1968 Nova SS

Extra special thanks to Mike Lewis at Lewis Racing Engines.  http://www.lewisracingengines.com/home.html

Mike has helped me on this engine and my last 406 engine. Both engines made more HP than they really should, and that is 100% based on picks of parts, and consultation from Mike. Its often said its the sum of the parts that make power, not just the parts, and Mike is THE MAN who knows how to make all those parts " like ' each other.

Mike is the engine Guru that humble as he is, is your best friend when you are building an engine. Invaluable knowledge, he becomes the mentor of the project, the mediator between you and the parts makers, and the driver of your project. Most projects that Mike does are at his shop, and he controls 100% of the build, right to the final dyno. Bieng in Canada, I wanted to oversee the build here, so Mike  arranged all of the purchase of the parts and shipped everything to me minus the block which we already had here. His work included balancing the entire rotating assembly before shipping.  Every part right down to the ARP head bolt kit was supplied by Mike. Many hours, and countless emails between Mike and I resulted in the engine design we ended settling on. I knew what I wanted for TQ and HP, it was up to Mike to make it happen. I have personally built, and helped on hundreds of performance engine builds over the years.  Those of you that know me, and know how butally anal I am, know that hundreds of emails between Mike and I were involved in this build. Arguments, agreements and debates went back and forth for weeks on end as to the parts pick.  Mike 98% won, but as you guys know took a beating from me because I always have to be right, hehehehe.   Mike has more tolerance than a minister in Las Vegas.  On engine Dyno's, and rear wheel dyno's, the experianced owners/operators of that equipment stopped, paused and looked puzzled as to how much power this engine, and my last 406 made. Its not the parts, its the sum of the total parts combination that makes power.

Harvey Resnick  http://www.resnickauto.com/  when doing the Rear Wheel Dyno, got out of my car and said, it made over 500 HP, the thing made over 500HP, and repeated that 4 times. Harvey builds 500HP rear wheel engines for a living, but rarely does he see one make that as a SB, and a natually asperated SB. He got out of my car and right on the phone direct to the manufacturers of some of my parts for more details. To impress the industry leaders and innovators shows that we have built something special, a unique engine.   

I cannot say enough about Terry the owner of Kershaw Performance in Langley BC http://www.akmediaproductions.ca/clients/kershaw_performance/about_us.php       

Terry did the block work and assembly of the engine, and broke it in on his engine dyno. Terry is well known for his porting ability, and as well could not belive the heads from AFR. He took our Super Vic and ported it to flow more than the heads so that the Vic was not a restriction to the engine. Terry has built, and rebuilt all of my recent engines, and I would highly recommend his skills to anyone.

Prior to Terry's handywork, I built all of my own engines. Unfortunatly my health restricts me doing even spark plug changes now. My friends know how anal I am so for me to trust someone else to even look at my engine, you know I must 100% trust Terry Kershaws' work. I trust him to mix my parts up in his bin, now that says a lot, he's one of the good old guys. 

440"     4.185" Bore x 4.00" stroke , note that I have numerious valve covers for it, these and Kershaw's.

 

The Dart Little M has, or can be punched with lots of creativity to 501" , so there is tons of options still open to explore  on this engine.  Small Block Dart Little M block purchased brand new, spec's of a bare block found on here  http://www.dartheads.com/products/blocks/chevy-blocks/chevy-small-blocks/little-m-blocks.html

 My SB dart Motor Spec.
*440 CI  Dart Little M block
*6.0"  Callies 4340 H-Beams 2" pin
*Callies Magnum XL Lightened Crank 4340   4.00" stroke
*Diamond custom cut pistons 11:2 compression 
*Bore 4.185"  Stroke 4"
*Internal Balance to zero/zero grams
*227 Eliminator Full Comp race CNC heads
*Springs are Manley Nextek, 221443,  235lbs seat 610lbs open.
*Rocker arms 1.6 Jesel offset
*Comp Billet SR RX 4304/NC 4145 259/262@.050  .430/420 .688/.672"lobe lift 112LSA
*Isky EZBearing lifters
 *Vic Sr intake ported to flow withe the heads K&N side and Top filter
*Moroso 7 Qt Kick, with scrapper, windage tray
* Titan HV BIllet oil pump

* 2HP high TQ mini starter 

 

 

Titan oil pump  http://www.titanspeed.com/content/pump/