Easily one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Wish o could see it in person but this made me wanna finish mine real quick

 

I gathered some information and have been doing alot of reading and everything and talked to a couple people about this motor build and have a few more questions.

The motor has C8AE-H heads. I've been told by multiple people and read that this is a very common and good head and if I put CJ valves on them it can be a "poor mans cobra jet heads".

1. How much horsepower will CJ valves and a port job on these heads add?

I was planning on getting a C8AZ 9425 G series Intake

2. How much horsepower will this intake add? How much with a Rochester quadrajet on top of it?

3. How much horsepower will a set of long tube headers add?

4. How much horsepower does switching in a 390 crankshaft add?

5. How much horsepower does a fairly rough idle camshaft add? Any cams you guys can recommend? Solid lifter cams only please

any help is appreciated with any of my many questions

 

you can answer all those questions yourself with a $52.31 purchase . While this software is not 100% accurate it does get you a good idea of what different stroke,bore,heads,cams,piston combinations equal with out buying and trying the parts.
link

 

I have this software and wouldn't build another engine without it .

 

Didn't know there was such a software. thanks

 

I didn't find out about this software till after I already purchased my parts for my 390 build . if i would have had this before hand I would have opted for the Lunati 62002 cam kit , would have made same TQ and 25 more HP than the 62001 I have for the same $$ DOOOOOHHHH lesson learned

 

Are you asking about these add-ons as they would affect an otherwise stock 360?

I can't find that intake casting number. Is that an iron manifold with a "T" or an "S" cast into it? As for a Q-jet, that is a spread bore carb. Is that manifold designed for that, or will you need an adapter? If you need an adapter, find another square bore carb.

CJ valves and port job on a 360 will lower the low end power, and since there really isn't any top end power, will just be a lot of money flowing out of your wallet.

Long tube headers, always a welcome change for an FE, will probably get you 25 hp on a stocker. 25+, maybe 50+ on performance engines.

390 crank. Nothing, unless you change the rods and select the right pistons. If you just put a 390 crank in, your pistons will hit the heads.

Rough cam with solids. Nothing. Again, in a stock 360 you will simply soften your low end due to pressure bleed off, and you will have soft top end as well due to low compression. Solid lifters are unnecessary unless you are wanting to run over 5500 rpms, maybe 6000.

Are you reading any of the responses here? See post 33 and 36. Here, let me make it easier:



I know you are 15, and not to bust your ***** much more, you really need to learn how to drive a vehicle with modest power before you go for 400. You do want to live to see 17 I assume.

Just adding gee whiz go fast parts to an engine will not work. You also need several thousand dollars to do this right.

 

Are you asking about these add-ons as they would affect an otherwise stock 360?

-yes

I can't find that intake casting number. Is that an iron manifold with a "T" or an "S" cast into it? As for a Q-jet, that is a spread bore carb. Is that manifold designed for that, or will you need an adapter? If you need an adapter, find another square bore carb.

-It's an intake off of an old ford interceptor I believe. I'm not sure it has an "S" or "T" in it though. I would need and I already have an adapter lying around Which is the reason I was considering using a quadrajet since I have one and an adapter

CJ valves and port job on a 360 will lower the low end power, and since there really isn't any top end power, will just be a lot of money flowing out of your wallet.

-should I do anything to the heads then other than maybe freshen them up?

390 crank. Nothing, unless you change the rods and select the right pistons. If you just put a 390 crank in, your pistons will hit the heads.

- I'm sorry I meant I said 390 crank and rods. If I got a 390 crank and rods I would look at a set of new pistons to raise the compression

Rough cam with solids. Nothing. Again, in a stock 360 you will simply soften your low end due to pressure bleed off, and you will have soft top end as well due to low compression. Solid lifters are unnecessary unless you are wanting to run over 5500 rpms, maybe 6000.

-I was told by an experienced engine builder (FE's too) that solid lifters give more drivetrain stability at higher rpms and he said I should look for a solid lifter cam. as for compression I would get a better set of pistons to raise compression

Are you reading any of the responses here?

- yes sir, I read them and take them all into consideration. I have not yet purchased those books yet but I have read bits and pieces of them and talked to a few engine builders

I know you are 15, and not to bust your ***** much more, you really need to learn how to drive a vehicle with modest power before you go for 400. You do want to live to see 17 I assume.

-that's why I'm building the motor so I know and understand all of it instead of jumping in a high horsepower car and going nuts. What better way to learn about cars and motors than by actually building them and learning as you go? That being said I'm not going to throw a 400HP motor in my truck and go crazy either. But you gotta start somehow and somewhere I suppose

Just adding gee whiz go fast parts to an engine will not work. You also need several thousand dollars to do this right.

- that's why I'm taking my time and learning and asking questions about all this stuff so I know what "gee whiz" parts to add and not to add. As for several thousand dollars I'm building the motor myself instead of having someone build it for me. But I do understand it takes money to buy these parts and I've been working and saving my money for a while to build this motor

 

little story for you
My first car at age 16 1965 mustang fastback 289 2v automatic cost $300.00 (1984) drove her home with no 3rd gear or reverse.
got a job at local Gas station to pay my dad back the $300 and $$ for insurance and a rebuilt trans . drove her around for a little then decided she needed more HP
so bought a Crower Cam kit, Edelbrock torker manifold and holley 600 cfm 4 v
took motor (80-90k miles) apart and dropped in the goodies with the help of my dad . Combo woke up the old 289 big time , so added some blackjack headers and 2.5" dual exhaust with "california turbo " mufflers even faster !! drove her around like this winning and losing races till finally dropping a valve (stock valve retainer gave up the fight ) But syill beating the 68 Camero I was racing LOL
got her home with a valve stuck in piston . wouldn't start the next day

 

My dad warned me about building an Old engine , but at 16 I didn't have the time or $$ to do it right . so I just did it as i could and had some fun and learned a lot for little $$
The next motor I built was $6k to build ran like a scaled dog and ran till i sold car in 2013 . Why did i sell that car?? gonna cry now

 

Steve,

I have a buddy who builds junkyard FEs. He has spent years collecting parts and started young. Carry on. Keep in mind what I told you, you are WAY better off building a 353 than a 360. For your intention (a truck) a 390 is the best starting point. 390 rotating assemblies are cheap, but usually require some machine shop love. Assume that any 45 year old engine (and 360/390 blocks are interchangeable) will need some machining as well. If you get one that is running, you can take a chance and just work on the upper end.

Performance parts on a 360 is like lipstick on a hog. Still a hog.

Most of Barry's book has been publish on DIYFord dot com if you want to get started reading it.

 

Wish you could still get a mustang for $300.. glad you beat the camaro but not so good about the valve. Did you fix her after that or just sell her?

Although I didn't buy my truck (it was my granpas) I pay for everything that goes on it. my dad's not a farmer and my granpa is in sorta bad shape so he can't do much work anymore so I pretty much run the whole farm. any money I make off that I get to keep. I have to pay for all the parts that break on the tractors and equipment to though haha. if nothing is broken and I have a little extra money I put it into the truck or set it aside to buy a bigger part for the truck or this motor. I already owe around 10 grand to my parents for taking out a loan to buy A Bigger tractor and haybine So I'm pretty busy as it is but I'm trying lol. I had a job as a mechanic at a tractor shop and that's what was funding the truck and all its parts along with what extra I get off the farm.

 

The motor I have already runs and that's why I was considering only doing the top end right now with some head work and a 4v intake and carb and cam and headers. Then when it needs it rebuild it and do the bottom end to. Does that make more sense or just sound stupid?

And I have read alot on DIYford and it's been helping alot with interchangeable parts and what to look for and what not.

 

Seriously, there is next to nothing you can do to a 360 that will be worth the money. Stock they made 178 hp. They are a low compression, short stroke workhorse that will last forever. The more power, the shorter the life is a good rule.

My comment was about finding a running 390.

 

Others here report good results with a 4bbl manifold, smallish 4bbl and headers with dual exhaust. That is about all I would do to a 360, and I think you will be pleased with the results. You should get a noticeable bump in power and if you drive it gently, you may pick up 1 or 2 mpgs.

Good luck, sounds like you have your hands full. I'd give you a but you're too young.......