How to build the best 8000 rpm Ford small block

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Alan, not that hard to do and not that expensive (cept for the fuel injection part maybe).... I built my own 331 for my 65 Mustang Coupe road racer, I shift anywhere from 6,000 to 6,500 and have a 7000 chip in the MSD box....I hit the chip on a couple of tracks (VIR for one) and have no doubt it would live with an 8,000 rpm chip in it,my cam just want support that high rpms......three years now on track, freshened up the motor after 50+ hours of run time. My engine made 472 hp and 442 torque on the dyno, but it is not a pump gas motor, 12.5 to 1 compression.

I used a very old set of Edlebrock alum heads (3rd hand when I got them), Victor Jr. intake, Demon 650 double pumper, cam is a solid roller, 586 lift (really kinda mild) idles at 800 rpms all day....Just switched to the new BOSS 302 block (don't do it, use a Dart block), Eagle forged 4340 crank,3.25 stroke, Eagle forged 5.4 H-beam rods, Diamond domed pistons.......

Using the same combo with flat top pistons should get you a pump gas (93 octane) motor, should end up around 10 to 1 compression, add a little more camshaft and I'd guess 425+ hp would be real easy...better heads should net you another 25 to 40 hp....

You'll need to be real careful on valve springs/retainers/valves, that's where you need to use the best parts you can afford, and I would not even consider using a factory (stock) block, go with a Dart 4-bolt main block....

Another thing you might want to consider is going with the standard 302 stroke of 3 inches and the big bore 4.125 bock, Dart has them also, for your high rpm application....

My motor makes really good torque down low, so I rarely use 2cd gear on track, 3rd and 4th 95% of the time.....

David