Any interest in some "budget" FE's?

[Detroit Bill]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Not if you nudge him to put in a SFT. Even with my old school original grind I bounce off the 6500 RPM rev limiter when I'm not paying attention (about once a year or so).

SFT Solid flat tappet?

There is more to red line than the cam, especially if he is trying to keep the budget down.

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by Detroit Bill

SFT Solid flat tappet?

There is more to red line than the cam, especially if he is trying to keep the budget down.

SFT = Solid Flat Tappet. And yes. There is a lot more that goes into spinning up to 6,500. Especially if you are on a budget. That range, especially on a regular basis puts you in the stratosphere where the gremlins start showing up.

[blykins]

With the Scat rod upgrade, I would have no fear with using a solid flat tappet and shifting at around 6500.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Detroit Bill

SFT Solid flat tappet?

Yes, and he'll beef up the valve train and other parts. The real truth of the matter is that, unless you're racing like Morris, you tweak these big FEs up to six grand or so a few times a year ,mostly to just hear them. They make the most wonderful sound revving up there (and you can hear it by clicking my link below). I had my FE built with an eye for doing just that, and it's just for fun -- I do no serious racing.

[blykins]

Besides running end stands, I would do nothing different. I have a 427 S/O running in a FIA road race Galaxie in London, England, with a 250/254 @ .050", .640" lift solid flat tappet camshaft, using nothing but factory adjustable rockers and end stands. 160/425 lb spring pressures, 6500 rpm.

[patrickt]

Bill, my build is really a pretty simple one. A 428 block, stroked and bored with SCAT internals and the shorter 4.125" crank. Wiseco pistons, old school SFT grind, aluminum flywheel, Ersons, nothing overly dramatic. It's an absolute blast to rev up high and sounds fantastic.

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Bill, my build is really a pretty simple one. A 428 block, stroked and bored with SCAT internals and the shorter 4.125" crank. Wiseco pistons, old school SFT grind, aluminum flywheel, Ersons, nothing overly dramatic. It's an absolute blast to rev up high and sounds fantastic.

But Patrick, was your FE a $10k build?
And Brent, the Galaxie...same question I guess....

[blykins]

No, the 427 was a rules engine, with Oliver rods, a factory 391 crank turned down to BBC rod journal sizes, highly modified LR heads and a 2x4 LR intake, etc.

However, you don't have to have billet internals to hit 6400-6500 rpm. I wouldn't trust the factory rods for an application like that, but with new rods and some rocker studs/end stands, I'd let her have it and not think twice.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Bernica

But Patrick, was your FE a $10k build?
And Brent, the Galaxie...same question I guess....

Well, maybe not.... But my feeble point was that having an FE that will let you rev up past six grand is soooooo much fun, regardless of the horsepower numbers, that incorporating that goal in to your engine building criteria is really worth it. And Brent's $10k 390 build will go there with just, maybe, a small tweak here and there.

[DrivinWest]

As a corporate strategy consultant, my two cents: segmentation & differentiation! (that'll be $500, please )

I like the idea of a correct looking FE, ideally a 428, but with better internals. I know the aluminum heads and intake are way easier and better than the old irons, but the irons look the part. Unfortunately, the OEM cost of the iron and the work that has to go into those parts seems to knock a build out of budget range, huh?

[blykins]

If you want things to be perfect, it does....

Some of that old iron needs a lot of work, plus you're gonna lose a lot of power...

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by DrivinWest

As a corporate strategy consultant, my two cents: segmentation & differentiation! (that'll be $500, please )

I like the idea of a correct looking FE, ideally a 428, but with better internals. I know the aluminum heads and intake are way easier and better than the old irons, but the irons look the part. Unfortunately, the OEM cost of the iron and the work that has to go into those parts seems to knock a build out of budget range, huh?

I have seen guys very proud to have a NOS S/O iron block (rare) and NOS heads only to discover all the work even the NOS parts needed to get things right. They blew past $10k in a heartbeat. And when all was done as Brent said, they didn't get where they wanted with HP. Still, great period correct pieces if the budget and desire is there.

[Detroit Bill]

Can you bead blast and paint an aluminum head to make it look a little closer?

From my build you can tell not a priority to me.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Bernica

I have seen guys very proud to have a NOS S/O iron block (rare) and NOS heads only to discover all the work even the NOS parts needed to get things right. They blew past $10k in a heartbeat. And when all was done as Brent said, they didn't get where they wanted with HP. Still, great period correct pieces if the budget and desire is there.

When I looking at CSX4250 to buy, your car had a CSX alloy block. What happened to that engine?

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

When I looking at CSX4250 to buy, your car had a CSX alloy block. What happened to that engine?

It's still in there. Block #CSX 197.

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by Bernica

It's still in there. Block #CSX 197.

Rotating assembly was done by Mike Lefevres (sp) at Shelby Engine Co. I believe he's on his own now...

[blykins]

I have never painted an aluminum head. I would imagine it would take some epoxy primer or a self-etching primer first. No idea....

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by blykins

I have never painted an aluminum head. I would imagine it would take some epoxy primer or a self-etching primer first. No idea....

No idea either, but you might want to look into the hard core industrial stuff like Imron. I have only used it on industrial stuff in the past and it is quite amazing in those applications.

Imron® + - Armacoat | Armacoat

[car4jim]

I believe due to the fairly high thermal expansion rate of aluminum, it's tough to keep the paint from cracking off. Aluminum expands 2 times as much as cast iron for a given change in temperature. I've had good luck painting iron blocks and head, but no experience painting aluminum. I like my aluminum au-naturel!!

[RACERAL]

Brett, I think it would work... Hit the F 5 forums