Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Blueprint for a Budget Small Block Chevy Build
I want to build a mild, 350ci small-block Chevy for a ’77 Chevy pickup I’ll use as a daily driver. The trans will be a TH-350 with a stock torque […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Piston Ring Thickness and Why Thin is In!
I’ve heard that late model engines now run much thinner rings than the older production engines. Are these thinner rings just there to improve fuel mileage or is there a […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Tips and Techniques for Tuning Up HEI Distributors
I was checking the timing on my small block Camaro yesterday and noticed that the timing doesn’t return to initial like it should. I set my initial timing at 14 […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Examining the Viability of Chevrolet’s Oft-Overlooked “Corporate” 10-Bolt Rear-End
Was it possible for the 1970 big block 396 (402) Nova to come with the 10-bolt rear-end installed from the factory? I know the 12-bolt was optional for around $150 […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Upgrading Valve Springs for Better High-RPM Performance
I’ve got a 454 H.O. crate engine and we installed a small ProCharger centrifugal on the engine to bump the power. I thought this would work well with the engine’s […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Cam Size and Its Role in Torque Converter Selection
I have a ’69 Chevy C-10 pickup with a 383 stroker small-block and a TH350 transmission. We recently put a bigger hydraulic lifter cam and headers on the engine to […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: What is Safe Effective Compression Ratio for E85?
What is a general safe effective compression ratio on E85? The internet results in varying opinions from 13:1 up to an extreme 20:1. Jeff Smith: This is an interesting question […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: The Pros and Cons of the Chevy Inline Six for Old-School Hot Rods
I was at my local car show the other day and I talked with a guy who built an inline Chevy 6 for his street rod. I was interested in […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Comparing EFI vs. Carburetion on a 6.0L LS Swap
I’m considering swapping a 6.0L truck LS engine into my ’69 Chevy pickup and I’m trying to decide which intake system to use. My engine has the stock plastic, truck […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: The Pros and Cons of E85 in Performance Applications
Old guy up in Canada scratching his head and wondering: A: Is the oxygen in ethanol as hard on aluminum parts as the information available on the web says it […]