Best way to proceed with improving up 427 Windsor street setup

[Ace23]

Originally Posted by blykins

Forgot about the tire swap.

If anything I'd swap to a .64 OD TKO 600...or just leave it alone until you see how the new cam works.

Yep.....moving to the 15's with the taller aspect ratio changes things. This is where I got sideways as I was thinking wow a 3:31 to a 4:10 that is a huge change.....not so much when you factor in tire sizes and the differences in TKO600 and T-56.

[blykins]

I'd play with the cam first, then if you want to tweak after that, swap cogs and TKO 600's.

Remember, you can realistically expect about 50% or less on a used "hot rod" part. So that $2450 TKO 600 is worth about a grand. You'd have to pony up a bit more for a T-56, then pay for the parts to swap.

[Ace23]

Update 9-16-2016
All the parts have been ordered and should start trickling in over the next few weeks. I went back and forth on alot and finally decided on the below. The valuable lesson in all this was what I thought I wanted ended up not being exactly what I wanted.....I would still buy this same car 5 times over again but now it is time to make it my own. Many of the below items were wear and tear but there is just as much personalization taking place. I think it will be a very tasteful car that should ride better and have a bit more power when done. I could have left the car as is and it probably would have gone for years but it would have driven me insane the way it was setup.

*1 7/8 set of headers needed to being fabricated,
*15" wheels with 325-50-15 rear and 255-60-15 front
*For now going to stay with the TKO600 .82 in the car but going to 3.91 rear gear
*3" ID side pipes
*Edelbrock polished water pump,
*Polished Vic Jr. Intake
*New Comp cam specified by Blykins
*New Cloyes timing chain setup
*Brodix heads being gone through by Craft racing
*While the motor is out going back with all new gaskets and rear main seal
*Replace the kinked speedo cable and match new speedo gear
*New shift boot
*Replacing the blue/red AN fittings found at oil cooler and under hood with polished
*New air cleaner setup
*Quick Time bell housing
*New belts as the current are too large.....I've purposely dropped about 25lb and the previous owner weight on me.

[CraftEngines]

That is not the typical camshaft we use in these engines. Although alot of times our customers like to dictate what goes in their engine whether it is a good choice or not. We also do not use 950cfm or Davinci carbs on our engines. That being said we have had customers go with this camshaft and be very happy with the performance in the lightweight, stick shift Cobra. If a customer prefers a more radical engine, so be it. All we can do is make recommendations, but end the end it is the customer's engine. We have received the heads and we have to question the mileage that has been put on this engine. There was crazy amounts of carbon built up in the heads along with alot more wear than usual on valves and guides. We honestly thought these were off a 50K mile engine or more.

[blykins]

What brand were the valves, Lance?

I had to do some warranty work on some Pond FE heads because the valves/guides were completely worn in about 3000 miles. They had Ferrea hollow stems....same deal, was sucking oil down the valve stems. Valve heads were covered in oil/carbon.

[Ace23]

Originally Posted by CraftEngines

That is not the typical camshaft we use in these engines. Although alot of times our customers like to dictate what goes in their engine whether it is a good choice or not. We also do not use 950cfm or Davinci carbs on our engines. That being said we have had customers go with this camshaft and be very happy with the performance in the lightweight, stick shift Cobra. If a customer prefers a more radical engine, so be it. All we can do is make recommendations, but end the end it is the customer's engine. We have received the heads and we have to question the mileage that has been put on this engine. There was crazy amounts of carbon built up in the heads along with alot more wear than usual on valves and guides. We honestly thought these were off a 50K mile engine or more.

I am out of town so I can't reflect back on the record book for the car but I believe the original build when purchased from you guys had a Holley carb. The previous owner swapped it to a Davinci as the receipt for the carb is in my book.....the Davinci did not run well so Oltoff put a Holley back on it.

I have put 3000 miles on the car since I bought it. Could the following contribute to what you found? The car ran a PCV setup and it consumed a good bit of oil but it never smoked. It was pig rich with the Holley carb that was on it when I had it tuned on the dyno....I believe cylinder pressures were 150 to 160 with majority being closer to 150. We ran a leak down test prior to the tear down last month and saw 7-12% on all but the passenger side front cylinder and we think it was a head gasket that was leaking.

I cannot guarantee there are not more miles that what the car indicates but I do know the car was purchased with an indicated 6k miles in 2009 and was sold to me with 11k in 2015. The remainder of the car does not seem to have wear that would indicate higher mileage than shown.

[blykins]

If the valves were as worn as Lance said, it could have consuming oil that way. The carbon/crud on the heads would have been a testament of that.

A bad PCV valve could have also contributed....

As well as the carb being rich.

[CraftEngines]

These valves had Manley part numbers on them.

[vector1]

I have a 408 that Vizard built, dynoed 600+ hp. When I got it I replaced the sup vic intake with vic jr, the 950hp carb with a 750. It has more cam then what you are going to use. It is a monster.

I also have the ally flywheel, no problems, have the same looking clutch, no problem, also have a single disc organic/metallic, no problem. The springs on the disc help to smooth things out, the other car doesn't have these and I can tell the difference.

My rear gear is 3.55 or so with the .82 od, no problems. I really like the gear spacing of the tko600 and .82 od. Any change in the rear gear to a larger number is going to be useless, skip shifting? You go through the gears so quick.

I also have a vacuum advance on the dizzy, this helps a lot on the sound out the exhaust, burns cleaner also.

Me and another guy were out the other day, halfway into the throttle is about all the concrete available.

[SPF1061]

>>Me and another guy were out the other day, halfway into the throttle is about all the concrete available<<

What tires are you running, Vector1?

[Ace23]

Originally Posted by vector1

I have a 408 that Vizard built, dynoed 600+ hp. When I got it I replaced the sup vic intake with vic jr, the 950hp carb with a 750. It has more cam then what you are going to use. It is a monster.

I also have the ally flywheel, no problems, have the same looking clutch, no problem, also have a single disc organic/metallic, no problem. The springs on the disc help to smooth things out, the other car doesn't have these and I can tell the difference.

My rear gear is 3.55 or so with the .82 od, no problems. I really like the gear spacing of the tko600 and .82 od. Any change in the rear gear to a larger number is going to be useless, skip shifting? You go through the gears so quick.

I also have a vacuum advance on the dizzy, this helps a lot on the sound out the exhaust, burns cleaner also.

Me and another guy were out the other day, halfway into the throttle is about all the concrete available.

Sounds like you have a nice setup. I've driven a 445w that makes a tad over 600HP and TQ using hydraulic roller, victor Jr., 850 carb, single disc clutch billet steel flywheel, 3:46 gears with a .82 Tko600 and avons. It is completely streetable and full throttle could be used.
My car will need more gear than the 3.31...I'm going to a much taller rear tire that when used with a 3.91 will match the older SPF gearing that was 3.73. I'm willing to try it with the existing 3.31 but I don't believe it will be enough gear for me.

Originally Posted by SPF1061

>>Me and another guy were out the other day, halfway into the throttle is about all the concrete available<<

What tires are you running, Vector1?

I'm not sure what tires Vector1 is running but I will be going from Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 to drag radials.

[vector1]

Originally Posted by SPF1061

>>Me and another guy were out the other day, halfway into the throttle is about all the concrete available<<

What tires are you running, Vector1?

315/35/17 goodyear eagles on this car.

[Ace23]

Originally Posted by vector1

315/35/17 goodyear eagles on this car.

If those are the same tires as mine they aren't worth the rubber they are made of when it comes to traction. I'm running the 315/35/17s and with my 3.31 gear and down on power 427 it spins them unless I am in 3rd gear. I would think a stout 302ci could kill these tires.

[Ace23]

I figured an update was due. While the motor was out we went ahead and committed to having it completely freshened up. All the machine work and head freshening was performed by Craft Racing whom originally built the motor in 2004. There is still alot of work to be performed but we are getting there. We are in no hurry to get this completed we are taking our time and want to do it correctly without cutting any corners due to budget ect. I expect we will be back on the road early spring. Big thanks to Pman1961 as in no way would this be happening without him. I also need to thank Lance from Craft Performance and Brent from Lykins Motorsports for their advice, assistance, and parts support.

Engine back together - 427W all back to original spec with the exception of a cam selected by Brent Lykins

T56 Mocked up so the mounting brackets could be fabricated

Engine back in the car temporarily. We will need to remove the engine, headers and sidepipes once again before the final install

[Pman1961]

Thanks for the shout out ACE!! We will be back at it this weekend verifying driveshaft length and see how the shift lever in its current state fits in the tunnel hole. I expect a little mods there as well. What the pics do not show is the cross member has been modified and welded in place. Once tranny is out, we'll prep and paint frame, etc. I'm looking forward to the completed project as these are the improvements I plan on doing myself one day!!