I need a quick answer for a motor

[onefast5.0]

Thanks,I was reading some info yesterday and there was a book that people use as a reference Tom Monroe:Rebuilding a small block ford.
I was hoping that,that particular book would help out alot.I'm sure that it is not easy by any means,but I really want to learn and I feel like this is the only way I will ever learn.I have never built a car before either,but I am going to build one soon enough.I do appreicate all the comments and suggestions though from everyone.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by Dwight

sell the furniture and buy a crate motor. It's a LOT cheaper.

Dwight

+1 on Dwight's suggestion regarding a crate motor. Your car project is going to keep you busy enough. Build another motor down the road.

[jwd]

Building a motor isn't rocket science. I would much rather build my own (I've built many)than to buy a mass produced crate motor which is no better than any other mass produced motor. That way, I not only know it's done right, it can be balanced better than a factory motor.

Jim

[onefast5.0]

Originally Posted by jwd

Building a motor isn't rocket science. I would much rather build my own (I've built many)than to buy a mass produced crate motor which is no better than any other mass produced motor. That way, I not only know it's done right, it can be balanced better than a factory motor.

Jim

Thank you,I know that someone out there would finally agree and say that building a motor is better than buying one.I know I have never built one as I've stated earlier,but still I want too.

[ENTDOC]

nothing wrong with building your own motor, but I do feel you will save yourself problems by getting a good block(roller) and then a good stroker kit with a new crank, cam, pistons ect..

[rustyBob]

5.0.......if you are working on a tight budget ,then build your own motor, you can do all the short block stuff first,then do the heads ,then do the assembly and add all the cool stuff ( chrome and billit) later.As a owner of a FE powered replica i can tell you that a 351w powered car can be a lot of fun to drive and you can get into trouble(speeding,burning rubber)very easily,an FE powered car has the look and sound of the 427s and can be a brute at times the 460 powered cars are for those people with no fear those cars are FAST....I would suggest a healthy 351w and a 5 speed for your first car and work your way up from there. Welcome to the Cobra Family

[Madmiles442]

Originally Posted by ENTDOC

in my experience, you will spend more on the rebuild and replacing old worn out parts than you would on a nice short block or long block. I think a motor like that will likely cause you headaches.

I second that

[Ronbo]

Unless you have one heck of a garage (and know how to do it), the machine shop will be doing 90% of the work on the block.

Hot tank, crack checking, line honing, bore honing, resurface the decks, balancing, ect.

Not to mention ring gapping, oil clearance adjustments, end play...

If the machine shop screws up a "crate" short block, they'll screw up your stuff.

Once you start pricing stuff, you'll find assembly (which you may not do right) is a fraction of the engine's cost. Sorry, but asking the difference between a Merc and a Ford motor tells me you may be better off having a pro handle it. There's lots of stuff to be done wrong or missed that'll cost you down the road.

[onefast5.0]

Hey thanks for all the comments once again.I know that this is my first motor,but I am going to take a stab at it and if I screw it up,then ok well I screwed it up.If I learn something at all,then that is more than I knew going into it.I am pretty mechanically inclined with tools and my job,so I am going to give it a try and see where it takes me.I just want that certain thing of getting behind the wheel,turning it over and saying I built this.

[jwd]

Originally Posted by onefast5.0

Hey thanks for all the comments once again.I know that this is my first motor,but I am going to take a stab at it and if I screw it up,then ok well I screwed it up.If I learn something at all,then that is more than I knew going into it.I am pretty mechanically inclined with tools and my job,so I am going to give it a try and see where it takes me.I just want that certain thing of getting behind the wheel,turning it over and saying I built this.

Good for you. By the way, I see on a different forum that Ford has recalled a bunch of those famous crate motors. Build your own. You can't screw it up any more than Ford did.

Jim