Rebuilding an 8BA, Need Help With Parts Selection

57ChevyWagonMan

57ChevyWagonMan

Member
I just dropped my block and crank off at the machine shop to have them hot tanked and magnafluxed. I am looking at what I need to make my 8BA a reliable long running engine. The shop has told me that the block needs to be bored. I was hoping to avoid that. Unfortunately it is what it is. Do I go with 3 ring or 4 ring pistons? What brand? I am planing on Offy heads and regular dual carb intake as well as an isky Max-1 cam I am planing to reuse the stock rods and crank. The crank just needs polished. What should I do about the rest of the valve train? I was thinking of using Speedway motors as my source for most all of this but recently heard some despairing remarks about their products.

Hope you all can help!

Thanks!

Mike :cool:
 
Just a "tip" on the crank work, I would make certain the shop removes the (4) pressed in plugs on the rod throws (clean in there thoroughly by hand, then boil it) and drills and taps for pipe plugs!

(Add) We use both the 3 ring and 4 ring pistons, either will be fine! You'll see some add'l power gains with the 3 rings, more also if the rings are "moly"!! But the block needs to be block-plate honed with correct finish for the rings! Cast rings require using different stones than the "moly".

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. The ONLY way to really clean the crank out is by removing those plugs! Most are all full of "crud" over the years! Simply "boiling" the crank don't clean inside there! The chemicals used in "hot-tanks" today have little to no effect on that "crud"!!
 
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