Hey ya
Im currently in the middle of a new project. a 49 Hudson that im putting a 401 Nailhead in.
Have rebuilt the engine but I did not do the cam at the time - put the cash to porting & polishing.
The better half keeps asking if it will have a cool rough idle and strongly wants a new cam. >.> its gone from "Is that a lumpy cam" every time she hears a V8 to "we need a new cam".
So I have started looking about and reading up.
Currently looking at a TA-25 but thought I would check in with the experts here to get some ideas.
So the engine:
- 1965 Buick MR 401
- Bored .060 over
- Decked .020 to compensate for modern head gaskets(original gaskets were .017 thick, new ones are .045 thick. You lose .5 point of compression if you do not cut the deck to compensate)
- New cast pistons
- New Hastings moly rings
- Balanced
- Rods resized w/ ARP rod bolts
- Crank turned .010/.010 and polished
- Oil galley plugs converted to screw in(factory are press-in)
- New Melling oil pump
- New Melling cam/lifters
- New Melling valve springs
- Heads rebuilt w/ new valves, new iron guides, cut for Teflon oil seals(factory had no oil seals), milled .010 to ensure excellent seal
- New freeze plugs
- Updated to modern silicon front/rear oil seals
- Good used timing cover
- New timing chain
- New water pump
- Stage 1 porting.
- Polished chambers.
- cleaned up castings.
- Adjustable pushrods.
Eelco duel quad intake with Edlebrock 1405 600cfb carbs. Edlebrock electric fuel pump.
Rebuilt a beefed up 700R4. Currently have a 1650 torque converter but guessing will need update to a higher rating.
Moser 9inch with 3.50 gears.
28inch tires.
Pertronix ignition.
Pertronix headers with 2.5" pipes.
umm what else....
Im New Zealand based. Gases we have at the pump are 91, 95 and some times 98 octane.
I do alot of highway but when I press that go pedal I want to leave no doubt im going. Im not after a racer really. The car is a 49 Hudson on ridetech shockwaves(bag over coil) so im about cruising. So image and sound. Saying that I want to really light em up on the burnout pad at shows. I currently do about 1k miles a month in my 52 Buick.
So whats your thoughts on the TA-25 for this build? Should handle the two carbs and setup? Or would a Thumpr cam be better? I have read Russ Martin saying they dont burn all the gas.
What else will I be needing? New Stage 1 springs? lifters? valve keepers? timing cover and intake gaskets? torque converter?
You can see more of the build with further info here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/49-hudson-kustom.1057251/
Thats a bit of info hopefully not to much or not enough. Any advice would be great.
Alex
