first engine build, need some suggestions

alright i'm getting a truck next week and it has a rebuilt 400 in it, so i have some time to find and build a 460 to my liking. i've never built an engine, but i'm not completely retarded when it comes to them. i've tore plenty apart, just never put them back together. here's an overview of the truck so as to better help with cam and stall selection.
78 f150 4x4 reg cab shortbed 35'' tires with 4.56 gears c-6 with i assume factory converter. this truck is gonna be a driver/weekend toy. i'm more interested in lower rpm usable power. i rarely ever hit the high side of 5,000rpm's. i guess you could say i want my power band to be 2200-5500 with peak torque around 3-3500rpm, but as flat a torque curve as possible. i don't tow, but i do like to occasionally street drag punk@$$ kids and make them feel bad about losing to a 4x4 truck(had an 85 4x4 w/hopped up 1970 466) i drive offroad and mainly in mud so big off idle power is a goal as well. carb wise, i've been leaning towards the holley truck avenger lineup but i've ran an edelbrock 750 manual secondary straight out of the box on an 460 in an offroad truck with out any problems

sorry for the long winded post, but i want to build the right motor for this truck, and it's intended use. i would consider a stroker kit for the cool factor, but i think for what i'm after i can get away with stock internals. i haven't picked up a motor yet, because i want to get some opinions before i buy a core that isn't up to snuff for what i want. chances are the best heads i'll come across are d3's, unless i can get my buddy to sell me back a set of ported and polished dove's with cj valves that i sold him a while back. i've been driving a fuel injected 460 for the last 8 years, so i sold off all my old parts like a jack@$$

so i guess i'm looking for 400hp with a lot of usable torque, retain 7-8mpg, have a nice rumpity idle, but still have enough vacuum for power brakes. any help will be appreciated, as this will be a long slow build, so i do it right the first time

The improvements you will make are DIRECTLY related to ... how much money are you prepared to spend when doing this?

i'm not sure yet. that's part of the reason this is going to be a long slow build. i know if i can get my old set of heads back it will cut costs and be a really good starting point. i guess you could call this a "when the budget is there build" because it's not a must to have the motor done anytime soon. the truck has a slightly built fresh 400, so i have more time than money right now. i'm not even considering aluminum heads or anything that high zoot. i do have 2 reputable machine shops within 25 miles of me, so that's not a problem either

i just came across a 69 thunderbird 429 that is complete but needs a rebuild. might pick it up. what do you guys think of that as a starting point?

It is a good place to start...

Absolutely nothing wrong with a well set up set of D3's. In your case they may be a very good option, or a set of the new cast iron heads from Mad Porter Scotty. Large chambers will be beneficial with a pump gas motor for piston selection. This motor is very doable for a limited budget, because nothing exotic will be used and all of it is shelf parts. The cam will be the magic component. I've used several street hydraulic grinds and never really found something "shelf" that worked, but there are a few guys here that specialize in "magic" cams, and they are only a few bucks more than a shelf stick.

if you guys could point me in the direction of some guys who know cams really well, that would help me greatly. i understand how a cam works, but i don't really know how to pick one that is right for me

fatdan460 wrote:i just came across a 69 thunderbird 429 that is complete but needs a rebuild. might pick it up. what do you guys think of that as a starting point?

find a 88 or newer efi 460, throw away the heads,intake,cam, start there



-rich

that's what i have, see avitar photo, but it is gone in a few days. is there something about the efi truck bottom ends that is better than a 69 429 or 71 460 bottom end? i found a guy with both for the same price, and either would net me good heads, so unless a truck bottom end is substantially stronger, those are my two options

efi truck have scj/truck rods, the 429 have less of a rod, the efis are 460 ci, more power/stronger

well i guess i better sit back and think if i want a stroker or not. i had a 70 block with stock internals, and i wrapped the living hell out of it without problem. i'm a lower rpm guy, so i don't know if that is enough to sway me yet. need more opinions before i decide

lower rpm? as in what?

read first post

There's a guy I know east of you in Martinton, Ill who might have some parts your looking for. I haven't talked to him in a couple years but he might be worth calling. The last time I was at his shop he had alot of bbf stuff for sale.

H&H Performance 815-428-7260 ask for Scott

mike

thanks, i'll keep that in mind. who should i tell him sent me, or should i not mention?

Two excellent engine builders have commented here already, rmcomprandy and BOSS429. I would listen to what they are saying. You will want the extra cubes of the 460ci. The cons for the 429, less tq, heavy pistons, expensive pistons. The 460 is a better choice. As for the cam, there are quite a few here that will help you when that time comes.

alright, so i have a d1 block and a set of d3 heads. it was actually a bittersweet score. got what was supposed to be a rebuilt .30 over 460 for $40, not a typo. turns out it was an elcheapo reuild. hand honed stock bore, and very poorly put together. i am very glad common sense took over and i tore it down first. we'll just say cracked rings, missing hardware, and lack of a torque wrench all played a factor in why this motor would have blown up in .5 seconds once started.

alright. i have a lot of things on my mind. mainly a 545 stroker. i was told that a 521 would be more suited to street use, but i want as many cubes as possible to keep the power up with a smaller cam. a lot has changed for my "truck build", so i'll give a brief overview of what's up now:
truck 1978 ford bronco, in the process of getting one ton axles, aiming for 40'' tires. first stage will be with 4.56 gears because that's what i have already, might go to 5.38's down the line if i need more gear. c-6 tranny, looking into shift kits and need to learn about stall converters to figure what i need.

i have found a stroker kit that i am sticking with. it comes in 545/521/501 flavors all for the same price, but as stated i would like as many c.i.'s as possible. i also found a set of no name fully assembled aluminium heads for under a grand which may actually save me money in the long run http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110516211702&crlp=1_263602_263622&ff4=263602_263622&viewitem=&guid=a314a9f01280a04bd320d5a0ffec7250&rvr_id=129800649819&ua=WXS%3F&itemid=110516211702#ht_2992wt_858

the goal is a big torque monster with midrange being the goal, and upper(4-6,000rpm) horsepower while retaining some streetability. with the stroker pistons and those alum. heads the compression will come in at around a little less than 9.5 to 1 assuming the block is fine deck hight wise.


i could really use some help selecting a cam for this build. i have a lunati bracket masterII that is brand new(the 0.554,0.554 one,#00097) but was told that it wouldn't really seem like that hot of a cam with that many cubic inches.

Dollar for Dollar IMO its better to have a cam custom ground for what you have and want to do with it. You'll just need to think out you whole combo before getting one.

A "Custom" flat tappet hydraulic or solid camshaft is only $18.00 more than a "catalogue" grind which will be a compromise. That should be the LEAST of your concerns.

It is gonns come down to the entire package and how MUCH money are you prepared to spend for the entire build if you intand to have part which will be a good match with one another.

$4,000.00 - $6,000.00 - $8,000.00 - you gotta start with some kinda idea or you'll end-up with a bunch of mismatched mumbo-jumbo of parts which won't work well together.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110516211702&crlp=1_263602_263622&ff4=263602_263622&viewitem=&guid=a314a9f01280a04bd320d5a0ffec7250&rvr_id=129800649819&ua=WXS%3F&itemid=110516211702#ht_2992wt_858 I understand being on a budget but Pro-comps are marginally better than the heads you have. Port the d3's and have fun. Just my .02c.

Call Adney Brown from Performance Crankshaft for your rotating assembly 1-586-549-7557 You get service after the sale and he know crankshafts like you wouldn't believe.

Think long and hard about the heads the Procom stuff has its place but perfromance wise they aren't any better than factory iron stuff. Lem has Ford Racing SCJ heads on sale for a screaming deal, they are Waaaaaaay Better than the procomp stuff and being that your looking at getting a new rotating assembly you'll just need to get the proper valve reliefs in the pistons when you purchase the kit.

95lightiningguy wrote:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110516211702&crlp=1_263602_263622&ff4=263602_263622&viewitem=&guid=a314a9f01280a04bd320d5a0ffec7250&rvr_id=129800649819&ua=WXS%3F&itemid=110516211702#ht_2992wt_858 I understand being on a budget but Pro-comps are marginally better than the heads you have. Port the d3's and have fun. Just my .02c.

This stuff Junk, the parts are scrap at best, by the time you put good valves and springs on them you might as well get SCJ heads and blow those off the track.