Engine Advice For 95 5.0 Build For My 71 F100

mercomet

New Member
Dec 22, 2007
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Arizona
5-6 yrs. ago I bought a set of assembled Brodix / KCR (Kieth Craft) Signature Series 195 heads. They've been out of the box twice for me to stare at and stay in my closet. The heads were for a '65 Comet project with a 418 W stroker and a single carb Weiand roots blower. Due to financials going downhill, that project is collecting dust in my shop, not to see the light of day anytime soon.

Plan B - a fun project I can do for cheap now. I have a nice 71 Ford F100 truck that's a great driver, currently sports a '71 302 motor with a granny 4 spd.
I bought a used '95 mustang 5.0 complete with full drive assembly on front for 200.00. Supposedly in good running condition, it's on an engine stand in my shop, I've taken it down to the short block and stopped. So I have a roller block with .040 cast or hyper pistons that I want to do a cheap budget build on and put the KC heads on with my current '71 Weiand intake and edelbrock 600 carb. No electronic stuff except distributor. I have a TKO 600 trans in the Comet I'll pull out and stick behind this motor. I figure I can get this motor and trans together and running in my truck for no more than 2500. I just want a fun rod to drive now and am limited on funds. The truck is basically stock with PS, PB, and AC and added sway bars. I would rarely get this motor to 5500 rpm. In fact I want my power band from 1500 -4500 rpm range, I want a bottom end street motor. Rear 9" gears will be 3.5 or 3.7, tires are 28"

I'd like some cam and build advice on this '95 5.0 for my truck. I just want to clean up the short block, not pull the pistons and put the KC heads on. Are these heads too much for what I want. What cam should I use, would the stock 95 mustang cam be OK or would I be better off with a newer profile cam to better use the heads ? advice would be greatly appreciated.
KC head specs;
2.02 intake Manley, 1.6 ex. Manley, 10 degree Comp steel retainers, back cut valves 30 deg, bowl blend, Comp 053-274 springs, .750 coil bind, seat pressure 145-150, 365lbs @.500, 390lbs @.550, 415lbs @ .600, 60 cc chambers,


Thank You,
 
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I think 1- using those heads with 2.02 valves with mustang shortblock/ stock pisons.. you'll need to flycut those pistons to clear the valves.

And 2- big valves and small cubes don't typically make a good low end torque curve. You'll most likely be looking at 2500 or 3000 to 6000 as opposed to the 1500-4000 you are looking for. If low end torque is what you want with those heads, stroke the 302 to 347.. Then those heads will bring it. As far as a cam, you could call any cam grinder like comp, or custom specialist like ed curtis and have them spec one out to work perfectly.
 
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There's been some big head little cam cars that make decent power. However the large ports and valves and those heads reduce velocity so that pushes a torque curve up in the powerband no matter what bump stick you put in the car the powerband is pushed up by air flow. Now if you were to put a blower on it a blower makes power everywhere it's instant it's going to pull the torque curve down. If this is an all motor build you're going to have to fly cut the Pistons or get new Pistons find the right cam it's going to need to lift without a lot of duration and a wide LSA. Like Alan said more cubes is going to create to torque down low
 
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So how about the stock '95 heads ? That motor new was rated at 215 hp, nothing to get exited about. I don't imagine a change in cams, old weiand intake, carb and headers would make more than 30-40 hp difference, still nothing to get exited about. Seems like the only way to get a fun motor is heads and cam. Recommendations for heads or something else ?