2.3l HP squeeze

4:30 to 1 Traction-Lok

bike carbs only work on a couple 2.3 heads. Most of the n/a heads made in the 80's and early 90's won't work, the 2 outer ports are angled--and that also is one (of many) reasons they don't flow very well. You'd have to use an early oval port 2.3 head, OR a later dual plug (91+ mustang/ranger), and with no porting the dual plug head sucks in a n/a application. I'd use an oval port head if I were doing it but they are harder to find and then you have to make a way to adapt the brackets to it since they don't have all the right bolt holes for serpentine applications. Fun stuff. The local mini stock guys love the oval port heads. Rare (if even existent) to find one in a junkyard. Rarer to find one that's not cracked, similar to most any 2.3 head-they all crack. Yes the 80's heads were also sometimes called oval port but if you look at them they are not "oval" they are "D" ports, with the 2 outer intake ports being angled-severely. The mini stock guys mill about .150" off of the head, to where the lower intake bolt holes barely hold a thread, pumps the compression up, unshrouds the valves, helps them flow dramatically. But on a turbo application like mine (street car) that's not what you want.

on the D port heads there are basically two versions. Turbo and N/A. They are the same EXCEPT the chambers. The N/A head has a heart shaped chamber and the turbo head has a D shaped chamber. The chambers are almost the same with the exception of the heart. Actually you can grind the heart out and make it a d shape, done correctly helps flow. Done incorrectly destroys the head (for the most part). An uncracked turbo head is as scarce as frog's teeth. Some cracked turbo heads can be fixed but not many.

so on a n/a application with only 140 cubic inches, you have two ways to make power. Shove the air into it, or spin the daylights out of it. Mini-stock guys that are really serious are pushing these things over 10,000 rpm now, making maybe 250hp. I have raced one for about a half season. TO say that they have no torque down low is an understatement. Well it has no torque anywhere but it makes up for it with rpm. Sorta like a sportbike. Not a lot of power, but the engine speed helps make up for lack of power. You just hammer the throttle and wait.

I wish I had more time....

I have both a 5.0 and a Turbo Coupe donor sitting in my back yard.... 82 5.0 is next project after the Chevelle floors, then the Capri update is due.

So far my effing house had taken all of the non rainy days since I retired....