Engine selection for Crown and Kelmark

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Engine selection for Crown and Kelmark

Postby Louisville Morrison » Fri Jan 16, 2015 5:41 pm

I am looking for information on the torque and HP recommendations for the Crown and Kelmark conversions. What is the reasonable limit while still maintaining reliability. I know there are a lot of factors. What I am looking for is some information from folks with real world experience. I have the important pieces of both kits and will probably build them both eventually. I know that torque and HP are not the only factors, gearing, cam, aluminum flywheel, driving style, etc can have an affect. I know that just about anything can be broken. As a young person I have broken spyder gears and clutches with a basically stock 140. I don't expect to be able to dump the clutch when launching, but I don't want a combo that will bust the trans on hard acceleration or wear out the ring gear in a few thousand miles. So help me out with your experiences with different combinations so that I don't try to reinvent the wheel. I would like to get a car together for the nationals this year and need information to help me decide where to start. I have a 4.3 v6 (and some vortec heads) and a 4 cam Olds LX5 3.5 on hand, however both seem a little weak in their stock form. I have seen some reasonable prices on new crate engines and am not opposed to going new. All opinions, from my perspective, are welcome and will be treated with respect. My engine budget is not unlimited so exotic stuff is probably out of scope.
Thanks
Dan
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Re: Engine selection for Crown and Kelmark

Postby Button Groton » Fri Jan 16, 2015 8:24 pm

Build what sounds good to you! So many variations today, none are for everyone.
My Crown with a original LT1 350 engine is very reliable and I autocross it regularly.
Dave
David Button
Groton NY
1966 Crown V8 - since 1971.
My YouTube videos here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCb0Bh ... P6aFuqFAZw
My Crown V8 2010 rebuild here:
http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv19 ... C04730.jpg
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Re: Engine selection for Crown and Kelmark

Postby Calgary Klassen » Mon Jan 26, 2015 7:26 pm

sounds like you have things figured out I happen to have both set ups that you are looking at and they are both well sorted out well driven cars long before I got them

My Crown car has a 1977 Z28 350 4bbl stock heads full length custom headers 3.27 4 spider diff built in mid 70's with a built 327 for the first 30+ years I drive it like a sports car and don't leave really hard but once rolling I do tend to push it hard on occasion and can drift it if I do it right it held together very well until the ring gear broke last summer. I don't think from my driving it just fatigued over time and abuse hehehe but it had been in the car for 25+ year since its last refresh so I figure I am at 275-300 HP and 350 lbs torque

My Kelmark car has a 1967 327 275hp / 350 HP cam stock ram horn manifolds, 4 spider 3.55 diff the previous owner auto crossed the car a lot and never had issues with the diff as he fabricated an oil slinger to help with the diff and ut seems to work excellent I only drove the car a little until it spun a rod brg. and even in the short time I drove it seemed to be very strong and worked very good.

as far as a build I would do the crown as it has fewer issues with the shifter ( can be a huge pain ) and can take more sustained driving but both if done well are a blast, ill be selling kelmark car this year after I install my other 327 only because I have several other cars I also play with

ken
69 GS 400 Convert
37 Chev 2 DR Sedan street rod
65 Buick Sportwagon
70 Buick Skylark 2 DR HT
69 Corvair powered buggy ( Crown conversion )
66 Corvair Corsa Crown V8 mid engine conversion
SOLD 68 Corvair Monza Kelmark V8 mid engine conversion SOLD
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Re: Engine selection for Crown and Kelmark

Postby Cumming Levine » Mon Jan 26, 2015 10:25 pm

If its built right,all the details done correctly you can put 500 hp through a Crown. Ive done it and My good friend David McIntosh did it in the 70s with his Big block Buick Crown. That being said a good 327 or 350 would be a great choice. My first V8 was a 327, with 350 HP hyd cam,old junk double hump heads and it was a blast. A nice 350 with a set of Vortec heads and a mild cam with a 650 Carb would be easy fun! probably in the 325 HP range,big fun and reliable. Mike
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Re: Engine selection for Crown and Kelmark

Postby Louisville Morrison » Fri Jan 30, 2015 10:49 am

Thanks to both of you. This helps give me some direction.
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