Next came the decision on the engine. I had just upgraded to Captain (I'm an airline pilot), and with the promotion comes a fairly healthy pay increase. I decided to treat myself and go for an honest to goodness 427 Sideoiler. I had previously scored a heavy webbed 390 block (not the 390 GT engine, that's a separate entity). I still have the complete 390GT, as well as the heavy webbed 390 truck block, but it's time to decide on what the Sideoiler will have in it. I talk with Keith Craft, and also with a very experienced very well respected local FE specialist. To make a long story short, I decide to source the parts and design from Keith, and have it built locally. To me it's the best of both worlds - I get Keith's knowledge and access to the latest and greatest technology, and I get my local builder's knowledge, experience and his being right here 10 minutes away if I have any problems.
Here's what I end up with - I buy a standard bore hardly used Ford sideoiler block from the builder, and he also supplies the Scat steel stroker crank, "H" beam roods, and forged custom Diamond pistons. It's be a 482" engine after it's bored .030", with a 10 1/2 to 10 3/4 compression ratio. Keith supplies the Stage 2 Edelbrock heads, the solid roller cam, port matches the Performer RPM manifold to his heads, he supplies a custom curved MSD distributor and Quick Fuel 950 carb. I have Quick Fuel custom build the carb for me without all their normal red "bling" on it - it looks just like a regular Holley. I then buy a pair of brand new Le Mans bowls from Carl's Ford Parts and transfer them over to the Quick Fuel carb, along with the bigger accelerator pumps from the Quick Fuel bowls. I have the builder grind the Edelbrock markings from the Performer RPM intake and also from the Edelbrock aluminum water pump, and he then re bead blasts them, so they look perfect with no markings on them. He also fabs up for me a original looking fuel log.
I have Nick Acton (you'll hear his name VERY often in this blog, he's just incredibly talented) take my Turkey pan and make it removable - the base stays under the carb, just the sides come off. Unlike the one the Kirkham's just introduced (a very nice piece, by the way) this pan looks completely original when on the car. It has a rolled top edge and everything. If you're interested, Nick is starting to produce these. He can either modify yours, or supply one outright. Give him a call. I find a period correct three wire alternator, and bring it to an old Mom and Pop electrical shop here by me. They've been around forever. They restore it to original look, it looks just like new. However, they take the 60 amp guts and upgrade them to 90 amps, while maintaining the exact original look. The charge for this? Less than $100! I also find a reproduction voltage regulator with the Autolite cover on it. It's a mechanical regulator, I carefully drill out the cover rivets, and mount the cover to a modern solid state regulator. I should have all the electrical power I need, with a very original look. I realize that the Contemporary, while somewhat close, will never repicate the original car like some can do with an early Kirkham, or some like Sal can do with a Shelby glass car. I just try to do the little things to make it as nice and original as I can. It'll never be perfect, but it'll be really nice.
Anyway, according to Keith, this engine combo that I have usually dyno's well north of 600HP and torque. That should move this little bugger along quite briskly. Of course, once I commit to spending all this money and it's too late to turn back, the world
oil crisis hits, followed by the economic crisis, and my airline downsizes. That means I get bumped back to co-pilot, and the nice raise goes away. Ouch, that hurts. Oh well, gotta keep going, right?
