It's too damn hot to work on my car right now. Its been 100 plus almost every afternoon and my garage doors/windows get full sun from 1pm to sunset raising the temp inside to 125+. Even after living here for 2 years I can't handle working on my car when its 125.
So, I've been spending too much time reading my old mustang mags. In the October 2009 issue of Mustangs and Fast Fords there were 2 feature articles about sbf builds that got me thinkin..........
Build # 1
"Stock Block Stroke Swap"
331" stroker assembly from Competition Products
190cc Trick Flow Fast as Cast heads
Trick Flow Stage 2 Cam
Trick Flow R EFI intake
70mm TB, 30lb inj, C&L meter
Tuned by Tony Gonyon the engine made 396 hp at 5,800 rpms and 377 tq at 5,200 rpms. They swapped to a carb and made 401 hp at 6,100 and 391 tq at 4,700 rpms
These numbers seem a little low to me.......for the money invested. I would have to guess it would cost me $5,000 to build this combo even if I already had the block and assembled it myself.
Guesstimate:
Heads $1,350
Rockers 280
Prods 80
head studs 100
gaskets 100
Stroker kit $850-1,000
28 oz Balancer and FWheel $400
Machine block $500?
Intake $600
Injectors and maf $500
Total $4910 and I am sure I left out a ton of little things like timing set, oil pump etc....
Build #2
"Down Low 5.0"
Junk yard 5.0 HO out of a late 80's early 90's T-bird
Pro Comp Heads from fleabay
Trick Flow Track Max 1 cam
Parker Funnel Web intake
Used Holley 750 DP
and a bunch of cheap chinese supporting parts
They reported that this hodge podge of junkyard short block and chinese knock off parts made big numbers.
399 hp at 6,000 rpms and 363 tq at 5,200 rpms
Total report cost: $1,064
I am sure the new build 331 would last a long time and be much more reliable but can these numbers be true? Can you really make 400 hp with a junkyard shortblock, a trick flow cam and Pro Comp heads? I know there has been a ton of threads about these heads and even some pics of failures but has anyone tried to re create Project "Down Low 5.0"?
Here is why I asked. The other day I picked up a new set of assembled Pro Comp heads, new Trick Flow 1.6 RR and Comp Pushrods for $450 total. My plan was to sell the heads on fleabay for $450 and keep the RR and pushrods for a future build. Then I noticed a poor old 5.0 roller short block sitting in the corner of my garage. Retired from my 92 vert after 137k miles it still has a Trick Flow stage 1 cam in it.
It got me thinking....Maybe I could put an engine together with some other crap parts I've got lying around. Stuff too valuable to throw away but not good enough to sell to your friends. Like my Typhoon EFI intake I got on trade. I think I have enough crap to put it together and have less than $600 in it.
Or maybe the heat has gotten to me. What do you think? Is it a worthy project?
So, I've been spending too much time reading my old mustang mags. In the October 2009 issue of Mustangs and Fast Fords there were 2 feature articles about sbf builds that got me thinkin..........
Build # 1
"Stock Block Stroke Swap"
331" stroker assembly from Competition Products
190cc Trick Flow Fast as Cast heads
Trick Flow Stage 2 Cam
Trick Flow R EFI intake
70mm TB, 30lb inj, C&L meter
Tuned by Tony Gonyon the engine made 396 hp at 5,800 rpms and 377 tq at 5,200 rpms. They swapped to a carb and made 401 hp at 6,100 and 391 tq at 4,700 rpms
These numbers seem a little low to me.......for the money invested. I would have to guess it would cost me $5,000 to build this combo even if I already had the block and assembled it myself.
Guesstimate:
Heads $1,350
Rockers 280
Prods 80
head studs 100
gaskets 100
Stroker kit $850-1,000
28 oz Balancer and FWheel $400
Machine block $500?
Intake $600
Injectors and maf $500
Total $4910 and I am sure I left out a ton of little things like timing set, oil pump etc....
Build #2
"Down Low 5.0"
Junk yard 5.0 HO out of a late 80's early 90's T-bird
Pro Comp Heads from fleabay
Trick Flow Track Max 1 cam
Parker Funnel Web intake
Used Holley 750 DP
and a bunch of cheap chinese supporting parts
They reported that this hodge podge of junkyard short block and chinese knock off parts made big numbers.
399 hp at 6,000 rpms and 363 tq at 5,200 rpms
Total report cost: $1,064
I am sure the new build 331 would last a long time and be much more reliable but can these numbers be true? Can you really make 400 hp with a junkyard shortblock, a trick flow cam and Pro Comp heads? I know there has been a ton of threads about these heads and even some pics of failures but has anyone tried to re create Project "Down Low 5.0"?
Here is why I asked. The other day I picked up a new set of assembled Pro Comp heads, new Trick Flow 1.6 RR and Comp Pushrods for $450 total. My plan was to sell the heads on fleabay for $450 and keep the RR and pushrods for a future build. Then I noticed a poor old 5.0 roller short block sitting in the corner of my garage. Retired from my 92 vert after 137k miles it still has a Trick Flow stage 1 cam in it.
It got me thinking....Maybe I could put an engine together with some other crap parts I've got lying around. Stuff too valuable to throw away but not good enough to sell to your friends. Like my Typhoon EFI intake I got on trade. I think I have enough crap to put it together and have less than $600 in it.
Or maybe the heat has gotten to me. What do you think? Is it a worthy project?