Ford Racing 427

[kurts1967]

Hello, I'm looking for somebody that might have this combination or something close. I am very interested in purchasing the Ford racing 427 with 535 hp. I already own a Tremmic five speed and have 350 gears that I do not want to change. The representative at Ford racing said to me that that motor is not happy cruising down the highway at less than 22 to 2500 rpm's. To me that is high. With all my gears and tires etc. I should be about 2100 RPMs doing 75 miles an hour. I guess that is fine. My question is anybody set up like this and how do you like the drivability? Do you need to be racing the engine RPMs down the highway to keep it happy? I don't mind loud and obnoxious I just don't want to be revving down the highway
Thanks
KM

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by kurts1967

I already own a Tremmic five speed and have 350 gears that I do not want to change. The representative at Ford racing said to me that that motor is not happy cruising down the highway at less than 22 to 2500 rpm's. To me that is high. With all my gears and tires etc. I should be about 2100 RPMs doing 75 miles an hour.

It looks like you're looking for justification to fit a square peg (engine power band) into a round hole (your desired RPM for "happy cruising").

You may be better served and your time better spent by contacting a qualified engine builder and have an open discussion about your goals, your parameters and what a solution might look like.

Brent Lykins (CC member blykins) is an engine builder who participates regularly on these forums and, based upon his previous contributions, is probably someone who could help you out.

Another option is Craft Performance Engines, a CC sponsor.

[dallas_]

Kurt,
I have that motor and transmission combination and am very happy with it.

With mine, the motor isn't very happy lugging along at 1,700 rpm's or below, but seems quite happy over that.

I don't like highway cruising at high rpm's either. I have the .64 overdrive so can cruise at 75 just over 2,000 rpm's.

[Dwight]

I put thousands of road miles on a Keith Craft 408 with 531 fwhp and 539 tq.
3.55 gears .64 overdrive 3550 and 26" tires.

cruise all day at 2,000 and would go as low as 1,300 in 5th. We would laugh at how low it would cruise and not go into the "trailer hitch jerks".

If the motor has the correct cam and it is tuned correctly you should not have a problem cruising at 2,000 or a little less.

Dwight

[kurts1967]

I appreciate all the advice gentleman. Please keep it coming

[talos]

I second contacting Brent Lykins. I have an Everett Morrison with 427 side oiler that was in moth balls for over 20 years and resurrected it, with his assistance. He is definitely the one to reach out to. Which ever way you want it, he has the knowledge, and will assist you to the end.

[vatdevil]

Craft built 427 Dart block with AFR 195 Renegade heads, Air Gap RPM port matched, mechanical roller (236/242 @ 0.50), 600ft/lb 565 Hp, cruises well at 1500 rpm.

[Cashburn]

Just throwing another hat in the ring. Our engines are built to our specifications by Speed Logics. You can see plenty of evidence of how well they run and perform on our YouTube videos. Here is the link to Speed Logics: Speed Logics LLC

[Chilibit]

After ten years with my motor and 50 thousand miles I wonder why so many fret over RPMs. I am not specifically referring to the OP. It's epidemic. It can't be fuel savings I hope. Are we afraid they are going to wear out? Most motors seem to have a subjective sweet spot and, for my ears (which are rather poor), it is usually not down in the middle teens. Venturi effects, oil splash, and many other things seem to argue for some standard other than slower is better. Once more I am not finding fault with the OP---I just don't understand this anxiety about RPMs.

[Jus Cruisin]

I'll second Chilibit's comment. Although I'm a wannabee Cobra owner. I own or have owned plenty of cars that "cruise" at 3,000+/- rpm. I've never had issues and man do the engines sound good tooling down the highway at those rpm's. I currently have a 32 Ford Highboy that that'll hang with your average Cobra small block up to about 80-90 mph and I love the sound of it on the interstate turning 3,200rpm at 75 mph.

[dallas_]

For me and I assume for most of us, it's just personal preference.

[Luce]

Late here to comment, but I have the same engine with 3.55 gear and T56, so same .63 or.64 6th as your OD.

Mine is perfectly happy (smooth) all the way down to 1600 RPM, but I don't like the lack of acceleration in that RPM range. I perfer to keep it above 1900. But for purring down the highway with less drone, it is very nice.

If i was to go with a 5 speed, I would choose the next lower rear (numerically higher, 3.27 is it?) and the .84 OD. The 5 speeds with the .64 OD feel like they're missing a gear, and the 427 in a Cobra makes 1st gear like a granny gear in a dump truck. Unless you plan on doing a lot of parades, it's worthless.

[Dwight]

with my setup I could shift out of 1st at 4,000 (if I was in a hurry) 40 mph.

I shifted out of 4th at about 130.

5th is a cruising gear.

If you can't get it done on the "street" with four gears, then you need to change something

I never had trouble increase my speed from below 2,000 rpms to whatever in 5th. You can not floor the gas in 5th at less than 2,000 and accelerate very quickly. To much gas, to fast, kills acceleration.
Down shift and go for it.

[PANAVIA]

OR you could get the ford racing engine and index the cam +2' to +4' advance and that would pull your usable RPMs down to about 1500 RPM.

You would lose a tick of top end - but it would be a quick revving engine -