I scored a low mile 400 from a 1971 galaxie

being a 71 I should have 9 to 1 pistons

I know the engine makes 400 ft lbs of torque which is plenty for my 3500 lb pick up

I'm thinking of jerking the heads and having them redone with hardened seats because they came out way before unleaded fuel

the truck will mostly be a driver making 1 maybe 2 trips a year to the drag strip

what cam is suggested to maximize economy! while not sacrificing horsepower?

I plan on leaving the iron manifolds on the engine running dual exhaust
and adding a 4 barrel intake and electronic ignition

 

What gears?
Stick shift ?
if auto trans, stock converter?
what is the RPM your going to shift at?

 

If you want economy, jerk the iron manifolds off and get headers. I went from 10 to 14mpg when I put my Hookers on. As far as the cam goes, like broncoman said we need more information. Or you could call COMP or Summit, I've heard they both do a good job with cam selection advice.

 

sorry

c6 stock converter
if I did add a converter it would only be 1800 to 2200 stall (just over stock)
shifting ? not planning on reving the engine over 4500

Ill have to dbl check my new rear Im installing a IRS from a tbird I think its 3.23

I would like to stay away from headers simply for the reason of (blown header gaskets)
I planned on hanging a free flowing dual exhaust system with glass packs (smithy's)

I'm building something to drive the snot out of not a race car


so what are you running?


I just want too open it up and let it breath

 

I have a C6 with the stock converter too. Right now I'm running a COMP High Energy 252H grind that I just swapped in. I really like it so far, woke the motor up a lot compared to the stock emissions cam. I haven't done a mileage test on it yet but I know it's got loads of torque all the way from idle to 3500, which you will probably need with 3.23 gears. When you say free flowing exhaust, what size are you talking?

 

. With only 9:1 compression ratio, prolly don't want much bigger than a 204/214 duration at .050" lift cam... Summit K5200, Comp HI252H, etc. fine... use stock converter, pull hard from 1000 RPMs... give peak torque around 3400-3800 RPMs... HP peak around 4800-5000 RPMs... shift by about 5500 max... bigger cams will bleed off too much compression/MPG/torque...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-k5200/overview

. Stock cam was prolly about a 184/194 or 194/204...

. Unleaded gas was around in 1971, so you may have hardened valve seats already... especially since your engine was a new for 1971 design (first ones produced in late 1970)... might do a compression check on all 8 cylinders... if any much less than about 125 psi, may have a burned valve/seat...

. I'm driving a '78 Ford F150, SuperCab, 4WD, 8' Bed, Western SnowPlow, 351"M/C6/3.50:1 front/rear that I want to convert back to a 400"/408" with modified KB149 11:1 pistons, 214/224 cam or maybe the Summit Racing K5201 218/228 cam, 4bbl., headers, true dual 3" S.S. exhaust, Dual 3" Dodge Hemi Truck mufflers...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ue...9-std/overview

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-k5201/overview

 

thank you for the info

sounds like what Ill copy

2 1/4 pipes glass packs weiand intake holley 600 c 6

 

Yep, no problem. Sounds like we are running pretty much the same thing except my truck is twice as heavy, has 4.10 gears, 1/4in bigger exhaust and headers. I'm not guaranteeing that this is a great cam for your application I just know it is for mine, as I said I'm not sure what kind of mileage it gets. I'm hoping for 14 since that's what it got with the stock cam and retarded cam timing but that may be a little too optimistic.