Fox Why I Should Not Do A Solid Lifter High Compression Motor

Let me see......if I was gonna build a N/A flat tappet engine, and I wanted it to be fun as hell, have back breaking grunt, (500-600 RWTQ) rev-able to 6500-7k w/o having to worry about breaking sht, wanted it to cackle and pop indicative of a high lift, long duration camshaft,...and wanted to do it as cheaply as possible w/ all things considered...What would I do.........????






Oh wait! I've already did it.

Here's the blueprint for a 7.0 consistent 1/8th mile ( 11.14's in the 1/4) that you drive in the gate on pump premium, that'll sound outright obnoxious, have enough torque to carry the front tires 2' in the air, and 20' out on slicks looking every bit like a super stocker, run cool as a cuke, last for freakin ever, and stop like it's stock.

And I did it three years straight back in the late 90's.

Ready?

Grocery List:

1. seasoned 460 block..................................................................................................200.00
8. reconditioned stock rods w/ bolts replaced..............................................................150.00
1 polished stock crank.................................................................................................. 65.00
8 forged stock replacement pistons (Used to be TRW 2404f now speed pro).............370.00
1 4.390 bore .030 over moly file fit ring set .................................................................200.00
1 Comp cam mechanical flat tappet cam kit.... 605/ 605 294/294 Cam, lifters, springs, timing chain
.....................................................................................................................................460.00
1 set seasoned JY 429 Thunderjet T bird heads.........................................................200.00
8 manley SS intake valves..2.19".................................................................................80.00
8 manley SS exhaust valves........................................................................................80.00

Boom! 7.0 somethings all summer long.....I had about 800.00 bucks in the machined short block.

I didn't put an intake on there because I used a Weiand stealth dual plane and a 750 vacuum secondary carb to complete my El-Cheapo stock bottom ended Chevy killer. When I added plate nitrous (to a dual plane intake manifold) this car stepped up and ran 6.50's......and when I stacked another "Mike modified" power shot plate on top of that the car picked up again to run 6.37-6.40. And I put bottle after bottle of nitrous through that engine.

I finally killed it after being prodded by my "friends" to grab both kits off the line, and the car responded w/ a 6.22 once.

The very next attempt to back that up ended with water pouring out one of the headers. Detonated the bloody hell out of it on the last pass, split #7 cylinder wall clean open.
( the fact that I was running a dual plane that probably leaned out #7, was still running 37 degrees of timing, and used the same 93 octane premium as my enrichment fuel might of contributed to that............I think)

This was by far the most fun engine I've ever built, It was so blatantly cheap, I kept the stock valve covers, Used a stock duraspark distributor, had a MSD 6 (not even an "A") ignition. I forget where I sourced the pan, but there is even a stock double sump pan for it. It was the perfect answer to all the southern Chevy boys that kept telling me that a Ford cost more to build than a comparable Chevy.

Noobz347 said:

I may need a towel.

Project: Cheap and Ugly (ok, maybe this needs work)

You may be onto something here Mike. I really didn't want to go through all the prep and expense of an R block etc.. again.

Don't get me wrong... I'd love to do a big cube stroker but to do that right, is going to be another $10k in motor just like the Sportsman.

What's more, is that if the Wild Hare bites me again, I'll send the V1 in for a V3 and press harder.

This could be sick. It may be exactly what the supporting mods on the white car are looking for.

What kind of nightmare was the accessory drive and transmission? What did your final compression end up being? It sounds like there was room for more.

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If you are running a tko or a 3550, I'm pretty sure bellhousings are available for big block. Almost certain.

Noobz347 said:

The portions that most gripe about is pedal effort.

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I have the MM manual brake kit on my drag car. With non vented lightweight drag brakes my 160 to 0 stop distance is only 1320 feet at 3,150 lbs. I am sure that with "better" brakes that what I am using, the manual brakes will be fine. Plus access/clearance on the drivers side is so much better without the booster and M/C moved back to firewall. Plus it drops some weight out of the car.

Noobz347 said:

Given what we've talked about in this thread so far:

What do you all think... Maybe a 2-speed or 3-speed? Manual?

The 89 is setup for a manual currently. All of my fun cars have been manual.

This is the primary reason why I ask:

View: https://youtu.be/sPkSlhYWOe4


BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!

I want this without the parachute and track gear. :bigazzmuvereffingrinsmiley:

Taking thoughts for and against!

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Count me for, but I am biased. A glide based trans is lightweight and it consumes a lot less HP than most other auto trans. A good built C-4 will take a ton of abuse to a point, just dont throw 1k HP at it and expect anything more than a half dozen passes out of it. The C-4 is also small and light compaered to AOD/4R70W trans. Both the C-4 and glide based trans offer superior exhaust clearance compared to other auto trans.

Durability/consistency = automatic
Fun = built manual
Also a 3 speed auto can be done a lot cheaper

And if it's just straight line cheap you're going for...you can't beat cubic inches. I'd either do a stroker 351(393-408 stock block) or a 460 build