Building the Perfect Beast

[joeythesaint]

. . . on a budget.

I just blew up my 1978 SBF, which I was running with a Weiand dual-quad tunnel ram intake. I have the opportunity to pick up a 1986 5.0 HO long block, minus the EFI, for pennies, with 78,000 miles on it.

I have done a little homework and am of the impression that the '86 5.0 heads were crap. Were they the same heads for the 5.0 HO? What was the difference between the 5.0 and the 5.0 HO?

I have a set of 289 Hi-Po heads off a '66 Shelby I could have rebuilt, instead (they were on my engine when it did the big firework but they're salvageable.) I can port & polish the '86 heads, or swap in the '66's.

Running the tunnel ram intake with dual Holley 390 cfm's on the '86 5.0 HO -- what cam, and which of the two sets of heads? I'll be taking all the emissions off it, as my car is a 1978 (yeah, yeah, it's a II. ) . Also (I know everyone hates this question) but any ideas on peak flywheel HP out of this combo?

Also, where can I find performance and tech info specific to this vintage and model of engine?

AdvTHANKSance,

- Joey

 

[joeythesaint]

Bump.

 

[Daniel50]

i can tell you the 86 heads were E6 heads and yes they were crap. no use porting and polishing them. AFR, Trickflow, and Edelbrock all make great heads. Or even a set of ported E7's would be a big upgrade

 

[super302]

the 86's pistons weren't notched for valve clearance, can't run a big cam with the stock pistons