[blykins]

Originally Posted by Dimis

Thanks to all who have PMed and responded.
It was greatly appreciated.

FWIW:
After some deliberation and research, I've ended up opting for solid rollers.
Why? Here's my logic:

1. The "professionals" prefer them for their builds.
a) KC used them for his personal Kirkham
Finish my engine for Kirkham
b) Barry uses them in his grocery shopping Torino (as per earlier in this thread Post #55 & #60).
c) last but not least - Brent mentioned he prefers them for his builds, and particularly recommends them for non daily drivers.

2. It suits my combination of parts better.
Accordong to Jay Browns book the TW was still pulling when most others had maxed out.
The Hydraulic rollers will quit just as the tunnel wedge would wake up.
To paraphrase Blair Patrick from Fordfe - "it's all about the combo combo combo."

3. Power and RELIABILITY will still be there!
The only thing that's changed is the cost.
...and while it will cost a little more, it is a better principle to over engineer this, than to skimp or compromise and risk valves kissing pistons. In the big scheme of things though the cost is not excessively more, and IMHO worth doing.

4. Despite peak numbers being higher drive-ability should remain the same
...particularly in the "range" that I mostly intend to use it.
I conclude this by attributing the extra HP to the extra Rpm.
Driving below 4k the engine should more or less drive much the same.
There just won't 50hp difference at 1/4 throttle, particularly if the car is cammed relatively the same.
The cubic inches doesn't just increase the max power numbers, if I understand it right, that's just a bi-product of allowing the engine to behave more respectably at low rpm with the same sized cam.


Now if there are flaws in my logic... Meh...
You live and learn, and so far this is what I've learned.

Thx again.

Drive-ability will change a little. When you move the power band up, you take away from the bottom end and incidentally it will make idle and off-idle performance a little "soggier". If it were a 4000 lb Galaxie with a 3.00 rearend, it would be one thing, but a 2400 lb Cobra is another. You also have cubic inches in your favor. The cubes help "dumb down" a single plane intake and will generate a broader curve in and of itself...in comparison to a smaller displacement engine.

If you would compare a dyno sheet between the engine that you originally spec'd and the way we're going now, you'll see the curves move toward the right, which makes less horsepower available towards the left. Again, not that it matters....when there's an ample amount available everywhere.

All-in-all, this is what I call "riding the fence". There are tow truck engines, then there are race engines (high compression, higher rpms, etc.) and then there are engines that ride the fence. It can get very tedious as you focus on the intimate details, and since every guy has his preference on behavior, an engine builder has to "feel them out" and see exactly which way to go. It's tricky sometimes.