Project Snake bite!!!!

Ok as some of you know I'm a new member here... And in a learning process... Well I finally am starting the build. If you guys don't mind chime in on what you think is best for my combo. I call it project snake bite... (not idea why)

Alil about myself... I'm 22 years old... When I was 15 I found my dream car. 69 mustang fastback... Knocked on a door and asked if it was for sale.. It was. For $2500... So I worked my but off at a local garage and bought the car. Now it's time to upgrade the worn out 351w... And only thing that seems right is a BBF!!!!

Here's the car so far...it's street/strip
9" with 3.89 gears
C4 built with better bands etc (going to full manual reverse trans brake)
And of course the build!

It's a budget build... And I'm going to keep track of buying and selling to see how much I spend. So without further ado...

The bottom end.
Got myself a 486 stroker kit. $500 shipped to my door.
Offset ground crank 3.970 with 440 six pack rods and Ross flat top pistons.

Stroker kit $500
Block $50
Roller rocker FREE (well $40 i did a waterpump for a guy he hadthey laying around)

Total $590....




going to be either buying older standard valve cobra jets or used trick flows or find a set of really nice doves.

Send the pistons out and get them renotched for the SCJ/P51 valve location, and call Lem and get a set of the SCJ's. Good bang for the buck, and very reasonable price too.

Dropping off block and rotating assembly Tomorow to get bored and checked out

Rotating assembly is all dropped off and getting checked...

Selling the six pack rods and getting h beams.... (have buyer on rods)

good choice

Just picked up gen 2 headers and mounts... add $400..

So far..

stroker kit $500
roller rockers $40
block $50
headers and mounts $400

Total $990...

You are building yours like I did I bought my short block and trans for $300 then bought parts of guys on here a friend gave me a set of bare dove-c heads I have over a $1000 in my heads.So like was said if you don't have a good set of heads you will money ahead getting a set of alum scj that Lem sales and have alot more room to grow later on.

Jim

Dont know if anyone is following over here... but got back from machice shop... crank checked out perfect 3.970.. pistons are .060 over and have some knurling... but other then that are ok...

Sold the 440 six pack rods for $230....
paid $70 to check the crank and pistons cc and compression height etc...

Brings the new total

$830.... not to bad so far..

buying a set of H beams here soon...

might also be picking up a set of DOVES that are ported for cheap... well see.. keep yall updated..

Picked up a set of DOVEs for $200...

Cut for dual springs, set up for 3/8 pushrods, ported good..

They ran 10.40 on a 466...12.1 compression with 580 cam..


Now it comes down to if I should get bigger valves installed? Is it worth the $600-$750 to install 2.20/1.76 valves....what do you guys think? There stock valves right now...

Get the SCJ heads...... You will be power aheads per $$ spent, unless you can do all the machine work, porting, flowing and get parts for cheap.

All I would need are valves.... And machince work said it would be $300-$400

+Springs, Retainers, Locks, Studs, Guide Plates......... Good Valve Jobs are $225+ cost of opening the throats for larger valves, Decent Valves if you put the larger ones are $200-$250 a set..... + porting if you can't do it yourself..... You be in them well over $1000, starting with bare casting and be down on power by 40-50hp compaired to the aluminum SCJ's

Last I checked the SCJ's where in the $1600-1700 range and complete for the $$$. Plus they are lighter and have much better chambers.

I'd agree with dfree383. Unless those heads come equipt with springs, ect. compatable for your cam selection it will all have to be replaced. I know when you are doing a project like this you see a fat price tag for 1 item on the list and you but heads make or break the whole deal. If you get the SCJ's, you'll make much more power now and will have stout BBF heads capable of meeting any future needs. You get the ability to bolt them right on out of the box if you wish as they are complete. It could very well be the difference between a decent running BBF and one where people say "What the f___ did you do to that thing?!?"

Theses are set up with good springs and retainers... I think all I would need is valve... Maybe guides...
Plus throats.... Maybe I'll just run the stock size valve... Plus some more port work...I figure it I can stay under $650-$700 they will be a good bargain....

Hmm... Maybe I'll just save up then....40-50more hp is nice... But at the same time 550-600hp is all I'm after... Back to drawing board...

dfree383 wrote:+Springs, Retainers, Locks, Studs, Guide Plates......... Good Valve Jobs are $225+ cost of opening the throats for larger valves, Decent Valves if you put the larger ones are $200-$250 a set..... + porting if you can't do it yourself..... You be in them well over $1000, starting with bare casting and be down on power by 40-50hp compaired to the aluminum SCJ's

Last I checked the SCJ's where in the $1600-1700 range and complete for the $$$. Plus they are lighter and have much better chambers.

I will have to agree with Dave I have over a $1000 in my doves and still have 2.08 1.65 valves they are SS I wanted to up grade but just could bring myself to put another $600+ in them last winter.Some machine shops tell you better off rebuilding and up grading your heads instead of buying some good aftermarket heads. Because they can't make any money off you when buy new heads.

thanks guys ill keep my eye out for a set on here.. or just run th doves as is... thanks

Just picked up scat h beam rods with 2000 arp bolts...brand new..


Price $300.... Only $70 bucks more then I sold my stock six pack rods for.

I will be the contrarian for a moment. The SCJs are a screaming deal to be sure, however there are differences there too. As stated the pistons have to be notched for the different valve location. Additionally depending on the intake you plan on running, there may be some port mis match issues to be corrected. If your not a porter, could be additional cost. I also have a 69 fastback with the big block. With the headers you need to be careful on the aftermarket heads that have raised exhaust ports at all. I went the trick flow route, and even theough they are raised a smidge, I ended up cutting the towers and fighting the headers quite a bit. I can't remember is the SCJs are raised or not.

Now if your doves went 10s already, it might be safe to assume they will support your 500 hp goal. Getting that kind of power out of a small stroker should not be hard and still be streetable. Run your doves, and if its not enough, you can sell em later and upgrade later on if you want. Sometimes when your starting out, its ok not to run the best right off the bat. Specially when funds are tight. If its the difference between racing or waiting 2 yrs for money to do it another way, thats alot of fun missed, if you know what I'm sayin.

Be careful if they still have the two piece valves from ford though. If your running any kind of spring pressure, might want to look at that twice.

The car those heads came off of was about 2,900 lbs. and think Jim's will be about 3,600 lbs. so will take a bit more to run the same number. The FRPP SCJ heads do not have a raised exh. port.

Steve