Ok let me start off by saying, I have rebuild engine but never had to figure out what parts to put in them. This is where I need your help so read on and share your opinions!

I just picked up two 78 complete 460's with two 2 wheel drive c6 trannies. $200 bucks, i don't think I could have gone wrong. They have been sitting for a long time! As I found out during the tear down process. My truck was squatting pretty bad with these hogs in the bed! I just wanted to get my hands on them and see what I really had!






So during the trear down process I found that these things need to be completely rebuilt. Nothing major, just normal wear and tear. Everything was pretty dried up inside! I think I picked the wrong motor to rebuild! I flipped a coin









My garage is now a mess... in a good way


Here is the block casting numbers, not sure if it's good or what they mean:
DIVE-6015-A2B


The head casting numbers:
D3VE-A2A


So now, here is where I need your opinions: I have a 78 f-150 that I will be swapping this motor into. I am going to turn this into my wheeling rig/weekend driver. I'd like to be able to run off pump gas and have it be reliable. I'm not sure what horsepower these things are stock but i'd like it to be 400-500 if possible? This motor has all the emissions stuff on it (i think the heads are emissions as well) which I won't need anymore. Any recommendations or thoughts would be much appreciated!!

~Brian

 

425-450HP 460ci

Intake System:

750cfm Holley DP
Edelbrock Performer Rpm Intake Manifold

Cylinder Heads:

D3VE head with mild port job, chambers polished, and port match
(315-ish/180-ish cfm @.600)
Intake valve size 2.08
Exhaust valve size 1.65
Roller rockers.

Short Block:

Comp Cam Custom Spec Hydraulic flat tappet cam or equivalent
Based on the Xtreme Energy Hydraulic Series
Intake Lobe 5443 and Exhaust Lobe 5203
(Specs:268/280 adv., 224/230@.050, .524/.544 lift, 110 LSA)
Compression around 9.5:1
Stock crank
Stock rods with good bolts
Standard volume oil pump
Stock oil pan with windage tray

Exhaust:

1 7/8" headers to dual 2.5" pipes with H-pipe. Good flowing 2.5" Magnaflow mufflers or equivalent.

Summary:

91-octane. Keep redline to 6000 rpm.

 

Hey man, I just bought a 460 this morning and I am doing the same exact thing, mine is going into a 78 4x4. Going down to the garage to tear it down now, I'll post my pics also!

Looks like your old truck handled that load pretty well, my 07 Ranger squatted a bit with one 460 in it, definitely knew there was a load there!

Where are you at? Kansas City MO area here.

 

Looks like mine is the D1VE block with the D3VE heads also, same numbers you have.

I cant get my engine to turn at all, he said its been sitting for 5 years at least. Will I have a hard time disassembling the bottom end?

 

Mine was the same way. To get my T-converter off I had to drop the oil pan and undo some of the connecting rod caps and tap the pistons up a little. Then i could spin the crank. I found out one cylinder was slightly froze. Other wise it's a breeze tearing it down! Now the hard/expensive part figureing out what parts to install hence this post! Thanks Tankrsc I will be keep that list! Let me know how your build goes wyazel1 and what you plan on using the truck for. I'm in wisconsin area ;-) lil farther away

 

I can't take credit for the info I copied it from this

460ford.com :: View topic - 460 HP chart shakedown

You may have to log into the forum to see it but there is all kinds of info on these bad a$$ motors

 

Got it torn down that was fun/easy/MESSY. Wish the rest was gonna be this easy. I'm gonna try to build mine mild enough that I could drive it to work (20 miles) if I wanted to but I prob wont drive it to work very often. Occasional weekend cruising/mudding. I am seriously wanting to build a stroker (521") I just need to read and learn more as to whether it will hurt my reliability at all. I dont want to build a 100k mile motor but I would like to build a 30k mile motor, even though I will prob do some thing else with it by then. The idea of smoking all 4 tires just seems pretty cool to me for some reason

Heres my pics from today, I had 2 cylinders that were froze but I got it apart ok. Now I have quite a bit of extra parts all I'm planning on using is the block, heads, and maybe the pan and valve covers if they clean up nice. The EXPENSIVE part begins now. Any body know of a good machine shop in the KC area??

 

I'm building the same motor as you pretty much, let me know what route you go! This it kind of cool how we are both building 460s at the same time! Research is key now. And peoples opinions!

 

Yea, I will definitely keep checking back and see what all you do and i will also post what i get done to mine also. However, you will prob get your build done alot faster than I will due to the fact that my wife wont let me spend too much all at once. I'm wanting to open a new credit card in my name only and buy it all at once but thats prob not a good idea lol.

I'm pretty sure my next step has to be the machine shop with the block and heads. Are you thinking about building a stroker also? Do I need to powerwash the block and heads before taking it to the machine shop?

 

I just called around to a few machine shops in my area, it looks like I can get the block hot tanked, cylinders bored and honed, prepped with cam bearings, freeze plugs etc for $400 or so.

But the head work is what I am afraid is gonna really cost me. One guy said he can rework my heads flow test etc etc and said "around $900". I saw the Edelbrock alum heads on Summit for 1k assembled ready to bolt on. I am starting to daydream and fantasize about aluminum heads now lol. If I am spending the extra money on the bottom end the heads at LEAST need ported and polished, right?

Also, every machine shop I called told me that I should order parts thru them also. Like the crank pistons etc because they could save me some money. Do they make a comission on selling parts? Is it advisable to order the bottom end assembly thru the machine shop, even though I am 100% certain that I want to do the actual assembly myself?

Any one care to loan me some $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

Whatcha got done to the Vette? That is a vette hiding back there in 4th picture of the OP isn't it?

 

He should put a BBF in it imo

 

the heads are where you are going to make or lose power on these 460's. they like to breathe and the stock heads are huge restrictions, especially on the exhaust side. anything you can do to get the exhaust to flow will pay huge dividends on power output.

that being said the stock D3VE heads can be made to flow decent numbers by someone that knows what they are doing. they can also screw up the ports big time if htey don't bigger is not always better, but correct is great. their is a great site, reincarnation-automotive.com that has a great section on how to port the stock heads for maximum results. it costs $25 to register but well worth it.

another option is the aluminum head route. the Edelbrocks are a good choice, but far from the best. that $1k is probably per head. also look at the TFS street heads, they are suppose to be real decent heads with lot more potential than the Edelbrocks for close to or a little less money. of course there are some other serious all out heads available for the 460 that of course cost lots more but you will probably never out grow those heads compared to the Edelbrocks and TFS street heads (were talking for 550 cu in and larger motors).

400 -500hp is pretty easy and obtainable. if you can find it, either Hot Rod or Car Craft did a build up on a 460 using mostly stock components and got 500hp pretty easy with not much work. and that was before the aftermarket offered much for the 460.

Rgds
Mike

 

OK you are absolutely right, the Edel Alum heads are 1K EACH lol.

Edel, Ford Racing, and TFS are the main 3 i see. What are the other brands of aftermarket alum heads?

 

Ahaha the vette is an investment last year of the "good" body style that i like, it's an '04 with 6,000 miles on it. Fun car, nothign special about it though.

400 for the cleaning and the block work isn't that bad. I heard that most machine places like to have the pistons before boreing if you go that route.

My question with our heads, can we still get rid of the emissions stuff by just plugging the wholes up? Will this affect anything?