today i bought a block, to my understanding its a 69 thunderjet block. casting is C9VE(cant read last number/letter) and a set of heads that r C9V5A. along with that i picked up a good 460 crank and set of rods out of a truck. i want to either use the crank i got or get a 4.140 crank. it will only be bored .030 over. but i want to know what you guys would recommend for the rest of the details, as i would like to make a competitive pulling truck, but the motor still "streetable" if at all possible. thanks for any help

 

Personally if you go with a stroker crank I would go with a 4.3". that's the most common and easiest to get pistons for and gets you a 521cid with a .030 overbore.

BUT be careful, a lot of places and classes of pulling don't allow strokers at all. check the rules first or you might find yourself in a class you don't want to compete in.

 

well i was thinking of using the current crank or get an eagle 4.140 crank....but there is talk that the new cube limit for my class is 490 cu. in. so i wont b able 2 go with a big stroker

 

any thoughts as far as a good 466??

 

First and formost get the block and heads cleaned up and crack checked to make sure your starting with good parts. Also have it checked for bore and the crank checked for being ground just so you know where your starting point is.

Then you have lots of choices. just decide what you want it to do. willing to run high octane premium or race gas? Or want regular pump gas?

Oh and what's your budget?

Do you need to run in a vacuum class (be able to pull a particular vac reading at idle)

Figure out what heads your going to run, then get pistons that will get those heads into the compression ratio to run the gas you want to run.

Then do work on the heads to improve flow, porting and polish especially on the exhaust side. bowl blend etc. possibly have CJ sized valved put in and definitely have hardened exhaust seats installed. Have teh heads setup for screw in studs and guide plates if it's any kind of performance build.

 

all parts are standard bore/spec. no machining done to block or crank. parts have been magnafluxed and are good. im goin to get a canton racing main stud girdle for block, heads are C9's (basically a dove) with 2.19in valves and already have the studs in them. there is no vacuum rule in my area, and i would like to run both High end pump or racing fuel if thats even possible.

 

Save your money on the main girdle, yes I think they help but your not building for THAT much power. I ran one on a stroker making 900+hp shifting at 7600rpm but that was an extreme engine in relationship to what your building. Basically they are one of those things that really just help an engine that is running on the ragged edge of what the block can withstand. Ford didn't bother putting them on their original 514cid strokers making 600hp that were using 2 bolt main blocks. Those survived pretty well. Just buy good bolts from ARP and call it good. And yes from what I have seen with others experience this is one time that bolts actually seem to be better adn no I don't know why.

if your staying stock stroke just get you pistons that will put you in the high 9s to 10:1 compression ratio. That will require premium pump gas at min and can run on race gas ok.
With a .030 over bore and stock stroke and zero deck the block (pistons at the top of the deck) you would use a 22cc dish to get 9.91:1 with 75cc (if they are right at that anyway) milling the heads may raise it slightly (.010 would put your real close to 10:1) and polishing the chambers would lower it slightly VERY slightly usually.

I would also port and polish at least the exhaust side, or have it done.

Next question is... Is there any rules against roller cams? Or do you even want to spend that kind of money? (going to cost an extra $1000+ to go that route)

 

well, whats your thoughts if i wanted to hit around the 11 to 12 mark for compression? i would like to get a MSD box with a limiter and keep the motor below 7 (set rev limiter at approx 6800). and as awesome as it would b to have a roller cam set up, its not exactly in the budget at this time. maybe later but who knows. right now im shootingvv for a hydraulic cam set up. and whats ur thoughts on valvetrain components?? aftermarket rockers with roller tips?? and what should i be looking for as far as pushrods??

 

A good set of hardened 5/16" push rods of the right length will be fine for a hydraulic cam. I am running a set of Scorpion 1.73 aluminum full roller rockers in my big block. Big Howards hydro cam with studs, guide plates & hardened 5/16" push rods.

 

I have used TFS pushrods on big roller cams with no problem and the price isn't too bad. 5/16 are probably enough, especially on a hyd cam and the spring pressures you will see, BUT the guide plates you buy will dictate what diameter pushrods you will end up with.

As to rockers I prefer Crane gold or one of the varients (crane makes FRPP blue and TFS black for sure and maybe some others but don't remember for sure)

If your going anywhere near north of 6k rpm then don't use factory rods, they will hold a couple times but will eventually break and grenade your motor.

11:1+ is REALLY pushing it even for premium gas but you can do it if you back the timing off a little and don't really push the motor. basically that's getting into 95+ octane range real easy if everything is right, goof up a little and you can have detonation that will kill the engine in time. at those ratio's I personally wouldn't be happy with anything less then 100LL or mixing in some race gas. Heck on my 406 I currently have I run premium with alum heads and 10.4:1.

 

so if i want to keep it on pump premium then what would you recommend?

 

I stand by original recommendation on that.

 

where would i be if i used flat tops instead of dished? will stock rods hold there or should i get a bit of an upgrade?? and is it ok to switch back and forth from pump premium to something a little more potent every now and then?

 

typical flat tops with 8cc valve reliefs will put you over 11:1

 

will the stock rods hold up to the dished pistons? and would i be able to throw in a bit of racing fuel every now and then and not hurt it?