yeah, I’ve heard horror stories about those so called certified technicians. As much as California has f-upped policies, I am so thankful we are not subjected to the inspection extortion by some 25 year old punk working on flat rate.

Upper breather hose would be representative of our oil fill tube. Breather chamber would represent our road draft tube

No water + detergent oil + longer drives + good venting = no sludge point of the picture shows clean air enters the crankcase from the air filter and exits opposite through the pcv valve. Representative of any engine

The hose that goes to the air filter traditionally is to filter the air going into the crankcase and it should be snug so dirty air cannot pass, same for the air filter attachment to the carb. The air is sucked out either by the negative pressure at the bottom of the road draft tube or pcv valve connected to manifold vacuum. There shouldn’t be vacuum inside the air filter housing.

Perfectly fair statement. That is if you have a vacuum inside your air filter (restricted?). That’s where a metered valve connected to manifold vacuum comes into play. On late model cars a tube was plumbed to the air filter to clean the incoming air into the crankcase.

Why seal the fill tube? It needs to breathe in the full tube out through the draft tube or pcv.

47 Plymouth frame, 71 Firebird front clip, Fatman narrow tubular control arms.

Take the breather off the can, seal it and put a PCV valve in it.

Rides good, stops good, steering box out of the way, power steering, Ball joint suspension vs. king pin, ride height I wanted without dropped spindles/spring cutting, parts easy to find.

I cut my tube to about 4” long, flipped it upside down and put a PCV valve in it.

Posies makes Super Slide rear leafs for our cars. I believe both stock height and lowered. Might as well get a better ride too.... Adam

Pistons are a modern design and use modern rings. They just happen to also fit a Chevy Once the engine is assembled, nobody would ever know, unlike an S10 frame swap.

I drove my 49 with 3.91 gears at 65-70 (no OD). I just disconnected my tachometer on long drives but it sounded a little busy...

55, I have the stock M.C. with the check valve removed, so I pasted my earlier response below as real world experience. I can't stress enough, the drum brakes are pretty good if adjusted very correctly. It all goes down hill after that. Adam Quote from me earlier in the thread: To be honest the Lockheed drums worked well but I didn't have the adjustment tool so they were always adjusted close but never close enough. For the price of the tool, I could do disc brakes twice. I drive my car in commute traffic at 70+ mph sometimes so that where the disc brakes shine. They do slow the car better than the drums especially the 3rd or 4th time in a 1 mile stretch, so let's say a 25% improvement. I will NEVER have to adjust brakes again (at least on the front) 100% + improvement. The drums are only really good after they are adjusted, goes down hill from there, discs are always adjusted correctly. 100% improvement. They have been on for a few years now and I have not had to do anything to them in that time. Which reminds me, I'm going to check the brake fluid next time I drive it

I wouldn’t pull an Airstream 70mph with my Excursion and I’be had a lot of campers. Besides most ST trailer tires have a limit of 65.

If they pull consistently one way and heating them up as Plymouthy stated solves it temporarily, it is probably contamination. Going either way unpredictability is either they are both contaminated or adjustment. How old are the rubber brake hoses? Either way the best bang for your buck is disc brakes, especially if you drive it a lot

Yeah but there are better ways that really don’t break the bank in the scheme of things. If I ever have to go through my 230 I would never use the archaic stock pistons with 4 rings. A longer rod has its benefits, it is not all about displacement.

There are benefits to a longer rod, a slightly higher piston pin and a shorter piston with a better ring pack. You have the piston made so you get the correct total height, preferably close to zero deck. There’s a lot more to it than stroke and displacement.

I would think any crankshaft change to increase displacement would be a stroker. The measurement is not difficult and would increase compression in a much better way than head milling. But with head milling you could get to a reasonable compression without risking valve clearance or hurting flow. From what I have heard, the stock 230 rotating assembly is around .020 to .030 below deck at TDC but I have never measured mine to be sure. Then you get the benefit of a longer rod and shorter piston. Also get the benefit of a modern ring pack. This is huge in a long stroke engine with high piston speeds.

Sorry to hear you cannot use the tools any more Don

To be honest the Lockheed drums worked well but I didn't have the adjustment tool so they were always adjusted close but never close enough. For the price of the tool, I could do disc brakes twice. I drive my car in commute traffic at 70+ mph sometimes so that where the disc brakes shine. They do slow the car better than the drums especially the 3rd or 4th time in a 1 mile stretch, so let's say a 25% improvement. I will NEVER have to adjust brakes again (at least on the front) 100% + improvement. The drums are only really good after they are adjusted, goes down hill from there, discs are always adjusted correctly. 100% improvement. They have been on for a few years now and I have not had to do anything to them in that time. Which reminds me, I'm going to check the brake fluid next time I drive it.

I've mentioned this before and got poo-pooed but custom pistons are cheap! Have a modern piston made with a modern ring pack. Use the 218 rods with the 230 crank. Measure appropriately to get the pin height correct on your custom pistons for 0 deck. Balance assembly (any good shop should do this regardless). Probably cost a few hundred more in the end but its done right.

Easy to check / correct before assembly, much harder to check / correct after everything is together...