Building A Premudder - Big Block Chevy Engine & Four Link Suspension Install

If it hasn't happened to you already, there'll be a time in your life when you're too far into a project to quit, but it seems crazy to carry on. At this point, you need to make a decision to cut your losses, or continue on and finish a project that you never would have started had you known how bad it was going to get. This is one of those projects for myself and the crew at Fabworx Off Road. The '74 K5 we had started ("Building a PreMudder," Dec. '06) had become a real headache. The frame was terrible and in desperate need of repair, there was rust in the body, and what we thought was a lucky-stroke running 396 big-block turned out to be a waste of time. Just remember: Project trucks are fun, and you need to keep telling yourself that when it starts looking bad.

This month, the Fabworx crew were able to make progress. Instead of fixing a bunch of stuff, we were actually now adding modifications. We were down to a time crunch of just under a month, and things were starting to come together. In this second installment, we were able to get a big-block Chevy built for power and a four-link fabbed up to control the rear 14-bolt that Tim put a Yukon Gear gearset and spool in last month. However, I knew it was going to be bad when the oil-pan drain plug was pulled and Jack Arrington said to me, "Uh, I don't want to tell you there's metal in your oil, but there's metal in your oil."

Upon removal of the heads,...        read full caption Upon removal of the heads, we found a hole on the ringland of the No. 1 piston. This would require a complete rebuild, something that we did not have time nor financial resources for. Jack Arrington, our engine specialist, took a look at me, and then back at the engine, and then back at me, and said, "I have a 462 short-block with a steel crank in my garage. I started it a couple years ago and it has just sat since then, so it needs to be honed. We can figure something out later." And you can bet we will.	The 462ci block spent two...        read full caption The 462ci block spent two weeks in the machine shop, but it came out looking good and ready to have some Edelbrock Performer heads bolted on. On top is a new intake manifold and throttle body for the Pro Flo multipoint fuel injection.	The Edelbrock Performer RPM...        read full caption The Edelbrock Performer RPM big-block aluminum cylinder heads support up to 540 hp with a 9.5:1 compression and feature oval ports that flow similarly to rectangular ports, but with the responsiveness that you'd get from a smaller port. They have a 110cc chamber, 2.19 intake/1.88 exhaust valves, and a 290cc intake port.
Magneti Marelli and Edelbrock...        read full caption Magneti Marelli and Edelbrock teamed up to bring this Pro-Flo multipoint fuel injection to life. The kit comes complete with everything you need to convert over to fuel injection. That's a Weber throttle body sitting on top of the new aluminum intake manifold.	The Pro-Flo fully adjustable...        read full caption The Pro-Flo fully adjustable fuel-injection system is very impressive. On the fly, you can make fuel adjustments via the in-cab controller at different engine speeds and at W.O.T., check all the engine stats including rpm, vacuum, and the air/fuel ratio, and save different programs. The information is stored in the Pro-Flo's ECU, and to run the engine, you don't have to have the controller hooked up, in case you want to leave it inside your glovebox for protection while you're wheelin'.	Feeding this fuel-hungry big-block...        read full caption Feeding this fuel-hungry big-block fuel-injection system is Edelbrock's street/strip electric fuel pump, included with the Pro-Flo. It can feed up to 600 hp, and since we're looking to only get between 400 and 500 hp, it should be just fine. Be sure not to mount the electric fuel pump too close to any exhaust components, especially the muffler.