What year did the 460 produce the best horsepower? Im look to find a pre 72 motor and i was curious to see what i should be looking for

 

Most of the early ones were 365 horsepower, but they changed the rating system from flywheel and no accessories to all accessories and drive train, other wise at the rear wheel, real horsepower available to use. The one true comparision I have figures on is a 1969 428CJ rated at 335hp @ 5200, but made a max horsepower at 6000 of around 425 (anyway that's where the auto trans ones shifted by themselves in drive). This gave about 325 to 350 hp at the rear wheels depending on tranny option.

 

I have to add one thing here. This question has come up time and time again, and it's really irrevelant, unless your gonna run whatever engine you get bone stock with all the factory installed items such as smog equipment etc then what year was rated higher makes no difference. If your asking what ones to stay away from then with the 385 series engine only one comes to mind and that is the 72 passenger car engines with the D2VE heads. ALL the rest are basically capabable of about the same HP. When you start changine cams, intakes, valves, and timing chains and then removing smog equipment it changes everything anyway so factory ratings are irrelevent
As bear pointed out the pre 72s used a different rating system so they always look SSOOOO much better. It looks like in 72 that everyone lost around 100+hp on the engines but that is a false presumption truth is they actually might have lost around 10-20hp with the smog equipment.
Differences are things like the retarded timing chain used on smog motors, well when most people are going to rebuild them they are changing timing chains anyway so run the early straight up timing chain. Next the later blocks were .022 higher deck hieght to reduce compression, simple fix is mill the block which you probably should do anyway to make sure the deck is straight, and for that purpose I like the later blocks because you have that .022" to play with to get the block straightened up before you start reducing the actual block deck hieght figures and I have seen some blocks that were even farther than that amount out of true. Next some of the cams were different, well not many people that I know of want to run the original 100,000+mile worn out cam anyway so don't see much of an advantage buying an engine for something your gonna throw away. Last thing to mention is the heads, well the truth is the early DOVE style heads, and the later D3VE heads flow very close to the same numbers and even closer after porting so thats an irrevelancy, next is the combustion chamber size, ok the DOVE style had a nominal 75cc chamber VS the D3VE having a 95cc chamber but if you look most of the stocker pistons are around 22cc dish some as big as 39cc and on the DOVE heads to keep compression ratio's down to a level that will be compatable with todays pump gas you are going to have to stay with a dish pistons, but if you have the later heads you can just buy flattops and have approx the same compression ratio.
So basically it doesn't matter what year you engine you buy for a starting point, the factory hp is not an issue, it's all in what parts you buy for replacements that makes all the difference in teh world, So don't waste your time and money to pick one up for a specific year, heck I have had mid 70s 460s given to me, but you can almost never find a pre 72 for under $200 minimum if a total basket case and I would rather spend the extra couple hundred on replacement parts

 

I agree with monsterbaby 100%.

 

thanks for the reply.... i think i know what to look for... whats the best style head in your opinion and a good cam for horsepower and torque

 

The reason i ask is because i have a 1977 460 thats been bored .060 over and the lifters rattle when it runs now... I just wanted to know what the best motor would be to start over with

 

Start with a D1VE-A2A block. In fact you already own one and the +60 business is not a bfd unless you need an overbore. These blocks are available for about 100.00 bucks. Just be sure it isn't cracked before you spent a lot of time and money on it. Don't ask!!!

 

I will be buying a complete 77 motor ,minus carb, for 350 dollars tomorrow....came out of a big lincoln... we'll see where this gets me

 

Pull the flexplate and block spacer. Take a flashlight and carefully examing the smooth pad on the back of the block looking for a crack. You would be surprised how many of these blocks are cracked in this area.

 

so can the crack be fixed or is the block junk now? Haven't checked but will look tonight

 

No! If it is cracked it is junk. This is a quick check I always make on Fords. Experience is a tough teacher.

 

so is this behind the flywheel?

 

Yes, pull the flywheel or flex plate, and the spacer plate. This will expose the back of the block. The rectangular area about 4 inches by 6 inches is most vulnerable and is usually the first place that cracks. If the block passes this visual inspection take it to the machine shop for further testing. Do this work before you spend any money on machine work.

 

I agree with having a block magged for cracks but I got to say William I have either owned or built for others in the neighbor hood of 40 or 50 385 series engines and have never seen the crack your talking about, not even once, and when I was in my early twenties I worked in a wrecking yard my job was to scrape out core engines and never seen one when doing that either, over all I have probably looked at better than a thousand of these blocks, guess I have just been lucky.

 

I'd agree that you have indeed been lucky. I've had two 460 in the last two months that were cracked and a small block last year. Maybe because people do not expect it to freeze in Ga? Anyway this is a free inspection that can save you big problems later.