in the last 15 years: most popular 'Cal Look' engine combo has been?

[Jim Ratto]

The early 1970's hot rod VW's.... the 1700 was the hot ticket, with the occasional 1835 or stroker mixed in, as the decade wore on. By the 80's, 94's had come around, and street cars started running 1914's, etc... at least from what I can remember. By the time 1991-92 came around, I had the 2276 in my own car with Super Flows and the Berg K10 cam, and at least up north... it was sort of unheard of to run a "big" motor, at least that big.
But now?
What do you think the signature "cal look" motor will be remembered as, within the last 15 years or so?


Turbo?

I have a feeling I know what most of you will say... and if I am right, I'll post some further thoughts.

[louisb]

I would say 2276 as featured in the HVWs Blueprinting article with slight variations. But the basic recipe is the same. K-8 cam, 82 or 84 stroke, 90.5/94 pistons, 48 idas, Berg sump, Berg linkage, MSD dizzy, welded or cnc heads, etc. 

For a while there almost every engine you saw in mags had the same basic cookie cutter pattern. (Hey it works, why not.) I think the next step will be the 3 liter monsters that are just now hitting the street.

Edit: I must be slow. I just figured out who 1970 is.

--louis

[Lids]

2276.

44 x 37 11:1CR

There has been a shift over the last few years to running a webcam 86b on the street, though i prefer my 86c

[The Ideaman]

2276 with VW journal, 5.4 rods and CNC heads.  K8 and 1.4's.  Will need very little fitting in engine compartment or trimming of tin.  No big shims under Cima barrels.

[Jim Ratto]

As much as I know "it works", the 2276/K8 deal, to me is overrated. From my experience, the K8 in the 2276 has no soul. Sure it runs and it's fast, but they run too much like a 1776/110, just bigger. Easy to drive, even for your mom. Good for 13's, drive it everyday...and so on. And I'm sure a dozen guys will debate it with me, but the powerband is just too plain vanilla. Drop the K8 in a 69mm stroke motor, and it's altogether different.

The 86C? It deserves its revered status. Look back almost 20 yr ago, Schwimmer was gunning high 12's out of the coral rag...same motor that shows up quietly to Nicks every month. Under 4500, as tame as the K8, but above? Better hang on.

Still like to see a resurgence of under 2000cc/high CR/40x35 or 42 x 37/'95%race' cams...   90.5x76, 310 degrees plus...  anyone?

[bmxnut65]

2276 - fk/89 11:1 ho heads 44x37.5

[Jim Ratto]

2276 - fk/89 11:1 ho heads 44x37.5

ho heads huh? they put out?

[bugnut68]

Without a doubt: 1776, 7:1 compression, 40x35.5mm valves MAX, 1-3/8 heater box header and quiet pack, dual Kadrons or other similar single-barrel carbs.  You just can't get reliable power above 7:1 on the street.





















 

[bmxnut65]

hey 1970,you got a problem with my og ho's.head uo bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jim Ratto]

hey 1970,you got a problem with my og ho's.head uo bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't but their 'pimpin' iz tuff' daddy Notcho does. Bitch.

[Bill Schwimmer]

Without a doubt it would have to be a 2275cc  with big heads ,pump gas & a big cam.
This combo brought reliable 12 sec street sedans to the masses.
 I remember when I was 1st putting my motor together the only other person I knew of with a street motor that big was Mark H. however his was a bit milder than mine. I just wanted something that was really fast, but did'nt run on race gas. I ended up building a motor with race spec parts & technology but with no compression.

It seems to have worked out pretty well, maybe I will take it apart some year.
 
Some people talk about how years ago small cc motors were runnings 12's, I seem to remember most of them having lots of compression, light cars & the motors taking themselves apart all the time.
 Bang for the buck, its hard to beat a 2275 w/ cnc heads. It seems like they all make 200hp without even trying.  I had to work at mine way back when. Nobody had done it yet..
 As for the future  4" bore is here, I drove one the other night, it makes mine seem like a toy.

[Rennsurfer]

As for the future  4" bore is here, I drove one the other night, it makes mine seem like a toy.

Yep! Thanks for that, Bill. He's right... the future is NOW and it's pretty gosh darned impressive. The engine was barely awake and haulin' arse.

[DKK Ted]

2303CC W/XR310 Babe Erson cam, 44X37 Perf. Tech. heads, Berg 1 3/4 header, IDA's, made some good HP on Bergs dyno. Back when.

[BeetleBug]

Most popular? Anything from 1915 to 2800ccm NA/Turbo/NOS, whatever works on the street for you. Size does not matter - HP does. Anything less than 150hp is borring and I do not want a borring hobby.

[Jim Ratto]

Bill S' motor became the template I think (for good reason), but I don't think most guys went with as far with cam and heads. And most guys can't run with Bill's car either. I know it was seeing his car go like a bat out of hell @ Sears Pt way back in 1992 that got me to notice his setup. His OEM head motor was leaving my Super Flow head motor in the dust.

I do think cylinder volume vs cam duration coupled with headwork does matter. 175hp that runs up to 6000 is not as much fun to me as 150hp that comes on hard after 4K and goes to 7K.

[lawrence]

Still like to see a resurgence of under 2000cc/high CR/40x35 or 42 x 37/'95%race' cams...   90.5x76, 310 degrees plus...  anyone?

This will never be a mainstream movement because it is too easy and cheap to build something larger. The diehards focused on nostalgia will, however, be forever interested. For now I will stick with my 1914; hangon here comes 4k and 7k is not far up the road

[Rasser]

I do think cylinder volume vs cam duration coupled with headwork does matter. 175hp that runs up to 6000 is not as much fun to me as 150hp that comes on hard after 4K and goes to 7K.

I have to agree with you on that, but you will have fun longer with the "boring" 175hp engine.
And that counts too.

[Jesse/DVK]

1915/K8/IDA best bang for buck for a student cal look engine

[Jim Ratto]

1915/K8/IDA best bang for buck for a student cal look engine

I have to agree there.

[The Ideaman]

1915/K8/IDA best bang for buck for a student cal look engine

Jesse, I'd bet you are right.  Probably more 1914's than anything else out there.

[Frenchy Dehoux]

      1776 or 2276
      Frenchy

[stealth67vw]

Edit: I must be slow. I just figured out who 1970 is.

--louis

I think he's hiding from a killer...........seriously. 

[stealth67vw]

I think the most popular Cal Look engine combo for the last 15 years has to be the 2276 or 2332/FK-8/44 x 37.5 heads/IDAs. It's a cookie cutter combo that make good power without much thought.

[1946vw]

84 okrasa, 88 slippers, 42x37.5 Steve Tims heads, crane 320b, Empi 1.4 rockers, 220 hp, now thats a cal-look motor

[henk]

i think 1776 i know a lot of people who started with a 1776 an then went bigger.

henk!!!

[Lids]

went straight to 1914  , didn't cost any extra than a 1776.  Still don't see the point of 1776!

[Jeff68]

When my 2110 (82 X 90.5) with 42 X 37.5 valves, IDA's and K10 was recently finished people said that it's an "old school" motor.  Is it?  I have seen many 2110's around in cars that are regularly street driven.  All I know is that it runs really well and pulls hard through all the gears.

I used a K10 cam because I heard a few call the K8 a "Grandma Cam" and I wanted something with a bit more high end power. 
From what  have seen and heard it sounds as though the 4" bore is the future.  If I ever "upgrade" my engine in the future I would definitely look in to a 4" bore combination.

[dirk zeyen]

78.4 X 90.5
w120 with 1.25 ratio rockers ( the mark herbert cam  read about that combo on the other forum tech articles)
9.1 / 1 compression
steve tims stage one heads
45 dellorto drla
1 5/8 merged with dynomax muffler

a lot fun without trouble

ok this is a farmer engine but it works for me and is fun enough on the streets!!!

dirk

[Jim Ratto]

I think the most popular Cal Look engine combo for the last 15 years has to be the 2276 or 2332/FK-8/44 x 37.5 heads/IDAs. It's a cookie cutter combo that make good power without much thought.

not 89mm x 76mm, Engle 160, 42 x 35 heads by Ray Litz and DCN Webers on ACE manifolds?

[dirk zeyen]

engle 160

duration, valve lift?

dirk