1977 Winne Brave - Ring & Pinion swap

[Surfinhurf]

So the Bus has a newly rebuilt Olds 455. Edelbrock 750cfm and intake, E heads, W-Z exhaust manifolds, Mild RV cam, etc.  Turbo 400 trans.  It had a 4:56 gear in the rear end,,,, so the smog hogs of the late 70s could get it rolling.  With the new engine, at 60 mph it was turning 3300 rpms!  Way too high.  So I had the Ring and Pinion changed out to a 3:54. Now I turn 2400 rpms at 60 mph.  What a difference.  I can hardly hear the engine running at highway speeds.  I can "drive it" at highway speeds.  Meaning that when I hit the gas speed increases, I can maintain speed on hills, I can even "Ease" into the secondaries.  Im driving it between 2200 rpms and 2800 rpms instead of 3200 rpms and 3700 rpms.  On the way up to MTU we were loaded to the gills with stuff for Grant to move into a house instead of the dorms.  Plus his Jeep.  The Bus had no problems in the hills, actually better than with the lower gear in the rear end.  On the way home, empty, the Bus wanted to go 65mph!!!!

I only gained about 1 mpg.    6 mpg loaded/Jeep.  8 mpg home/empty.
I am running the carb very rich for engine break in. 

The R&P swap cost $800.

HURF

[thisoldhippy]

What did you do for ignition?

[Surfinhurf]

GM HEI