Help me build a monster

mustangman70

Founding Member
Dec 30, 2001
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St pete, Florida
Allright X-mas will be good this year...im going to pick up a low mile 351 windsor out of an 80's ranchero tomorrow. I was torn between goin either 347 or 408.....yeah cubes FTW lol....SO

WHAT do you recomend i get for this beast, i want this thing to be out right angry, BUT somewhat streetable...BTW...to me streetable means i can drive it to work if i wanted too, i want this thing to sound angy at idle with a nice lopey cam, i dont have power anything so its all good there.....BUT what would be a good combo? i will be spraying a good 200 shot or more on it...so im thinking 500-600 HP before the spray would make me happy :D

BTW can i use my headers from the 302? or should i just step it up and get new ones?

Im thinking big X cam (what cam)
AFR heads (205 or 185cc)
good forged stroker kit (CHP?)
Good intake (vic jr?)
 
mustangman7 said:
BTW can i use my headers from the 302? or should i just step it up and get new ones?

Im thinking big X cam (what cam)
AFR heads (205 or 185cc)
good forged stroker kit (CHP?)
Good intake (vic jr?)

Get a cam like the TFS Stage 3 or similar, I run one like it and it is a nice cam for what you plan. AFR 205, 185 = too small for 408W, Step up and buy 1 3/4" headers, not sure who makes the best forged kit, but a Vic Jr is always a good choice, I run a Super Vic in my 426W.

Good Luck
 
STROKE IT. and bore it of course. you should definately get some new long tube headers. get a pertronix ignitor II, 9mm spark plug wires, beehive valve springs, edelbrock air gap intake, an edelbrock 700cfm carb, aluminum radiator and an electric fan.
 
That will be pushing the block awfully hard. I think the limits on the windsors is 700hp. If you could afford it, a dart block would be the way to go for this amount of powe you want to produce. Go with the Victor Jr. or even the Super Vic if you go above AFR 205's. Single plane is better than dual plane period, especially in a big cube high hp application like that. I had an airgap and am updating to a Vic Jr. Intake.
 
your "one bad ass ride for a 19 year old" will be bent in two before you know it.Your chassis will not handle the power,nor will it get to the ground.If you cant afford the Dart block,you surely cant afford the rest of the body/chassis stiffening that you will need.Just build a mild 400-450 HP engine and you will be a very quick street car.

SPEED COST MONEY!!!!!!!:)
 
mustangman70 said:
Allright X-mas will be good this year...im going to pick up a low mile 351 windsor out of an 80's ranchero tomorrow. I was torn between goin either 347 or 408.....yeah cubes FTW lol....SO
would be a good combo? i will be spraying a good 200 shot or more on it...so im thinking 500-600 HP before the spray would make me happy :D

Im thinking big X cam (what cam)
AFR heads (205 or 185cc)
good forged stroker kit (CHP?)
Good intake (vic jr?)

Please confirm you have at least $10,000 for this project.
 
iskwezm is right. Better have everything else to match. Make sure car is structurally sound, then add at LEAST a set of GOOD frame connectors. This is what I have done to mine. Frame connectors, welded spring perches adj. front and rear shocks with 6 cyl springs and caltracks. VERY built c-4 with mild converter. 69 408c.i. windsor with vic jr heads, mild 10.5 comp. mild custom hyr. roller cam, perf. rpm intake, 1 5/8 headers. Drive it all over the place, very streetalble. Not the greatest for mileage but it put out 519hp and 532 ft/lbs. torque and ran 11.39 so far. Would be REAL fun with the right intake headers and carb. But trust me 400hp is more than people think. You would have LOTS of fun with that.
 
iskwezm said:
your "one bad ass ride for a 19 year old" will be bent in two before you know it.Your chassis will not handle the power,nor will it get to the ground.If you cant afford the Dart block,you surely cant afford the rest of the body/chassis stiffening that you will need.Just build a mild 400-450 HP engine and you will be a very quick street car.

SPEED COST MONEY!!!!!!!:)

exactly and IIRC you still have the stock 8" rear. correct? that 8" will go away past 350 to MAYBE 400 hp. after that it's toast and even it does live behind a 400hp stroker windsor for a while it won't last very long. you need to make sure the suspension and chassis are up to the task before you spend a single dime on a 500 hp stroker.
 
Bigger block sell the 351 and drop in a stroked 460 with some big ol' heads and a victor and spray the crap out of it! Go over to corral.net and ask the same question in the big block section only ask about a 460. Also stiffen the Wazoo out of that chassis, I would hate to see a nice 70 get twisted like a pretzel :doh:
 
Stiffness First!

Before you do anything else - and I want in the 450-500hp range too, but I am getting the chassis/suspension ready first, you NEED to:

1. Install GOOD subframes, as was mentioned. Your coupe should be one of the stiffest body styles, but that doesn't mean squat with all your HP. at a minimum, maybe TCP's crossbrace. At a maximum, cut into your floor and connect the two frame rails with basically another frame rail. And then think about a roll cage.

2. Might even want to think about this: Boss 302 shock tower kit. The Bosses made close to 500hp, and needed this, you might too:

https://www.pro-motorsports.com/store/product.asp?id=18

3. And this, Boss crossmember and maybe a bigger front sway.

4. I haven't even started talking about the rear. You need a panhard bar or watt's link to locate that rear axle in the chassis, and then a torque arm and/or underride traction bars. Override if you want to control braking wheel hop too.

I can't stress all this enough. When I was 19, with my tired 302, I got myself in enough trouble - I would be dead right now if I had that kind of power. Be careful with it, make sure it handles predictably with all that power you're planning on first . . . good luck and be careful.


steel1212 said:
Bigger block sell the 351 and drop in a stroked 460 with some big ol' heads and a victor and spray the crap out of it! Go over to corral.net and ask the same question in the big block section only ask about a 460. Also stiffen the Wazoo out of that chassis, I would hate to see a nice 70 get twisted like a pretzel :doh:
 
70vert said:
Before you do anything else - and I want in the 450-500hp range too, but I am getting the chassis/suspension ready first, you NEED to:

1. Install GOOD subframes, as was mentioned. Your coupe should be one of the stiffest body styles, but that doesn't mean squat with all your HP. at a minimum, maybe TCP's crossbrace. At a maximum, cut into your floor and connect the two frame rails with basically another frame rail. And then think about a roll cage.

2. Might even want to think about this: Boss 302 shock tower kit. The Bosses made close to 500hp, and needed this, you might too:

https://www.pro-motorsports.com/store/product.asp?id=18

3. And this, Boss crossmember and maybe a bigger front sway.

4. I haven't even started talking about the rear. You need a panhard bar or watt's link to locate that rear axle in the chassis, and then a torque arm and/or underride traction bars. Override if you want to control braking wheel hop too.

I can't stress all this enough. When I was 19, with my tired 302, I got myself in enough trouble - I would be dead right now if I had that kind of power. Be careful with it, make sure it handles predictably with all that power you're planning on first . . . good luck and be careful.

Yes this is very true I agree whole heartedly with this. I am definitely going to need some suspension work soon. With all this power and only 225's on 14inch rims my car won't grip for nothing. Then comes all the suspension work, and some rear discs. Even with wider meat out back, you need to have a stiff chassis otherwise damage will occur, and you won't ever feel the power of the car since the tail will just be all over the road.
 
70vert said:
At a maximum, cut into your floor and connect the two frame rails with basically another frame rail.

I am curious about this. Are you talking about connecting the rear and front frame rail or the left and right side? I would have to assume the front and rear as I don't see how you would circumvent the trans tunnel. But I don't see how connecting the front to rear would give you that much better rigidity against torsion. The subframe connectors is what helps against torsion. It isn't a bad idea and neither is boxing the frame but not sure how this is a maximum. Maybe I am missing something? Just my 2 cents
 
gzminiz said:
But I don't see how connecting the front to rear would give you that much better rigidity against torsion. The subframe connectors is what helps against torsion. It isn't a bad idea and neither is boxing the frame but not sure how this is a maximum. Maybe I am missing something? Just my 2 cents
That's how I did it. I cut the floors about half way back or so and put the subframes front and back, side by side with the frames. It took a while for the first one and I only got one done the first day. After i finished it I took it home. Just pulling out of the driveway I noticed a HUGE difference with only one side done. I don't think at this point I need a cage at all with the power I have other than for safety and rules. My car doesn't twist at all.