[dav770431]

I am building my dart 555 all forged internals bbc with dart pro 1 CNC 355cc heads. Still debating whether or not i am going to run the dart big chief or single plane intake with a 1050 dominator. The car it is going in will be mostly a street car and will go down the track here and there. It will have a th400 behind it not sure what stall yet. I have a cam in mind its a Lunati 680 lift solid roller cam 255/263 @.050. What do you guys think? Any advice or suggestions?

 

[68NovaSS]

We're having a tough time keeping up with you, the first motor you bought was a 400 wanting 500 to 550 hp, then abandoned it for a 468 because of the machine work to clearance a 496, that was to be mostly a strip car with occasional Sunday street drive, and "honestly can't afford a Dart M Block", now you've abandoned that and actually bought a Dart 555 short block with major CNC heads and intake that will be "mainly a street car with occasional trips to the track"?

That was all in the space of four weeks. In order to help you with the build, tell us, is the 555 your final, real build? And will it be primarily street or strip?? You say you're no longer wanting 700 hp, what is your goal? I would think your family, hot rodding brothers, dad being a 496 guy and the uncle with a 2k hp 668 BBC, would be able to help a lot as well.

 

[dav770431]

400 block i bought was trashed according to machine shop. Decided to go with a 454 but couldnt find a decent 4 bolt 2p rms short block. After talking to machine shop and several people they said with the money you would pay for the bare block you want with all the internals and then all the machine work you might as well buy a dart short block with more cubic inches and better quality block. So i went ahead and bought the 555 short block. Now just trying to decide the set up. ive decided on the heads, intake, carb etc but i was just trying to get advice on the cam. Uncle says the 680 lift solid roller is a good match but dad says it might be a little much so just wanted to see what you guys thought. Yes it will be a street and strip car. I wanted the cam a little more on the street side of things.

 

[cdminter59]

Dart 555

I remember you too. I suggested for you to buy a dart short block. What is your compression ratio? That's alot of duration, probably going to need alot of compression. Are those 355 dart heads 11* heads? If not the big chief intake will not work. Sure seems like this isn't being built for the street!

 

[dav770431]

CNC pro 1 355cc intake 121cc combustion chamber 2.300/1.880 in/ex valves with 1.625 dual springs max lift .800. Motor has 10.5:1 cr I think the .680 lift is a good match for my set up.

 

[67-4-fun]

that Lunati cam is what i suggested for ya, in a 496 bbc its an awsome cam street/strip.. so your 555bbc that cam will act a bit more milder because of the cubic inches are bigger but i think its a good choice.. becarefull not to go to big on the heads, 320-345 i think is pretty suficiant... best to get a smaller head and make it flow like a bigger one... thats how you make the HP on street/strip combo.. just my thoughts

 

[joelster]

that Lunati cam is what i suggested for ya, in a 496 bbc its an awsome cam street/strip.. so your 555bbc that cam will act a bit more milder because of the cubic inches are bigger but i think its a good choice.. becarefull not to go to big on the heads, 320-345 i think is pretty suficiant... best to get a smaller head and make it flow like a bigger one... thats how you make the HP on street/strip combo.. just my thoughts

Agreed. That cam is not very big for trying to feed 555 cubes. It will work good as a street/strip combo.

 

[CNC BLOCKS NE]

400 block i bought was trashed according to machine shop. Decided to go with a 454 but couldnt find a decent 4 bolt 2p rms short block. After talking to machine shop and several people they said with the money you would pay for the bare block you want with all the internals and then all the machine work you might as well buy a dart short block with more cubic inches and better quality block. So i went ahead and bought the 555 short block. Now just trying to decide the set up. ive decided on the heads, intake, carb etc but i was just trying to get advice on the cam. Uncle says the 680 lift solid roller is a good match but dad says it might be a little much so just wanted to see what you guys thought. Yes it will be a street and strip car. I wanted the cam a little more on the street side of things.

Make sure you measure every lifter for roundness and straightness and size and make sure the bore clearance does not exceed .002, I have been finding alot of lifters .841 and in an .844 lifer bore that .003 is way to much clearance.

 

[dav770431]

Do you guys think i should get the dart CNC pro 1 335cc intake instead of the 355cc? Or should i get a little bit bigger cam with the 355's?

 

[CNC BLOCKS NE]

Do you guys think i should get the dart CNC pro 1 335cc intake instead of the 355cc? Or should i get a little bit bigger cam with the 355's?

It would be more fun on the street with the 335 and have better street manners.

Just a thought.

 

[dav770431]

So you guys think the 335's with the lunati 680 lift cam is a good combo?

 

[CNC BLOCKS NE]

So you guys think the 335's with the lunati 680 lift cam is a good combo?

Thats not a bad combo.

 

[67-4-fun]

So you guys think the 335's with the lunati 680 lift cam is a good combo?

this is a better head choice... a 320 or 335 will have more low rpm air speed which the engine will have better street manners and lots and lots and lots of low end torque :thumbup: you go to big in the cc and the engine will become lazy at lower rpms for the street.. but on the strip different story

 

[67-4-fun]

leave the big Chef heads for the drag strip only!! they will suck for street manners

 

[6426yy]

Let's see some pics, what's this going in? 454's are all over the place and converting a 2 bolt to 4 is a hella lot cheeper than the route your on. Your going to need another 4-6 grand just for trans, rearend and misc parts.

 

[dav770431]

A dart block is worth the money and will last alot longer. The short block is still at the machine shop and it is going in my 91 camaro. 12 bolt rear built th400 here is a picture.