I'm new to working on a 460. I just got a used 73 with a C6 automatic, and will install this in my 41 Ford COE. I want to have the engine perform well for low end torque, and highway cruising. Are there some "best" choices for upgrading from stock for this idea without busting the bank account?? I do plan on a solid rebuild on the core motor and heads, along with upgrading the oil pump, etc. I'm mainly interested in what cam, manifold, carb, and ignition will serve best. This is not going to be a race rig obviously .... just a good solid cruiser and rod meet truck. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Bob in Spokane

 

Good cam for a tourque engine is a Lunati #00096 Cam Grind# BM-II Serial# MSFO-3761

Cam Specs
Ex Opens 49 Deg BBDC Ex Closes –5 ATDC
Intake Opens 0 Deg BTDC Intake Closes 34 Deg ABDC
Duration @ 0.050” 214 Deg Intake/ 224 Deg Exhaust
Adertised Duration 280 Deg Intake / 290 Deg. Exhaust
Lift @ Valve Is 0.516”

This cam on a .030" over 460 of mine with a factory SCJ iron intake and a holley 4160 vac secondary 750 cfm carb made over 400 ft lb of tq from about 1500 to 3800 rpm (At the rear wheels), as well as 304 HP (at the rear wheels). It was with D0VE heads and MPG port plates on the exhaust. This is all with factory iron SCJ intake and truck exhaust manifolds.

The following year I changed to headers and a Stealth SCJ intake port matched to the heads, and got a bigger cam from Scott Main (Cam Research Corp.) and added almost 90 hp, and over 110 ft/lb of tourque.

Good place to start out if you want to take steps is to:
1: Recurve the Distributor as per http://www.reincarnation-automotive....ons_index.html

2) Swap the intake for a stealth, and dump the factory carb for a Holley 4150, 4160, or 4150HP (No choke).

3) Swap the cam out for some sort of good low end stump puller, there are many choices. Scott Main at www.camresearchcorp.com is a great place to go for a 429/460 cam. Get the cam, lifters and matching springs and do this while you are doing the rebiuld.

Take the heads to a local shop and have the springs and all installed, have the heads machined for ARP studs and get inexpensive Harland Sharp roller rockers for those ARP studs. (Nice and adjustable in case you ever need a bigger cam :]) Also have the ex port smoothed off a bit, or if you can...do it yourself. The website http://reincarnation-automotive.com/ has a members area that costs $25.00 to join, but it is a HUGE and proven source of 429/460 information and will prove to be the best money you will spend on this project. He shows you how to port, how to recurve the dizzy, many dyno proven combos, and has a collection of data and proven information from some of the best and most well known BBF biulders in the country.

Scott Main has the Port Plates, I think they were about $180 and they do work. Once you complete this you should be able to put a mountain on the back bumper and drive away.

Your block and crank are good, just have the basic hone or bore if needed, be sure the block treated to the normal plethera of aligning and finishing, have the crank turned .010 under, the bore .030 over, use an inexpensive TRW piston and spend the extra $100 to have the rotating assembly ballanced. You should be able to drive this thing till the wheels fall off!

Good luck, and have fun!

 

fordtrkpuller,

Thanks a bunch. That amount of info is far more than I imagined would come forth. Great job!! I'll do some digging on the websites to see about what you mentioned, and will start on the engine after that. I know these things can be real torque beasts with the right setup, so I'm excited to get this going. I also ran across a 78 Lincoln with a 460 that is being sold as an organ donor. It has a lot of miles on it, so hopefully the price will be ok. Is the 78 engine also a good one. I figured from info via this site that the 73 was the first good low compression one built, but haven't seen much regarding the 78. I assume it should be at least as good, but don't know for sure.

Thanks again,

Bob in Spokane

 

As a note, crane sells a adjustable rocker kit that lets you somehow use the stock rockers, I have never actually seen it used and do not know of its limitations or the details of how it works, but it is priced over $100. It could save you the ARP studs and associated machine work costs, as well as the $200+ cost of the Harland Sharp roller rockers. This may be a inexpensive work-around to get an adjustable rocker setup. Check into this option before you jump in. Its always best to learn all you can and do it right the first time. www.cranecams.com

As per Cranes website:

Rocker Arm Conversion Kits

Needle Bearing Roller Fulcrum Conversion Kit

Crane Cams’ drop-in needle bearing fulcrum conversion kit for Ford pedestal-mount rocker arms enables you to retrofit standard non-adjustable rockers with fully rollerized fulcrum assemblies. This eliminates the greatest source of friction in the rocker arm, resulting in less wasted horsepower, lower oil temperatures, greater strength and load carrying abilities, greater vacuum at a given RPM, and better fuel economy. This kit is intended for use with hydraulic lifter and hydraulic roller camshaft applications only.

All hardware is included: New heat treated fulcrums; needle bearing assemblies and hardened hold-down bolts. Pedestal shim kit also included to enable you to optimize hydraulic lifter preload for best performance and reliability. No machining required.

Once again, I would call Crane and verify that this will service your needs. Also, dont discount Crane as a provider for your cam, they have a very good program and make quality components. I have never been let down by Crane. You can call Cranes Customer Service at 888-432-2381 8AM to 5PM eastern time. There is a tech that you can ask for named Pat, he is one of the better Ford guys there.

 

Fordtrkpuller,

Thanks again..... all this info is going to help a bunch. So Crane has the adjustable rocker goodies for stock rockers..... that is interesting. I might just have to go that route. A friend from long ago used a bunch of Crane products in the race engines he built and was always pleased with their quality. I'll look into that. I have always been displeased with non-adjustable rockers, so this is a great idea.

Bob

 

You may want to check ford raceing or P.A.W they have motor sport drop in full roller rockers for under 300.00 that require no machining, they mount right on pedistals

 

The '78 460 is a detuned smog dog that only makes about 195 HP. You'll have to do a lot of work to get any performance out of it.

 

Scroob is absolutely correct. The later model 460s hav low compression and low HP's. You've got a good engine to work with in the '73, so don't waste you're time and money on the '78. Get stuck into the earlier engine. I have heard reports that the standard heads that you have can be flowed quite easily to surpass the HP's of a set of CJ/SCJ heads. The Ford factory has even been quoted as saying the CJ heads are like big old sewer pipes. So it might be an idea that you look into that before spending the money on another set of heads, just compare prices, thats all. You can add 15+ hp just by bolting on the SCJ intake onto your standard heads, even though the port sizes don't match!

 

The D8 heads can support about 600 HP if ported profesionally. The others C8 thru D3 can get you to about 750 hp. The only real change in the short block from a 70 to a 78 is the older had flat tops and the post 73 had dished pistons, and the 73 and newer have the 8 degree retard timing set. Change your timing set to a 1970 429 (This is not retarded 8 degrees), do what you can with the heads as far as porting, and get an inexpensive flat top piston and you even the score no matter what the year you pull it out of. The CJ head (DOOE-R) and the C8 thru D3 (Excluding the abortion in 72 or D2...) all share similar ex ports, the CJ intake is able to flow more air. They can all get about the same on the ex side from a good porter. You can plane the heads .050" to get some extra compression from those D8's. There is a guy with D8's on a 466 makeing a bit over 600 hp that I know of....so they are not that bad. If your buying a new timeing set, and replaceing the pistons no matter what engine you use, its down to the heads. The D3 is a fine head and you say one of the engines is a 73, so thats the way to go most likely. Make sure you use the non retard timing set, its a 30-40 hp freebee.