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"Spare parts" engines - who has built them and had them run better then expected

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  • #16
    Re: "Spare parts" engines - who has built them and had them run better then expe

    If you are playing with Ford FE like I do, it either that way or a refinance on your house. I have a 352 in the Galaxie right now that all I did was a timing chain and stuck another set of heads on with a better valve job, and a ported performer intake I had laying around, I have as much in the headers as the whole motor. It has some blow-by but it is blast to drive.

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    • #17
      Re: "Spare parts" engines - who has built them and had them run better then expected

      I think the cheapest engine I ever did was in a '66 Galaxie I got for $400. These days it would be worth good coin - it was a 428 7 Litre - but back then it was just another tank that had a broken exhaust manifold and smoked like a train in a cowboy movie...

      I found a set of FE heads (truck winter ballast?) with manifolds sitting on top of the trash can in the local quarter car wash. After waitin' an hour to see if anyone reclaimed them, I took them home, hit them with valve grinding compound and new seals, and installed them with the manifolds still attached. Along with new rings & bearings on the old slugs & crank, a new timing chain, a tune up, and it was like a whole new engine!

      And my buddy's 350 Chevelle still kicked my behind.....

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      • #18
        Re: "Spare parts" engines - who has built them and had them run better then expected

        In my 'Pro Turd 3' 86 mustang I had a .030 over 302 block, some used factory ford .030 over forged trw pistons, a 218/224 hyd flat tappet cam, 70 302 heads with a little porting and chevy valves (I ground the notch clearance in the pistons with the engine assembled, don't tell anyone), a performer rpm intake and an ebay 600 double pumper. The engine made 204 rwhp on a mustang chassis dyno but went 12.8's in the car and with a 200 shot (why be afraid) ran 11.5's. I did drop in the big jets for a 275 shot but it melted the electrodes off the plugs about halfway down the track. I replaced the plugs and kep goin.

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        • #19
          Re: "Spare parts" engines - who has built them and had them run better then expected

          My first engine I built when I was in high school was a 350 2-bolt block with a factory rebuild kit from Northern auto parts and ported smog heads. I used heads from a 305 since a lot of those have 58cc chambers. The cam was a 450/460 with 224/226 @.050, Performer RPM intake, and a 700 Holley. I have about 50,000 miles on it, and other than wiping out the cam the other year (dang oil), it's been doing just fine. When the cam went, I tore it down, and everything looked fine. New rings, bearings, bigger cam, gaskets, and a Victor Jr, and it runs even stronger now. My 700R-4 is on it's last leg thanks to a few 1.59 60-foots, though. The whole deal cost me about $800 in 1998, and about a grand once it was in the car and running, then $425 in 2004 for the plate. Thanks to my older brother for assembly and the intake.
          It is amazing that it is holding together this long. I gave it 150 shot at Cecil on a 45 degree day, and here's my dumbass of the decade moment: per a friend's suggestion, I plumbed up a separate fuel system for the plate with a jr dragster fuel cell and a Holley blue pump. The cell has a ball valve on the bottom, and I failed to open it. I made a full pass on spray only, no enrichment fuel. It melted a plug, but didn't harm the pistons. The carb must have been pretty rich, huh?
          The official Bangshift garage door guru. Just about anything can be built using garage door parts, trust me.

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          • #20
            Re: "Spare parts" engines - who has built them and had them run better then expected

            My 77 F250 had a thunderbird 429 swap, bought the complete car for $100. Sold the tranny for $100 and parted the car for $400. Which gave me enough to have the heads cleaned up, new bearings/rings/gaskets from Napa, and a clutch kit to work with the granny low 4 spd. Oh I still had $20 left for gas.

            My 70 shortbed has an old dirt track 331ci shortblock, ported and cut 882's, a NOS cheater plate, and a Maalory ignition. 7 years ago when it was still on the road it went 11.87@112.

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            • #21
              Re: "Spare parts" engines - who has built them and had them run better then expe

              i overhauled a stock 150,000 mile 350, broke one ring putting it back together so i picked one of the old ones up off the floor, wiped it off, checked the end gap and slam dunked that sucker in #5 cyl. ;D that engine made 396 rwhp/469 rwtq at 10 psi, also went 11's carrying the front wheels in a 4000 lb pig of a pontiac. i called the engine "patches" because i just kind of patched it together. i made over 100 passes with that piece of crap, and won two heads up true radial shootouts with it, but in the end she just couldn't take the 22psi on pump gas when i got greedy. i'll end by saying that we're professionals kids, don't try this at home. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

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              • #22
                Re: "Spare parts" engines - who has built them and had them run better then expe

                Originally posted by flyinhillbilly
                iso i picked one of the old ones up off the floor, wiped it off, checked the end gap and slam dunked that sucker in #5 cyl. ;D
                :D

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