I am interested in building my first stroker from a 77 f-250 (460) to put in a 66 Mercury street truck. I will not be racing it other than possibly the odd street race. I need to run pump gas. Here are my questions.
-can I use the factory heads or are aluminum that much better.
-Is there anything I can do at home before I take it to the engine shop to save me some costs?
-What cam should I run. Without spending a ton of money. Would a cheaper hydrolic cam fit the bill?
-What rods can I use? or does it depend on the crank.
-What all can I still use from my stock engine? valves/lifters?
-any other tips.
May not be possible but I was thinking I'd like to get it done for around $5,000 Canadian minus intake, carb & distributor. If I am going to spend 10G on a engine I may as well get a crate.
Sorry for the long newbie post, but any suggestions on how to build and cut some costs would be great.

 

why stroke for street? nice set of DOVE HEADS, stock dish pistons, edelbrock performer plus, or performer rpm cam, intake, and carb package, and a good double roller timing set should produce a very nice street engine that should surprise alot of people and run on pump gas[93 octane]. also should keep in budget.

 

I already have a 460 with Edelbrock RPM intake and Holly 770 SA carb that I put in a f-100 and it should be a surprise to a few people but it won't be on the road till the snow is gone. You're right barring no technical difficulty I should be very happy with it. This truck I was considering for the stroker will have the pro street look, chopped roof, tubbed, 4-link. Thought it would be pretty cool to build something bigger than the norm around here and it needs a rebuild anyway.

 

I have heard a lot about D0VE and D0VE C heads for the 460 on this forum. Are there typical donor cars/trucks for these or are they generally a special order?

 

1970 or71 thunderbirds with 429 thunderjet engine. ebay also usually have them listed most of the time. can also use c8ve or c9ve's, same head, just diff. casting number. found on 69-70 full size cars with 429-460

 

also can pick them up through your local autozone rebuilt for a couple hundred. + core.

You can use factory heads, but if your going through the expense of building a stroker your obviously looking for power, why not go with a good set of aftermarket heads. Sure some early model heads with porting and work will flow good, but its easier and usually cheaper to go with a set of al cobra jets, or similar.

Rods should depend on what stroker your building.

mmm..what can you use from the stock engine.....the block, and accessories.

Any other tips, if the first time, buy a kit! Gets you the proper crank, rods, and pistons.

go with a good hydralic lifter cam and have fun.

 

I always prefer to call them "budget-BUSTING stroker kits"...since those projects always cost you about double (to complete the whole project) what you THINK they are going to cost you...

Deen

 

Ya, budget stroker is kinda a contradiction in terms. Classic is probably right, it would be better and easier to go with aftermarket heads. Thanks for the replies, I am gonna have to track down some of those D0VE heads for my other 460 as well.
66MM

 

Classic79,

To be technical, iron or steel heads will make more power than aluminum heads, for the shear fact that it keeps the heat in the combustion chamber, where it belongs. Plus, you dont have the possibility of shearing a head gasket(as easily), and it's always cool to do twice as much with half the cost.

Just my $.02.

 

Iron makes about .5-1.5% more power on an EXACTLY EQUAL engine combo for the reasons you stated. HOWEVER, aluminum heads have several advantages over iron. One is that they can run about 1 point more compression on the same fuel. Going from 9.5 to 10.5 is worth the same HP and TQ that was "lost" by the aluminum. It also increases part throttle fuel efficiency and HP/TQ. It is MUCH lighter, and every 40lbs is worth about 10HP in a dedicated drag vehicle. Then there is the ease of fixing. If they crack/chunk... they can be EASILY welded/fixed. Do that with cast iron heads. Add that to updated port designs, and the fact that you can purchase them with SS valves, better springs, retainers and locks, and Al is the clear winner in every aspect but one. A very important one: Price. If they are in the budget, they are a better choice. Not saying that iron aren't good, just not the best choice.

And by the way, I have NEVER seen Al heads have a greater tendancy to "shear" I assume you mean blow, a head gasket than Iron. I think one of the reasons people have that myth, is that aluminum heads are often run closer to the ragged edge, into copper gasket territory than iron. Cheers.

 

Aluminum has a greater and different expansion rate than iron, causing the gasket to shear, as in actually shear away from the sealing surface, thus causing the gasket to blow. granted, the aluminum heads will flow better, but for a street motor, and with a little TLC, iron heads are just as good, and half the price. If you dont believe me, email CID473, and ask him. 18 years of experience ought to do if you dont believe me.

 

and besides, were not talkin about a chevy that cant run 9:1 with aluminum heads on 93 octane.

 

Depending on what head you go with you will spend the same amount to rebuild and upgrade stock Iron heads then if you were to buy the aftermarket ones. I put cobra jet valves, port and chamber job, machined stud pads and spring seats, resurfaced, valve guides, and telfon valve seals. Had I known it would have cost the same I might have seriously thought about buying the aftermarkets.

 

The different expansion rates is absolutely correct, however the effect that has is being GREATLY over exagerated. Al heads work great on the street. How is it that so many millions of aluminum heads have been put on iron blocks OEM from the FACTORY, and they don't have any more tendancy spontaniously blow head gaskets. Yes some engines are known to be VERY hard on head gaskets. The Dodge Neon is one example of a bad one. The Chevy LT-1 is a good one. Al on the street is fine. Keep the coolant fresh, and torque the heads according to the manufacturer, use a good gasket (I like Fel-pro, or deadsoft copper). Same thing you need to do with iron heads. The myth about "shearing" head gaskets is just that; A MYTH. If it in the budget, why throw the performance away on iron heads???

Again, I am not saying Al heads shoud be on every motor. For some applications, they are of little use. Why put some AFR heads on a budget 300HP 302? But if you can afford them, why not make it a 350HP 302 and have better driveability on the street??? It doesn't make sense to me NOT to use the best head you can afford.

If you could afford a roller cam setup for your engine, would you not put it in there??? Of course you would. You get better power, torque, longevity (H-roller)..... If you can't afford it, hydraulic will work fine too, but you won't get as much out of it.
Cheers.

 

The thing is, Fel-Pro designed the head gaskets for all factory aluminum head motors. My father, CID473, has over 18 years experience in the auto industry, and has this to say; The Dodge Neon head gaskets blew, not because of the head gaskets, but because of the way the oil passage was routed through the head gasket. And an aluminum head factory head gasket is coated, so you can not use it with iron heads, as it will blow. And, didnt 66MercMan say that he was in a budget of $5000 canadian, which, if I'm not mistaken, is right around $3700 U.S. If you buy the aluminum heads, that automatically takes it to around $1700 to spend, and that my freind, will not buy a stroker kit of any kind, so the point would be moot. So my suggestion is to find a good set of C8, C9, or D0VE heads, work them over, put 2.19 (or 2.25 if you prefer) intake, 1.76 exhaust valves, good 3 angle valve job, cut .040 of the heads, buy a cast steel 4.15 scat crank, 6.8 chevy rods, and a set of pistons from JE, and he'd have a street screamer that can burn the tires off, run over any chevy, and run down every ricer in the country.