Resurrecting the Blue 74 Javelin with a 401

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Well, all the parts are in EXCEPT for the Wiseco 401 pistons I ordered from Summit and the Indy SR heads I ordered (which should be in this or next week).  They were saying first week of April for the pistons but now the online info is saying 4/22/11.  Aargh!  

In the meantime, the 360 has been pulled from the engine bay and I've got 2 gutless 74 Javelins sitting in my garage waiting to be brought back to life while the weather is perfect down in the Phx area.  I had hoped to get a few rides in before the nasty summer heat came, but not looking too likely now.

In the meantime, I'm going to start wiring in the Big Stuff 3 ECU and harness and do some long overdue suspension and interior upgrades to the Blue Javelin and turn my attention back to the track car while waiting for the 401 to get finished.  Been throwing some ideas around for paint on the track car and after some intense pressure by the girlfriend, I'm considering Big Bad Orange with 2 black stripes over the top of the car.  My uncle has a 70 AMX painted BBO, and its got a nice "racey" look to that color.  Not sure how it would look on a "big" Javelin, but if not, I may go with a red.  Nice thing about Forza 3 is I can play with some ideas and get a sense of how they look.

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Javelin74 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Nut Joined: May/18/2010 Location: Scottsdale Status: Offline Points: 286	Post Options Post Reply Quote Javelin74 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/30/2011 at 4:14pm
	Well, all the parts are in EXCEPT for the Wiseco 401 pistons I ordered from Summit and the Indy SR heads I ordered (which should be in this or next week). They were saying first week of April for the pistons but now the online info is saying 4/22/11. Aargh! In the meantime, the 360 has been pulled from the engine bay and I've got 2 gutless 74 Javelins sitting in my garage waiting to be brought back to life while the weather is perfect down in the Phx area. I had hoped to get a few rides in before the nasty summer heat came, but not looking too likely now. In the meantime, I'm going to start wiring in the Big Stuff 3 ECU and harness and do some long overdue suspension and interior upgrades to the Blue Javelin and turn my attention back to the track car while waiting for the 401 to get finished. Been throwing some ideas around for paint on the track car and after some intense pressure by the girlfriend, I'm considering Big Bad Orange with 2 black stripes over the top of the car. My uncle has a 70 AMX painted BBO, and its got a nice "racey" look to that color. Not sure how it would look on a "big" Javelin, but if not, I may go with a red. Nice thing about Forza 3 is I can play with some ideas and get a sense of how they look.

Javelin74 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Nut Joined: May/18/2010 Location: Scottsdale Status: Offline Points: 286	Post Options Post Reply Quote Javelin74 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/05/2011 at 2:29am
	Thanks for the input, BBJ, and words of encouragement. I'm running the Torker with the injection since I've already had it converted from about 15 years ago. I ran the intake on my 360 with a Haltech E6 ECU and the powerdyne. If they were around back then, I would have loved to have the Indy intake. I'll throw in a pic of the intake below. The 360 had the old low compression forged TRW's so I obviously never had any "ping" issues and even ran a a pulley that gave me 10 lbs. But the 401 is definitely going to be a different animal. When the old Powerdyne's were starting to get a dime a dozen from all the 5.0's blowing up from them, I picked one up that had been rebuilt for $400, so mocking up a bracket and getting a pulley made were relative simple. All in all, it probably ran me about $600-700 to get the set up running. I didn't want to mess with oil lines at the time, so the Powerdyne was a perfect fit. Plus, they seem to run cooler so intercoolers really don't make as big a difference as they would with a Vortech or Procharger or one of those gear-driven beasts. I've toyed with the idea of going turbo someday, but honestly, since most of my yah-yah's are got on a road course rather than a 1/4 mile, I already get a little nervous with the amount of power I have to get down coming out of corners on DOT tires.

BigBadJav Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Jul/09/2009 Location: Colon, Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 81	Post Options Post Reply Quote BigBadJav Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/04/2011 at 10:32pm
	I can't speak too much for your combo, I really dig it, sounds like a great set of components, except for one piece. Why run the years-old Torker design when there are so many much more modern (and scienced-out) intakes out there? I realize when you are running boosted the intake runner design becomes almost nearly moot, but more power is ALWAYS a good thing, right? If I were you, I'd run either an Indy or an HLR intake. Either one I think would be easier to convert for EFI, as well. I doubt the Torker has enough meat to drill for injector bungs without welding some additional material to the tops of the runners. As for the compression with a blower, I had a friend bolted a 8-71 Huffer to his SS396 '70 Chevelle that had 12:1 pistons in it. Ran it 25% underdriven (thing only made like 3psi of boost) but you know what? That thing ran like a raped ape! And held together for a long time until he finally decided to sell it. The big stuff 3 system should be able to be set up with a boost retard, so the timing won't be too much of a problem once you get the spark and fuel maps dialed. You may, however, consider adding an intercooler to the system of some kind and/or a water/methanol injection system to help keep the detonation at bay. Can't wait to see it all together. And have you considered going Turbo rather than supercharged? I've always wanted to put together a Twin-Turbo 401 and see what it would do. Messing with desktop dyno once I came up with a 1200hp combo!
	ASE Certified Auto Tech, 14 yrs. experience. If I can't fix it, it ain't Broke!

Javelin74 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Nut Joined: May/18/2010 Location: Scottsdale Status: Offline Points: 286	Post Options Post Reply Quote Javelin74 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/04/2011 at 2:48pm
	BTW, the motor is off to Bailey's in Mesa, AZ...so thanks to Dan Curtis for setting me up with his motor man. Got to see his 390 sitting on the bench while I was given the tour of the shop!!! Thanks Dan!!!

Javelin74 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Nut Joined: May/18/2010 Location: Scottsdale Status: Offline Points: 286	Post Options Post Reply Quote Javelin74 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/04/2011 at 2:47pm
	Well, finally got around to taking the 401 I've been lugging around for the last 10 years to the machine shop today to get the blue car rolling again. As stuff develops, I'll post some pics and probably throw out some questions for input. For starters, here's the build plan... Your 2 cents is appreciated. Planned specs- .30 over with Wiseco Pro Tru R-domes (expecting b/t 9.25-9.5 compression) Stock rods w/ ARP hardware Indy SR heads w/ extra headbolt holes (probably bowl port) Torker intake w/ EFI conversion run by Big Stuff 3 ECU for sequential injection (42 lbs injectors???) Powerdyne supercharger set at 6-7 lbs boost Hooker super comp headers going to 2.5 dual exh w/ X-pipe Comp Cams solid roller (276/280- 232/236 at .050 - .560/.580 lift) Canton RR pan w/ external pickup and internal oil valley line I think that covers the basics. I know the compression would make some shake a little bit when added with a supercharger, but having read up on it, I think the centrifugal Powerdyne with aluminum heads, modern R-dome piston shape, and cam should be safe as long as I don't go nuts with too much advance on the timing. Thoughts? Comments? Anybody got a desktop dyno? It will still run through my TKO Tremec and Ford 9" rear.