The weather has finally straighten out some in Boise and I've been able to start driving my 65 everyday.
I have found that the 3:90 gear with the 200R4 transmission and an all bottom end (300HP) 350 engine makes for a real nice driver.
I can tell the the mileage has probably doubled over the old 330 4BBL 2speed with the 3:90 gear which is nice.
I have to advise that when you build your engine talk to your local (hopefully best in town) engine shop on cam selection and what you want realistically want from your car.
I caught some grief here over my puny cam selection with a true 10-1 engine and I stuck with my builders recommendation and it works perfect. (I know the one thing that cam gurus here forget is the altitude you live at) Boise is at 2500' and it only goes up from here.
Anyway I am having a great time with the car it now runs perfect, drives perfect, starts perfect, it will be a great vacation car.
Hope your builds come out as good as mine. Do your research it pays.

 

Finally got mine squared away with the new 650 dp and the 2800 stall converter . She will roast them from a 25 mph roll. Glad to hear your combo turned out like you wanted.

 

thats good to hear! a 2004r and a set of 3.90 gears is on my list...

there is nothing worse than an overcammed engine!!

 

I'm glad your happy with the end product. Thanks for sharing, I think many of us wanting to use our cars as drivers could appreciate the overdrive automatic with low rear end gears. John

 

Sounds like a nice combo, dose the 200r bolt up with out an adaptor? And what cam did you use? Thanks.

 

yeah dont tease us w how great it is give some details on the engine mods and trans build too

Your set-up sounds like what I want good street driver w decent mileage

 

It was your engine and it was worth the drive.

 

Jag, do you go to any of the shows or cruise nights? I don't have a driver now, but it's always nice to see another Olds in the area!

 

Jag, does your 200r4 have a shift kit?

 

Jag,it sounds like you got one fun ride on your hands. Hats off to you for doing your homework and knowing your goals. You got a nice combo there.

I think it would be an interesting discussion when considering altitude for our combonations. I don't see it discussed much.

 

I will be at the big show down at the fair grounds, the fathers day show either in Eagle or down town and there is a bid show out in Burley I'm going to try and attend this summer and I will probably start going to Jerry's State Court cafe on some Fridays (good food).

 

This is what I got from the builder
200R complete kit w/HD frictions and steels,
Direct Clutch Power Pack
Wide HD band
Thrust washers
Thrust bearings
Overdrive sprag
Lower Roller Clutch
HD Shell
Transgo HD2 kit with supper servo
High Performance boost valves
Pump Stator
HV 10 vain pump assembly
2000 stall converter
Bowtie over drives supplied the TV cable set up and the lockup torque converter parts.

$1800 including a core charge

 

No adapter bolted right up only had to move the crossmember back same drive shaft worked. There a write up on the change over in the transmission section it's under Putting a 200R4 in my 65.

 

I started with a 69 350 w#5 heads
Block was align bored, decked to zero, squared front to rear and with the crank, bored .030, used EGGE 10.25 pistons, squish was set to .040., crank was polished, rods rebuilt w/good bolts, and everything rebalanced stock oil pump.
Heads where milled just enough for flatness, pocket ported and gasket matched to the intake and exhaust manifolds, head riser blocked, all new stainless valves an harden exhaust seats, new springs, rocker arms, pedestals, and pushrods, heads cc'ed at 65 when done.
My puny little cam is a no name brand with 206/214 duration and 448/472 lift, idles like a stocker.
Performer RPM intake with a Holley 80457 carb converted to a 4150, a stock rebuilt HEI distributor with all Pertronics parts and I had to use a set of Thorton exhaust manifolds because there are no headers available for this car that don't cost $1200.

 

Cool ,
same basic set-up I'll have when I'm finished .
I was planning to go 3.55ish in the rear but my trans builder says 3.90 is the way to go , and you make it sound right .

 

I'll stop and say hi if I run into you. I'm in Eagle, and I'll probably go to both of the father's day shows.

 

jag1886
Great build dude,nice 15/20 mpg+ tireburner

I'm doing the same 200rs,what was your fix on the kickdown cable hook up?
eurojeff

 

I bought my kickdown from Bowtie overdrives, it was simple to install and simple to adjust.

I have to admit the cam and engine compression didn't work once I got it out on the road and in the mountains. I am getting ready to pull the engine again and we are going to reduce the compression to 9-1 so it's way more gas friendly, was going to install a bigger cam to go with the 10-1 but the total cost for the cam and needed hardware plus I would have to upgrade to headers which I don't like would have been about $2200. Engine shop that built the engine is going to cover all labor I just have to cough up the few parts.

 

Sorry to hear your setup is not working to expectations, what's wrong?

 

Higher cr will usually give you better MPG not worse. What parts are you planning on getting to reduce your CR 1 full point?

 

Don't really know yet what we are going to have to do. The plan is to pull the engine down and mic the piston crown thickness and see if we can mill the dish larger, if not I'll have to pop for a new set of 9-0 pistons from Supercar Unlimited and start over.

OLDCUTLASS the compression ratio and small cam combo is causing a large pre ignition problem. I have 195 lbs of cranking pressure, I have wanked all the timing back and richen the carb but nothing helps, the hotter the temps are outside the worse it gets. I drive in the mountians a lot and you never know what kind of gas you are going to find in the small towns, I think it is wisest to just lower the ratio so I don't have to worry about every tank of gas I put in.

 

I have a set of .030 7 cc dished cast pistons. The skirts have some light scuffing. They have appx. 20k miles on them. I also have a set of #8 heads with appx 20k on them.

 

I already have the 7cc pistons in this motor, how big a chambers do #8's have and what did they use those on? I really would hate to have to change heads because I spent a butt load on the heads I already have but I'd like to know all my options.

 

I am not an expert on this. But instead of a complete tear down would it be possible to install thicker head gaskets to lower the compression?

 

I thought about that but that just destroys the quench area I spent so much on the establish.

 

Altitude does create a whole set of issues.

 

The #8 heads are a stock style rebuild nothing fancy im sure they are in the 79 cc range. I can try to cc them this weekend. I think you asked me about the roller tip rockers. 200 and it's all yours if you are interested.