What is the factory horsepower and torque on a 1973 460, out of a '73 F-250 super camper special.

What would i have gained by installing a timing set from a '70?

 

Can't comment on factory HP ratings for your year, but I found the change over from "stock/retarded" to "straight up" to be worth the money spent. The shop that did it for me commented on how quick the engine fired up after the change. I noted how well it pulled my 10,000# high profile fifth wheel after changing out the "detuning" gear set. As long as I don't worry about mileage ... it is a 460 after all ... Clyde will now do anything I want it to do.

Ford Racing timing set from Summit.

 

200hp from a '72 460 4V with 9.3:1 compression, 198hp from a '73 460 4V, 195hp from a '74 460 4V

Sad but true. In 72 they dropped the compression. 1971 460 4V had 365 @ 4600 rpm. (11.0:1 compression)

 

They had to drop the compression, that was about the time the started making crap gas. The stuff they make now days would burn a hole in the pistons on those older engines.

 

The 1970 460s in the Lincoln Continentals were also in the 365+ HP range, with the same 11:1 comp. ratio. I had one that I rue having ever traded it away, but I was young & foolish then. Yes, it needed the 91+ octane to run right, but when you gave it that premium to drink it would sure move that 4600 pounds! And wow was it ever a great road car for long trips.

dn.

 

I had a 77 town car. What a great car. It had every gadget on it imaginable.
My wifes sister had an operation one time and I got tired and crawled into the back seat in the hospital parking lot and went to sleep. It was like sleeping in a comfortable bed. The weight sticker on the door said it weighed 6000 lbs, Man I wish I still had that car.

 

thats what my 1972 lincoln continental was like... when i sat in it it was like i was home... i just wish it hadnt been "borrowed" and impounded. i miss that car.

 

We used to drive ours to Vegas. (About a four hour drive) We wouldn't even be tired from the drive. It was like sitting on the sofa in our living room.

 

yep, i know exactly how you feel... the only thing that sucks about the old lincolns is the mileage... but even that really isnt any worse than a full size modern suv.

 

Everyone is aware that in 1972 the horsepower rating game changed and you can't really compare one to the other because engines thay were unchanged dropped as much as 100 hp in a year.

 

While the "gross" versus "net" HP ratings did play a role in those 100+ drops in HP, there is still no doubt that those 11:1 compression/92 octane beasts were much more powerful than their newer siblings. I know: my ex-wife managed to wear out a set of new Sears Roadhandler (read Michelin) radials that were rated for 40,000+ miles in less than 20,000. While I do not regret not having her I would not mind having that car again...

dn.

 

Back in the sixty's the auto manufacturers started horsepower wars. This happened to the audio industry as well. It was all marketing. The more horsepower a car had the more people wanted it. The same with stereos. One manufacturer would claim 50 watts (this was phenomenal in those days) another one would claim 100 watts. Everybody would run out and buy the latest and most powerful to brag about it. It was the same way with cars. Everybody was making phenomenal claims to sell their products. I remember one stereo manufacturer claimed 300 watts. (it wasn't really a lie because they were stating input power instead of output power like everyone else was) This caught the governments eye and they started clamping down on these outrageous claims. This was the late sixties and you know how long it takes the government to act. This would have been about the time frame that the auto manufacturers started restating and lowering their horsepower claims. I wonder if the government had anything to do with it?

 

Then there were the 428CJ and SCJ. Rated at 335 hp at 5200. But with a C-6 auto trans, they shifted, in drive at WOT at 6000 rpm. Why, because they did make 335 hp at 5200, but they made closer to 425 hp at 6000 rpm. So how does that fit into your theory?

 

THank you all for the inputs. I would have never guessed that there was that large of a range, nor would i have guessed that the likely horsepower of mine barely hits 200. Sure feels stronger then that.

 

the torque is what you feel... the horsepower is torque over time. the reason a 460 doesnt have much horsepower is because in stock form it doesnt revv much. a 460 is built for low end torque and towing from the factory. you can easily get a 460 over 400 horse and have it still be totally driveable. all it takes is some head work, bigger cam, valvetrane to match the cam, intake and carb to match the cam, and thats about it... the stock lower end will handle 400 hp all day no problems.