Building a 428 - need help!

[COACH MIKE]

Gentlemen:
I have acquired a 1966-67 428 police interceptor engine block, crank and I beam rods. It will go into a cobra. My goal is to have 550 streetable horsepower at the flywheel. This is an old solid lifter engine. I would like to run a hydrolic roller cam. I need suggestions with all the various aspects of the build. my budget is approximately $8000.
Your suggestions are much appreciated.

[blykins]

Horsepower is largely based on your top end.....

I'd grab a good set of CNC ported Edelbrock heads from Keith Craft and use a good roller cam to match it.

I'd also ditch the I-beam rods and go with some new H-beam rods for strength.

You can also gain some power and torque from some extra cubes. You can grab a 4.125 or 4.25 stroker crank from Scat.

I'm hitting right at $8500 right now in my own build.

I've accumulated most of the parts:

391 truck block with webbed mains
Scat 3.98 crank
Scat H-beam rods
Keith Craft Stage 1 Edelbrock heads
Comp custom grind solid roller cam
Crane roller rocker setup
10.5:1 compression ratio
Victor FE intake manifold
Canton road race pan w/ windage tray
Fidanza aluminum flywheel
Fluidampr harmonic balancer
Edelbrock water pump
MSD Pro-billet dizzy
Pro-Gram billet cross-bolted main caps
Demon Race Demon 750 carb
ARP Studs and fasteners
Clevite bearings
Felpro gaskets
Melling HV pump, ARP oil pump drive
Stock front cover and pulleys

I think I'm gonna come in right around $9k on this build. I've found some really good deals on Ebay since I'm not in a hurry.

Desktop Dyno is showing 559 hp with this setup.

[byron w]

Coach Mike,
Brent is right on target. Keith Craft is The man to talk to. You won't find anyone better to do business with. At least that is the way I have found him and hai business to be. He is 5-star.
Byron W.

[FFR428]

Mike you mention the block is a "old solid lifter engine". Are the lifter oil galleys drilled and plugged or has the block never had the oil galleys drilled? The rear cam plug boss will tell the story. If the cam plug has two plugs or screws to the upper left and right of the rear cam plug it's been drilled for hyd lifters and most likely plugged inside the lifter valley. If there are no plugs to the upper left and right it's a true solid lifter block. In that case a hyd roller lifters could be a problem. There was a very good recent disscussion on the FordFE.com site about the pros and cons soild rollers in a soild lifter block. Pg 4 over there.

BTW are you building another Hurricane?

G.

[COACH MIKE]

Thanks for the suggestions. I know Keith Craft personally and will tap into his knowledge. The engine block is on its way to me. I do not think it has had anything done to it since it was taken out of the original car in the mid 70's. The engine has been sitting all these years. And Yes, I am building another Hurricane as soon as I sell the present, just completed, one.

[Keithc8]

Coach Mike,
Get the block and check it out and see if it drilled for the hydraulic oiling which I am sure it is. You can do a 4.250 stroker Scat cast steel crankshaft and Scat I-beam rods with some Diamond pistons just about as cheap as you can mess with the old stuff. Put the crankshaft if is good on E-bay and it will bring 300.00 to 400.00 if it has not been turned a lot. Do a hydraulic roller camshaft with Erson roller rockers and Smith Brothers pushrods. Use our Edelbrock stgae 2 CNC heads with 2.15 intake and 1.72 exhaust valves if you bore the block .030 over for best results. I would use a Edelbrock Performer RPM intake with a Holley 750HP vacume secondary carburetor. I can give you a good package deal on all of this stuff and I know you will make the 550HP. I have just the combination you need and no hassles, just results. Give me a call if I can help. Thanks, Keith

[COACH MIKE]

Keith:
We are playing ball in your back yard over our spring break (middle of March). I will call you and see if you have a few minutes to spare. We really enjoyed the visit last spring at your shop. Glad to see your nephew, Sean, got the job in Mobile.
Coach Mike