TX73SE
Active Member
Good afternoon all,
I finally got some free time (and money!) to tinker on this project, now that I sold my last project.
Once I’d bought the car, and did some further research I knew the heads on the engine weren’t original to the car(906 heads on a 73 charger 400 2bbl).
This afternoon I got inspired to pull the head and find out what I was working with before I starting making parts decisions.... and purchases.
A little back story, The guy I bought it from had purchased the car from a friend who’s uncle owned it and supposedly the engine was rebuilt and never run/ finished up due to health issue, guy died, car sat for 30 years. I don’t typically take 2nd hand information much to heart with used cars.
But Since the engine block matched the vin of the car I knew it was original, and given everything wasn’t buttoned up and bolted in, it was plausible.
I opened it up today and was pleasantly surprised to find clean bores and new .030 over pistons.
I can tell they’re flat tops, but would greatly appreciate insight on how to determine an approximate compression ratio so a can make other decisions.
From removal I can tell the heads were redone as well and never run.
I’d like to determine:
1. was the block decked so the compression would be higher?
2. Were the heads shaved?
3. Sell these and get some aluminum heads? (but then what’s the expected compression ratio?)
input from experienced members is greatly appreciated. I just want a cruiser, and budget is very much a factor for me.
I’ve looked at both the summit k6401 cam kit and the Hughes whiplash cams. Obviously compression ratio is a big factor in the whiplash cams but I thought it was a bone stock 400 with low 1973 compression 7.5-8.5 and crappy smog heads.
With this new info I’m trying to adjust and make a better decision since I don’t need to pull the short block.
Thanks in advance for any and all thoughts.
Daniel
I finally got some free time (and money!) to tinker on this project, now that I sold my last project.
Once I’d bought the car, and did some further research I knew the heads on the engine weren’t original to the car(906 heads on a 73 charger 400 2bbl).
This afternoon I got inspired to pull the head and find out what I was working with before I starting making parts decisions.... and purchases.
A little back story, The guy I bought it from had purchased the car from a friend who’s uncle owned it and supposedly the engine was rebuilt and never run/ finished up due to health issue, guy died, car sat for 30 years. I don’t typically take 2nd hand information much to heart with used cars.
But Since the engine block matched the vin of the car I knew it was original, and given everything wasn’t buttoned up and bolted in, it was plausible.
I opened it up today and was pleasantly surprised to find clean bores and new .030 over pistons.
I can tell they’re flat tops, but would greatly appreciate insight on how to determine an approximate compression ratio so a can make other decisions.
From removal I can tell the heads were redone as well and never run.
I’d like to determine:
1. was the block decked so the compression would be higher?
2. Were the heads shaved?
3. Sell these and get some aluminum heads? (but then what’s the expected compression ratio?)
input from experienced members is greatly appreciated. I just want a cruiser, and budget is very much a factor for me.
I’ve looked at both the summit k6401 cam kit and the Hughes whiplash cams. Obviously compression ratio is a big factor in the whiplash cams but I thought it was a bone stock 400 with low 1973 compression 7.5-8.5 and crappy smog heads.
With this new info I’m trying to adjust and make a better decision since I don’t need to pull the short block.
Thanks in advance for any and all thoughts.
Daniel
