Any good ideas?

Topic: Any good ideas? (Read 1430 times) previous topic - next topic

Any good ideas?

October 07, 2010, 09:58:45 PM

Alright I'm building a new engine for my '83 Bird. Right now its got a stock 302 with TBI. Thats going to go... I was originally planning on going to a 306 and maybe throwing a power adder on someday. Small turbo or a supercharger. But now I want to stick with straight muscle but do something different. Theres a lot of cool stuff out there and I wanna try some stuff either very few people do or some old school tricks no one does anymore.
One thing I have found is these sweet hoods this company makes out of Florida. They make a bolt on hood with a 3 inch rise that follows the body lines and everything and then if you want you can buy a ram air kit that is pretty sweet. Heres a link: http://www.usbody.com/ find the thunderbird link of the left hand side and itll show you all the stuff they have. Some of it is pretty neat.
Not just cool ideas like that but maybe some tricks when building the bottom end for a stronger/more reliable motor. Or an EFI system that wont cost an arm and a leg. Or a sweet tranny setup or something. Just any good ideas anyones ever been thinking of but never wanted to try just lay some out there and maybe give me some ideas to throw around.
I'm wanting an engine thatll push 7000 rpm and maybe 400 horse. I really think a 306 would make me plenty happy and I see no need to drive a 347 to school and back every day. Itll be mostly a daily driver/street car seeing as the nearest track is close to 200 miles away but the occasional trip may happen.
Thanks in advance for any ideas!

Any good ideas?

Reply #1 – October 09, 2010, 03:21:07 AM

better have deep pockets for that 306, thats all i can say for ya.

this game aint cheap and you get what you pay for.

the only magic to it is money or good deals on the very best combination of parts.

your askin for what the modular 302 is putting out in the new stang.

not sure what your point is to a 306 compared to a 347,, your foot is just as heavy no matter what carb / efi combo you have generally speaking.

Any good ideas?

Reply #2 – October 09, 2010, 12:30:44 PM

Quote from: jcassity;338668

better have deep pockets for that 306, thats all i can say for ya.

this game aint cheap and you get what you pay for.

the only magic to it is money or good deals on the very best combination of parts.

your askin for what the modular 302 is putting out in the new stang.

not sure what your point is to a 306 compared to a 347,, your foot is just as heavy no matter what carb / efi combo you have generally speaking.

Pretty much what he said. you can get the 400+ horse with either adder, but it's the rest of the setup that matters.$$

Any good ideas?

Reply #3 – October 17, 2010, 06:34:04 PM

I read up on some thermoquad carburetors and found out that edelbrock makes some adapter plates so you can use them on stuff other than chrysler applications. From what I read these things can pretty much give you everything you need and still get decent mileage since the primaries arent all that huge its just when the secondaries kick in is when your gettin the power. Anyone have any insight on these carbs??

Any good ideas?

Reply #4 – October 17, 2010, 07:59:44 PM

How much money can you spend on parts?

That's the first step.

Or else you'll end up like me, nickel and dimed and halfway through a build.

Personally, for higher RPM and the power levels you want, I'd just start out with a 351w and go from there. Horsepower ain't cheap. I am really just throwing numbers out here but using my own setup as reference, I'd take a guess that 400 rwh will cost at least 5 grand to do it right. Unless you can make sfc's and find a set of CHE's, bigger brakes, and better suspension bushings, springs, and shocks, you're gonna have a lot of power in a wiggly car that is already inadequate in the stopping department.

A 306 itself is not so bad, it's when you get involved with stroked cranks and the rods that the money goes fast, quality isn't cheap, and if you want it to last you don't want skimp on a bottom end of a stroker, hence my comment about the 351w.

Of course you'll have to change the pan, and if you stick with carb it'll be a lot cheaper, which to me is the ONLY benefit of a 351w in a Fox.

It's really up to you and your checkbook-good luck :D

Any good ideas?

Reply #5 – October 17, 2010, 08:01:36 PM

How much money can you spend on parts?

That's the first step.

Or else you'll end up like me, nickel and dimed and halfway through a build.

Personally, for higher RPM and the power levels you want, I'd just start out with a 351w and go from there. Horsepower ain't cheap. I am really just throwing numbers out here but using my own setup as reference, I'd take a guess that 400 rwh will cost at least 5 grand to do it right. Unless you can make sfc's and find a set of CHE's, bigger brakes, and better suspension bushings, springs, and shocks, you're gonna have a lot of power in a wiggly car that is already inadequate in the stopping department.

A 306 itself is no more expensive than a 302, other than the cost of boring .030 and the new pistons and labor to put them on the rods...it's when you get involved with stroker cranks and rods that the money goes fast, quality isn't cheap, and if you want it to last you don't want skimp on the bottom end, hence my comment about the 351w.

Of course you'll have to change the pan, and if you stick with carb it'll be a lot cheaper, which to me is the ONLY benefit of a 351w in a Fox.

It's really up to you and your checkbook-good luck :D

Any good ideas?

Reply #6 – October 17, 2010, 08:45:06 PM

my 306 cost around 3 grand with forged everything inside.. heads were about 600 after I was done with them. and everything else that goes on a motor that I bought new... so about 4 grand probably sounds right for the complete shot. guessing you could shave about 2 grand off that for using stock parts in your motor.

Any good ideas?

Reply #7 – October 18, 2010, 02:00:01 AM

If your going to start with an old motor, machine the block, and do a 347 or bigger. The 351 will be about the same price as a 347 if you are going to machine everything. The 347 will need better heads, as well as any engine with 400hp. going carbed would make it easier to do. A 347 also would not have to rev up as high as a 306 to make the same power.

Any good ideas?

Reply #8 – October 18, 2010, 09:24:18 AM

I didn't go 347, because it was about 2 grand more.. Def not worth the 15 times I will drive it a year..

Any good ideas?

Reply #9 – October 18, 2010, 10:03:10 AM

Here are my plans for 400+ rwhp...

Basically stock 5.0L HO shortblock - 306 with -12cc forged pistons with beefier explorer rods. Stock crank and camshaft. Iron GT40 heads with 1.7 roller rockers and stock Cobra intake. Then plan to run 42lb injectors with the Lightning MAF and a 255 high-pressure fuel pump. ($2k)

Then...

B&G Custom Turbo kit or Pony Down stage 2 single turbo kit ($3k+).

400+ rwhp at a $5k cost. I'm half way there. Saving up for the turbo kit now. Maybe by next summer I'll have enough.

Good luck on whatever build you choose!

Any good ideas?

Reply #10 – October 18, 2010, 12:26:52 PM

Want to learn how to build a small block Ford? GO here, sign up, and read, read, read: http://www.sbftech.com

Any good ideas?

Reply #11 – October 18, 2010, 10:20:59 PM

........ask me how I know. :D