445 build ideas/questions

[LuxurySportCoupe]

Hi guys,
I'm looking to build a 445 when springtime rolls around and I'd like your opinions and advice for my combo.
My goal is to be as far north of 500 hp on 93 octane pump fuel as I can get. It will be going in my 64 Galaxie that sees about 2500 street miles per year, and 2 or 3 trips to the track.
The combo that I'm thinking so far consists of:
Stroker kit from Survival with flat tops (4cc valve reliefs)
Survival Heads, with valve job and blend
T&D rockers
Ported Performer RPM intake
MSD pro billet distributor
Roller cam

My question about the heads is, with a 2.20 intake valve, will the relatively small bore shroud the intake valve too much?

I'm open to suggestions about camshafts, both solid or hyd. roller. The cam I've got in mind is a comp solid roller that keeps me at an 8.09 DCR. Is this still a tolerable DCR for pump gas? Also how reliable is a solid roller on the street? (I'm not afraid to set lash a few times a year.) Here is a link to the cam http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=951&sb=2

Thanks for reading, you guys seem to have a ton of knowledge about all things FE, so I'm excited to hear your thoughts.

[JamesonRacing]

If you're backing the engine with a manual trans, I think you will want more cam than the one you suggested.  I have a 465 FE in my street Fairlane, 11:1CR, ported Ed heads, Jesel rockers.  Comp (and Barry R) spec'd a cam for me that is 254/260, 0.695 lift.  Idles decent, good midrange, makes a lot of power.  I'm using a McLeod aluminum flywheel and a Hanlon TKO600.  Otherwise your parts combination seems to be well matched.

Regarding the valve size, I wouldn't be afraid to run it, but I'd do an assembly check just to be certain there is adequate clearance between the valve and cylinder.

[LuxurySportCoupe]

It's going to have a c6 behind it for a few years. I'd love to have a tremec, but it's going to be awhile.

[JamesonRacing]

As you have an automatic trans, I think I'd go with a hydraulic roller, something like this one:

http://store.survivalmotorsports.com/fe-ford-parts-camshaft-comp-cams-custom-hydraulic-roller-303-309-248-254--668--668-112-.html

or a little more torque focus with this one:

http://store.survivalmotorsports.com/fe-ford-parts-camshaft-comp-cams-custom-hydraulic-roller-292-300-242-248--643--637-113-.html

[LuxurySportCoupe]

Thanks for the suggestions! I was also thinking that with the numbers I've been crunching, I was basing it on a stock deck block. This leaves the piston .015 in in the bore, with a .041 head gasket gives me a .056 quench distance. Should I tighten the quench distance up, or is it fine where it's at?

[Barry_R]

The intake valves will clear just fine.  We've built dozens of them using both modified Edelbrock heads and my castings and that size.  In the big car I tend to be a bit more conservative on cams - although the extra cubes certainly help out.

[LuxurySportCoupe]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I'm about to start ordering parts for this thing, and I've got some more questions. The static compression ratio that I'm coming up with for my planned combo is coming out to 10.87:1. Is this too high for pump gas? (91/93 octane). I know that until I cc everything and blueprint the engine, I won't have an exact CR number, but I'm just trying to get a good idea for now. I know that with the right cam I can get the DCR numbers to the "right" levels for pump gas, but it seems like everyone on some of the other engine forums has a different opinion on whether or not DCR is something is be concerned with or not. Any help would be appreciated and for anyone who wants to double check my calculations, I've listed the combo below. Also, JamesonRacing, you said your street Fairlane is at 11:1, just curious as to what fuel you're running.

The tentative parts list:
.030 over 390 block milled for zero deck
Survival stroker kit, 4.25 in crank, 6.7in rods, 1.330 in compression thickness flat top pistons with 6cc valve reliefs
.041 in compressed thickness head gasket 4.400 in bore
Survival heads Nominal 76cc chamber

[jayb]

I've run 13:1 static compression on the street with pump premium fuel, 10% ethanol.  No pinging, no problems.  If the DCR is right, you shouldn't have any trouble at 11:1.  People get all wound up about static compression ratio but just about any static compression ratio will work with pump gas, if you are running the right cam.

[JamesonRacing]

Using straight non-ethanol 91 BP premium fuel in my street Fairlane.  Head change will be done in a few weeks and that will likely bump the CR up a few tenths.  I'll mix in a little unleaded racing gas at the track just to be safe.

[My427stang]

You are at 10.87, certainly should be an issue on pump gas with the right cam.  FWIW I run 10.7:1 in my 489 and can run anything in it.  It usually gets 89 octane, but will get 91 if I am running it hard

Key is the right cam, mixture, and timing curve.

I'd be looking at something near 290 adv at .006 if on a 106 ICL, but really you need to match the cam to end use. 294S comp on 106 with a 4.11 gear would run real strong

[sumfoo1]

I'd personally go bigger on the intake and probably the cam too but i'm the only one with that opinion among the experts so i'd probably pass over it.

As much over 500hp as possible to me sounds like 600hp (i know it could mean 2000 but i'd say as much over 600 as possible past that number and so on)  lol.

[LuxurySportCoupe]

Thanks for the quick reply everyone. So shoot for a dcr in the 7.5-8.5 range? And sumfoo1, I'm leaning towards a victor instead of the performer rpm right now, my car has manual brakes, so vacuum isn't really a big concern for me. 

[jayb]

I'd be looking at a DCR in the 8.0-8.5 range with your combination.