Hello everyone, putting together a street rod I have had for a few years. Trying to see what else I can do to get a little more stoplight pep without turning high RPM on the backroads.

Current combo:


1979 F150 2wd
4200 curb weight
351M (may be a 400 never pulled the pan)
.030 over
D5VE 2v heads, .020 milled
I beleive about 9:1 compression
.509/.509 lift, 280/292 adv duration, 114 lsa
Performer 400 intake (non egr)
Carter mechanical fuel pump
1406 600cfm Edelbrock carb
1" carb spacer
160 thermostat
1 3/4 full length headers
MSD 6AL
Blaster 2 coil
DS2 dizzy
C6 trans
B&M super trans cooler
External transmission filter
B&M ratchet shifter
B&M Street/Strip shift kit
Stock stall converter
9" w/ 3.89 gears
275/60/15 tires (going with E/T streets this year)
Ordering traction bars


I feel it's a super solid combo, just wondering if theres any little things I can do without yanking the motor for now (557 BBF is in the future, bought a 429 last year). Would like a little more pep, nothing wild. Thinking about a little better converter. Thing ran great the way it was.

Thanks

 

I would want to find out more about the motor.

 

I'm pretty sure a 400 bottom end was put in it, that's all I don't know. It's coming out anyway in a year or 2 so I'm not really worried about that. I'm in the process of replacing the top end on it now as I wiped the cam at the end of 2018. Everything else I was told about the motor was correct so I'm betting it was changed.

 

I would spend some time on the valve train geometry. With all the machine work and aftermarket parts, who knows what went wrong ?

 

After confirming what cam was in it, I determined that upgraded valve springs were never installed. That, and the drivers had had really bad valve seals so I let go low on oil one too many times.

I'm currently in the process of replacing the cam and upgrading the valve train a little bit. New seals, guides and springs are going in another set of heads I have.

Is it worth smoothing the casting in the exhaust ports and grinding the thermactor bumps out?

 

Yes, it would be time well spent.

 

The heads have air ports in the bump. And I'm still ok grinding them smooth. The ports are plugged on the ends of the heads.

 

Do you have the can specs at 0.050" lift?

Your thermostat is really cold! I'd opt for at least a 650CFM carb and probably a little bigger cam.

It does sound like a solid combo however. Any idea what your 0-60 or quarter mile time is?

 

A 2300 to 2500 stall converter would help while you have the motor out.

 

I wanted to keep the stat down as it gets hot up here in the summer. It only gets run during summer months on nice days. I don't need the heat.

As far as the carb, I do feel as if a 600 is a hair too small. It runs good overall, but suffers on the top end.

The cam is spec'd at 218/228 @ .050". The cam is advertised as a 114 lsa but 109/119 intake/exhaust centerline; 58 degrees overlap. When cold and no choke idles ROUGH, but still pulls good vacuum. When warmed up it smooths out but you can definitely tell there is a cam in it. I fear going anymore lift will having issues with pedestal rockers pulling out on stock heads. I don't want to bother converting to studs.

I'm not sure what the 1/4 mile time is, I was never able to get it to hook. Last time I ran it, I ran it with 235/75 all season tires with 35 psi, 2nd gear launch and very easy out of the gate, botched the 2/3 shift and ran a 9.25 @ 89? (Might have been 79, that sounds more realistic) in the 1/8th mile. I would say it is a solid 300 horsepower. The mid range is astoundingly strong.

0-60 I would say probably around 5.5-6 seconds. I've startled people not used to it. The truck has no problem wrapping the speedo at 120+ mph and I've dusted plenty of 5.3 Chevy's and 5.7 Rams. I would be nervous going up against a new 5.0L Ford.

The cam does call for a 2000 stall converter minimum. Mine is stock and seems to load up wide open. I need to put a vacuum gauge on for sure, the cam should pull enough WOT to shift but I do believe it's the converter (I have to back out slightly). The motor is still in the truck; I'd have to either pull the block or drop the trans.

 

Slashfan,

An internal combustion engine actually should operate at 185 to 200 degrees or so. This prevents condensation, sludge build-up, etc. Running too cold isn't good.

Absolutely you can gain something by removing the air injection bump in the exhaust. I gained 15 CFM average with a little exhaust clean-up.

I think a larger carburetor would help. You actually can check stroke without removing a head. Remove a spark plug then with the piston at BDC, put a bamboo skewer or something similar in the spark plug hole. Keep it as vertical as possible and mark it, then bring the piston to TDC and Mark it again. No it's not perfect because you are getting the measurement at an angle, but it's enough to tell the difference between a 3.5" and 4" stroke.

A higher stall converter would certainly help, but probably not as much as the traction bars! A six second 0-60 in a truck like that is probably at least 300 wheel horsepower. You've got a nice engine there for sure. TMeyer has run over 0.600" lift with pedestal roller rocker arms. In fact he would be an excellent resource for more power, including some custom cam grinds that work very well in these engines.

 

I have a flex fan that absolutely needs to go (they are power robbers), so I feel like I will gain something there. They say they are worth something like 40 horsepower. I need to check again, I'm pretty sure its got a 160 stat but it was running 210 all summer long and I did not want it that high; but that may be just the craptastic Mr. Gasket radiator cap I have.

I did end up pulling and rebuilding the heads and left the bumps (I had bad valve seals, a crushed valve tip and worn guides), but I did smooth out the casting flash in the exhaust ports and bowls. Might not be worth much, but I hope its worth something. I was afraid of removing the bumps since they have holes, I've never done it before. I'd rather not /hurt/ flow by taking too much.

The heads are currently off and it is determined that it is a .030 over 351M. But that would explain it's willingness to quick rev. So the compression is lower than I'd like with 76cc chambers. I will look into a 650cfm carb. As far as traction goes it will definitely wheel hop going around corners and as soon as I get sticky tires on it and it's going to get violent trying to hook. Right now it just blows the tires off like they aren't there. I haven't talked to Tim (I know who he is) but talking to him always turns into building a 400 lol.

 

These are old videos. The valve seals were gone, hence the smoke. I've fixed that.

 

Slashfan,

Oddly enough your radiator will be more efficient with higher coolant temperatures coming in. The greater temperature differential, the better heat transfer - law of thermal-dynamics. It would be worth trying a 185 or 190 degree thermostat.

Fans are always power robbers. LOL!

Thanks for posting the videos - those are always fun! I love the sound of a healthy V8!

 

Nice sounding truck, what you think it weigh's?