I have a bunch of questions...

1. Headers I just got (hookers cermamics) are supposed to be 2" primaries... OD is 2.25" , ID is 1.75"... WTF??? Did I get the wrong size AGAIN???

2. I finally got the balancer off, and can get to the cam... if I want to pull it out to ID it, how do I do that, and will it mess anything up? If I take it out, do I have to do anything special to put it back in (degree the camshaft... whatever the hell that means, etc)?

3. Can I run a drag race oil pan on a primarily street car? The one I'm looking has the kicked out sump - Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CHEVY-BB-DRAG-RACING-OIL-PAN-396-454-CHROME-6-QUART-BBC_W0QQitemZ230157415675QQihZ013QQcategoryZ38657Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

4. What is the difference between the cheap timing chain sets and the expensive timing chain sets - for a street car? I know the omre expensive ones are probably machined to higher tolerances, etc, but do I gain any significant benefits by spending $60 on a timing set as opposed to spending $30? (Of COURSE Summit says yes.)

5. Oil pan gaskets... Is springing for a one piece gasket worth the money? I would imagine that the 4 peice gasket shouldn't leak if it's installed properly, and I have one, so should I bother springing for a 1 piece, or let it eat? I f I use the 4 peice and it leaks, I'm scrweed and have to pull the engine to put a new on, right?

That's all I can think of right now.

I have a bunch of questions...

1. Headers I just got (hookers cermamics) are supposed to be 2" primaries... OD is 2.25" , ID is 1.75"... WTF??? Did I get the wrong size AGAIN???

You'd need to contact Hooker and ask them what the hell is going on with the sizing of their headers

2. I finally got the balancer off, and can get to the cam... if I want to pull it out to ID it, how do I do that, and will it mess anything up? If I take it out, do I have to do anything special to put it back in (degree the camshaft... whatever the hell that means, etc)?
If you disturb the cam, ie remove it, take the timing set off, etc, you will have to realign the timing marks to install it and then readjust the valve lash. Once the cam is degreed in correctly you shouldn't have to do it again as long as you reuse the same crank gear key and put the cam dowel pin back in the same hole in the gear that it came out of.

3. Can I run a drag race oil pan on a primarily street car? The one I'm looking has the kicked out sump - Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CHEVY-BB-DRAG-RACING-OIL-PAN-396-454-CHROME-6-QUART-BBC_W0QQitemZ230157415675QQihZ013QQcategoryZ38657Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I wouldn't use a chrome pan on the street. The chrome pans don't seal well against the gaskets. The "kick out" is fine...as long as it isn't to just one side (circle track pan). I would look at Summit for a nice painted pan from someone like Moroso.

4. What is the difference between the cheap timing chain sets and the expensive timing chain sets - for a street car? I know the omre expensive ones are probably machined to higher tolerances, etc, but do I gain any significant benefits by spending $60 on a timing set as opposed to spending $30? (Of COURSE Summit says yes.)
Yes there is a difference and it can be a big one, especially when dealing with double roller chains. The "cheap" double rows usually aren't ture rollers, and the other "cheap" chains may tend to stretch more and earlier.
5. Oil pan gaskets... Is springing for a one piece gasket worth the money? I would imagine that the 4 peice gasket shouldn't leak if it's installed properly, and I have one, so should I bother springing for a 1 piece, or let it eat? I f I use the 4 peice and it leaks, I'm scrweed and have to pull the engine to put a new on, right?
If installed correctly, the multi piece gaskets won't leak. Use permatex, right stuff at the joints and you can't go wrong. See my above remarks about chrome pans though.
That's all I can think of right now.

2" primaries would be too big for you're application anyways. Most street cars use 1 3/4" primaries while some LSx guys run 1 7/8" primaries. With a whole 2", you'll lose a lot of torque down low. I have 1 3/4" pacesetter LT's and they work fine on my LT1. And Mr. Luos with his big-cube motor runs the 1 7/8" primaries and still hits 500+hp in high altitude. So, I think the ones you got are fine.

As far as removing the cam, if you do decide to take it out, be careful. Go slow to make sure not to damage a bearing, or a lobe. I don't know how far along you are with this project, but you will have to remove some of the valvetrain, such as the lifters, so they don't fall into the block when taking out the cam.

I don't think I could answer those other questions too well, as Morely already has. But with a cheap timing chain, it wares and stretches prematurely that could lead to problems later.

Thanks guys...

BTW... speedshop guys who did the heads said "MINIMUM" 2" primaries. Stock motor was rated at 450hp, not sure what all has been done to it, so without having it dyno'd I won't know what it's rated at, but like Luos, I can skip 1, 2 and 3rd gear all day long.

I wasn't too keen on removing the cam, but thought maybe since I have the block basically stripped I might be able to pull it and see what it is. I'm not messing with it.

I'm not messing with it.

:runaround: chicken :runaround:

:popcorn:

Poor, Jim has a 454, it needs larger dumps to get the thing huffing.

Well, see, I didn't not recall that.