Couple questions for KC (or anyone that knows)

[blykins]

Keith,

Got a couple questions floating around in my head...

1. Are there pistons readily available for the FE in 4.060" size? Different CR's....Different compression heights?

2. The Scat 4.125" stroker crank for the FE.....is it only compatible with BBC rod sizes.....or can you get it to fit standard FE rods?

3. Out of the box, do Edelbrock aluminum FE heads flow as good as some cast iron pieces....better....worse? Say comparing them to a C8AE-H (for example) head with 2.08's and 1.65's and some minor port work done?

Thanks for any advice.....trying to get some info for a future build I have planned.

[Excaliber]

You know I been trying to get an answer to a similar question myself.

How DO the high riser iron heads compare to a set of modern alloy heads? Medium risers compare?

[blykins]

And how much compression can you get out of iron heads on 93 octane pump gas? 10:1 ?

[Excaliber]

I was running 12.5 to 1 myself, and had to mix gas, buy race gas, etc. Pain in the butt. You can get any piston you want if you custom order it, like I did. I had the compression height of the piston spec'd so it had zero deck height with the block. I also had the pistons dished by 17 cc to bring my final C.R. to 9.8 Anything more than 9.8 would be pushing it for pump gas on iron heads, some say 9.5. Make sure you final cam specs result in the correct dynamic compression ratio if you order custom pistons.

[blykins]

ttt

[blykins]

One mo' time....

[Keithc8]

We can get [istons made for any application we need them made for. We have done some of the 390 blocks with .030 and .060 bore with the Scat 4.125 and Scat 4.250 stroke cranks. The cranks are only available with the 2.200 BBC rod journals which is the best way to go. You get a better bearing design and can use a longer rod.
The Edelbrock and Shelby heads are better than the stock type type heads such as the ones you listed. The stock 427MR heads can be made to work real well and are a little better than the Edelbrocks out of the box, this is why we port them. The High Riser head is a real good head and can be made a lot better with work like fillling the floor on the intake and porting. We have done some HR stock heads that we have ported and filled the exhaust and intake floors and got 380 intake and 260 exhaust. The problem is it cost a lot of money and people just go to the aftermarket heads unless the rules do not allow such as in NHRA Super Stock.
I feel in most cases to be on the save side I do not go over about 9.5 to 1 with cast iron heads and about 10.5 to 1 with aluminum heads. Hope this helps a little, Keith Craft

[blykins]

It helps a lot....thanks Keith.

Do the smaller bore FE's seem like they run out of steam early with a longer stroke such as a 4.125 or 4.25? I have a project in mind, but was wanting to build something a little higher revving than what I have.....

I have a 4.060" 351W with a 4.100" stroke crank....it made all of its power at 5400....but with a fairly mild cam. I was wanting to get the powerband a little higher with the next project....

On a side note: Do you remember someone that raced Super Stock class back in the late 70's, early 80's by the name of Corky Jordan? I think he raced a Fairlane with a 406....He used to work for me back in Ashland.....He mentioned your name all the time....pretty sure you did his head work for him and build his engines for him..