Hi all, first time posting here. hoping to get some good information.
I am looking to start a long term project to turn my '91 ford f-150 (302 V-8), into a Camaro/Ricer killing sleeper (yes, it's even extended cab). The truck needs to stay street legal and be able to pass emissions (doh!). I plan on using this truck for a weekend fun vehicle and possibly some limited strip usage just for fun. Oh and I live in Texas, so it has to have A/C.
My current thoughts are to go with a 351w stroked to 396, add EFI, and a supercharger to crank out about 600+ horses. I was planning on keeping the AOD tranny with a full performance rebuild, and put positraction in a new 9" rear-end.
Unfortunately all my grand plans have some hitches... I know nothing about cams or tranny/rear-end gearing. I know a bunch of guys who can help with the details, but they aren't big Ford guys, so I wanted your opinions on what cam variation to go with (i've read some things that say the Hydraulic roller cam with a 230 duration is nice for street performance).
So, my questions are:
Can the 351w take a hydraulic roller cam? if not, what is the alternative?
What is good cam timing for a street-rod that will only need a mild lope.
I was planning on going with a centrifugal type supercharger, what are some good brands of s/c's and where is a good place to shop for them online?

I'd love for you guys to also post some links for some good online speed shops i can get my parts from without breaking the bank.

Thanks!!!

 

The 351 motors are roller or roller compatible if you find a block with a code under the casting number that reads F4TE these blocks were produced somewhere around 93+. If you do get a F4TE block and it has flat tappet cam don't get frustrated it is roller ready, from the factory most had flat tappet lifters and cams. Look at a 95/96 f250 351 motor I think they were a lot of them roller with roller cams. The blown 393 sounds great. If you plan on starting from scratch as it seems, why not look into a 460 swap. Put a supercharger on one of those and well in stock trim it would be a nice dependable ride given proper tune and have all kinds of grunt. Just be realistic about it if you go with a 393 blown with 600hp you are gonna spend some money especially if you don't have access to someone in the business who can cut you a break. Just a suggestion if you want reliability and power go with the BB and keep the engine as mild as possible with a blower. Good luck

For a lot of real world speed info go to www.nloc.net go to forums and then click on gen 1 section a lot of sbf with forced induction running 10's and 11's.

For a lot of tech on how to make a 393/408/427 then go to www.corral.net take everything they experience as general knowledge because what they do to make their cars go fast don't necessarily have the same wanted effects on your truck you need a big dose of low end Torque they do not.

scat cranks can provide parts
eagle cranks as well
paw performance (has a long block kit for a 427 small block $3000)
AFR heads is another place you should look at
as well as edelbrock heads/cams etc

 

Most people seem to agree that 500HP is about the max for any AOD, but i believe Lentec has ran cars with well over 1000HP with AOD's, however, without a 4th gear. The biggest problem with the lighter trannies is when you have agressive upshifts. This can put tremendous strain on the trans. You may want to look into a C6. If you need OD, then you could opt for a gear venders or one from US gear (something like that). If you must have flexible control over the shift points, the E4OD is another option, but will get very expensive for a stand alone PCM. Also, a GM TH4l80-E is another option, which can be adapted to a Ford bellhousing, but of course, thats something that a loyal ford owner should never contemplate!

 

Is the weakness in the AOD the gears? i was planning on replacing a lot of the components with performance parts, but if the gears are still in good shape i was planning on keeping them. I really do need overdrive because this truck needs to be a reasonable driving truck on the highway.

 

I re-read your post 600hp=mild cam=street motor thats a tall order, what kinda money you looking to spend on the engine tranny rear? What gamehunter is trying to say is expect to pay out $1500-3000 for a bullet proof tranny done right with overdrive. With a c6 a person could get away with throwing the right clutches in it and make sure everything is as it should be and run some decent power throught it, and it wouldn't run you as much in the end. Just a thought later

 

the c6 is looking better the more i look around. i have found c6 street/strip trannies for as low as $1200. that might be the way for me to go. Cost isn't really that much of an issue since this will turn into a project i spread over 1-2 years. i've been talking to my good friends who are all car guys and they suggested a pair of small turbos instead of the centrifugal charger, either that or the screw type supercharger. Plus we're looking into taking a regular intake manifold and modifying it for EFI to save on costs (some of those EFI intakes are $2500+).

 

hoping to keep the project under $7500 for the mechanical work, then about $3500 for cosmetic work.

 

IN all honesty that is a bit much for aftermarket your probably close, but in reality you can take any c6 from a junkyard take it to a tranny man (look around and ask racer who they take their trannies to) and he should be able to rebuild it using quality replacment clutches steels etc and it shouldn't cost more than $500 and throw in a quality converter and that thing will take anything.

ARe you stuck on efi? Just a thought you know those 302 b&m roots type blowers in summit and jegs? You can use them on a 351 with an appropriate intake spacer it is carb but it would help supply a healthy dose of power, probably not 600hp but maybe closer to 450-500. You might find that is all you need.


going efi you should be able to get a stock efi system and modify it enough to make that kinda hp no problem. look into a victor 5.0 upper and lower efi intake $539 (that price is accurate and one for your 351 would be similar) states it is good for 540hp+. YOu could take a stock maf with larger injectors and mass air meter and larger injectors and you should be able to make it work with some tuning, well a lot of tuning and come in well below $2500. Just a thought, throwing ideas out there not trying to make you do anything just presenting ideas and option you may or may not have thought of. Twin turbo sounds like and interesting project.

 

3eggomelet
check this out everything he has done or is doing applies to what you want, on the first post click on the link

http://nloc.net/forum/showthread.php?threadid=52335

Go to this board and click on forums then first generation there are a couple of 500+ hp trucks on there and they can send you in the right direction

www.nloc.net

 

i hadn't considered using the intake manifold off my old motor (EFI) with some upgrades. good thought. though i will prolly end up with a custom job on the upper intake and throttle body if i decide to go with the twin-turbo idea. turbos are incredibly cheap compared to a supercharger. though the more i look at the whipple charger the more i like it... it'd be a lot less trouble for sure.

 

You know to a degree I still look at things from the I want to be different aspect but the older I get I realize it isn't about being different its about what someone else has and I don't. You can say well everyone has a supercharger, your right, but you don't. Just giving you some of my misguided advice. Later

Did you get a chance to check out the links? If you did, there is some good info in there if you look. Later

 

3eggomelet....haha nice handle!!

ANyhow, to get the kind of power you want would require some good aftermarket items...

Get the Shortblock from Ford racing....and add a stud girdle at the main caps..., then bolt on a set of Canfield cylinder heads (ported and polished)
I like the Edelbrock intake manifold setup, flows well and help make good flat torque curve...if not get the GT40 intake and have the ports extrude honed...in order to support more airflow.
I would start with an FRPP 392 stroker shortblock in order to simplify the engine build....

Then I would order a set of Canfield cylinder heads
www.canfieldheads.com/sbf.html

and order an edelbrock intake setup or order the GT40 setup and get it extrude honed in order to support more airflow....(stock it is good to 400hp)

then I would get the heads flowbenched and I would order a custom grind roller camshaft for the setup....from camresearch, talk to Scott, he is a good tech. do a google seach to find their number....don't have it handy right now.

THen to follow up on the rest of this build up, roller rockers, ARP fastners all overt the engine...and a main cap stud girdle would be ideal.

Also think of upgrading the ignition system with MSD or crane...

MAF upgrae would also e ideal for the EFI as it will support an increase in CID.

I would also go with thermal barrier coated shorty headers, (Like JBAs)
and Bassani Y pipe) then into a flowmaste 40 series and 3 inch pipe all the way through

Also look forward to upgrading the fuel and cooling systems as the increase in displacement and compression will warrant it.

You should also look at the torque converter and see that it matches the cam profile....and look at the valve body/shift kit too....

rear gearing should reflect the cam profile as well...

Given a comp ratio of 9.5:1 I suspect you will be making about 550-600hp at the crank.

 

ok, thanks for all the input guys.

Capone: thanks

here are my current thoughts:
351w 408 stroker short block
Victor Jr. Heads
C6 tranny with performance rebuild
Whipple or Eaton Screw-type supercharger pushing about 10-12 lbs boost
still stuck on EFI
edelbrock carb intake modified for injection

the details are going to be worked out once i buy the short-block. I found a shop that sells shortblock 408 strokers at a very reasonable price ($2300), though i may talk to them about changin the pistons to something with more space between the rings (i have been told this makes a difference for boosted applications).

 

also check out this site. www.fordfuelinjection.com its a great site with lots of info. becarful with the compresion ratio, you get to high and you wont be able to supercharge or turbo it. you might also concider nitros. check out KenneBell superchargers they produce good numbers and will move that truck nicely with your soon to be combo.

later

 

yeah, me and a friend were just talking about compression today. i don't think i can go higher than about 11:1 compression (including boost pressure) if i want to still be able to run off pump gas (92 octane), so i may have to build up the engine for 8:1 or 9:1.
if anyone has a good resource about compression to octane ratings i would much appreciate the info.