500” Iron High Riser 742 hp/ 674+ tq

[CaptCobrajet]

This was a neat project with some constraints so I thought I would share it.  This engine is going in a real ‘63 Lightweight Galaxie.  The owner wanted to use the C3AE-K early High Riser head to be “period correct”.   Lance Hargis sniffed out a pair of NOS “K” heads.  The K heads are not as good as the F.  The 1970 dated High Riser castings are the best Ford castings, but we needed to use the late ‘63 castings for this.  I hand ported the exhaust side.  For the intakes, I used the prototype port that I made for the Pond High Riser aluminum heads.  I prepped and filled the floors with epoxy, and put some intake seats in with a smaller throat.  The OE throat cut on the K head was too big to support a nice valve job.  The customer had a damaged K head, so we spent some time positioning the cnc program in the K head properly.  Once satisfied with location, we ran the program on the filled NOS heads.  It came out great.  Huge low lift numbers, 325 at .500, and almost 340 at .540.  It went 350 at .600 but we didn’t go there as explained below.

We did not want to cut the ultra rare heads for paired shaft T&D, so I modified the single shaft bolt-on T&D, and limited the lift to a .540 solid roller to keep spring pressures safe, only using the OE mounting.  The block is a ‘63 Top Oiler, 4.278 bore.  The customer had a 4.375 Crower billet crank.  I used one of the last sets of US-made Crower Sportsman 6.700 rods that were made before they stopped doing them.  CP pistons, Total Seal rings.  14:1 static CR.  Repop CV/CU carbs from Carl’s that I went through and prepped like we do for Stock Eliminator.  High Riser “F” 2x4 manifold.  This engine looks externally like a High Riser from the day.

I thought it was neat to see power like this with a bunch of 60+ year old stuff and only a .540 lift camshaft.  There is nothing in this engine that was made in China. 

[475fetoploader]

It’s very neat indeed.  I’m curious what rpm power started to fall off. A real lightweight Galaxy, will this get to make a couple passes?

[bluef100fe]

Awesome to see what’s possible with the old iron… curious how the results would differ with a single plane single 4 intake and a set of F heads. A project I always wanted to build for myself.

[MeanGene]

That's pretty stout with that little cam- very nice!

[CaptCobrajet]

Brady, it made peak power from 6400-6600 but was pretty broad over the top.  When we were looking for peak, I ran it past 7000 and it wasn’t falling off much.  I think a person would want to shift it at 7300.

Cody, same result head-wise using an F head, because the port would be the same with the floor filled and the program run through it.  The single plane 1x4 intake would be interesting if only there was one.  Dove made a few but they need a half gallon of Z-spar in the floor of the plenum and they are hard to find.

From what I understand, they plan to run the car some.  It has good brakes and Cal Tracs, etc.

Gene, we did a 511 several years ago with a .700 lift cam, Pond heads with some more work, and still the F manifold with two 850-ish carbs that made 796 hp and over 700 tq.  We had the paired shaft T&D on that one.  It surprises me how well that High Riser 2x4 intake will support pretty big power.

[Stangman]

Dumb nice work. I know you put a lot of work into the heads but 740 HP with that little cam is amazing. Pretty big bore on that stock block were they getting thin in some places.

[MeanGene]

Velocity and a well-matched combination is a wonderful thing!

[e philpott]

That's a sweet running piece of factory iron !!

[MeanGene]

Starting to get that itch to do something with my PIE heads 

[fryedaddy]

 im waiting on my irs refund so i can go see mr blair!  im taking my heads and intake to him and also see what all he might sell me while im there. that fe-irs money is burning a hole in my pocket and i aint even got it yet!

[e philpott]

Didn't Dove make some 2x4 Tunnel wedge HR style Intakes ? That'd be sweet if Pond could knock a few of those out

[428kidd]

Yes dove made some TW style intakes for there PIE heads. Very hard intake to find today. Usually missing from the heads.

[MRHP]

It’s very neat indeed.  I’m curious what rpm power started to fall off. A real lightweight Galaxy, will this get to make a couple passes?

Might get a couple hits on it this season God willing and the creek don't rise...lol

[MRHP]

Current status

[Stangman]

Very nice

[66QBIRD]

Beautiful looking race car. Two thumbs up.

[MRHP]

Thanks. I've been very cautious not to cut on the car anywhere. I have all the original parts.

The only modification done was to trim and strengthen up the front leaf spring mount and put good brakes on it.

I'm thinking it might get into the high 13's, which is good because it doesn't have a cage or seatbelts...

[MRHP]

The fiberglass is all original, even the hood. It was supposedly raced as a high riser back in its early career. No frame off, it's a time capsule, even has the old thin cardboard sun visors.

[66QBIRD]

Why would you think it would be only in the 13's with 700+ horsepower?

[427mach1]

Why would you think it would be only in the 13's with 700+ horsepower?

Agreed, but I think he is joking!  If set up properly, that combination should run high 10's at a little over 120 mph, assuming a weight of 4000 lbs with driver.

[475fetoploader]

My experience with that type of situation is 2 warnings before they tell you to leave.  That was no cage in the 11s.  That galaxie goes deep into the tens driving to save parts.