Help with Ford Performance Crate 427

[GASKETBOY]

So, through a nice twist of fate I'm getting a 427 crate engine: M-6007-Z2427FFT for my Superformance.

Before you all go off on how I should get an xxx engine built by XYZ, I'm getting this for free. Favor returned kind of thing.

With that in mind, I have decisions to make on preparation and parts selection to best match the car and my driving (semi-spirited street 99%) . The engine comes without intake, flywheel, clutch, carburetor, and ignition.

Its going into an early Superformance that currently has a 351W and Tremec 5 speed.

So my questions:


1. Pre-install prep - anything I should be checking or verifying or just flat out replacing? I know its new but I've been reading up on it...

2. Intake will most likely be a new Edelbrock Air Gap - not sure I'll see enough rpms on a regular enough basis for a Vic Jr. Current engine has the regular RPM intake which can be re-purposed just not sure what I would leave on the table for hp / torque.

3. Carburetor: Been in contact with John at AED regarding carb - he gave his recommendation for a 750cfm custom built Super Mod on top of the air gap. The carb currently on the car is a Holley 750DP. Does fine with the engine in there.

4. Flywheel. Ford recommends a neutral balanced unit. Steel or aluminum are my choices. What are your experience levels with either in a similar combination?

5. Clutch. Car currently has a Centerforce with low miles. Used clutch on a new engine is most likely a crapshoot. What would you bolt in there?

6.Ignition Current combo is the Superformance Durapsark. At the least would need to switch to a steel gear. At the worst I'm buying a complete MSD setup. Summit actually has a kit for a Factory five with this crate engine.

So there is my dilemma spelled out. Help me sort through the maze of decisions. For those that have this or a similar combo, what are your recommendations. What would you do differently - that hindsight thing.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Jeff

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by GASKETBOY

So, through a nice twist of fate I'm getting a 427 crate engine: M-6007-Z2427FFT for my Superformance.

Before you all go off on how I should get an xxx engine built by XYZ, I'm getting this for free. Favor returned kind of thing.

With that in mind, I have decisions to make on preparation and parts selection to best match the car and my driving (semi-spirited street 99%) . The engine comes without intake, flywheel, clutch, carburetor, and ignition.

Its going into an early Superformance that currently has a 351W and Tremec 5 speed.

So my questions:


1. Pre-install prep - anything I should be checking or verifying or just flat out replacing? I know its new but I've been reading up on it...

2. Intake will most likely be a new Edelbrock Air Gap - not sure I'll see enough rpms on a regular enough basis for a Vic Jr. Current engine has the regular RPM intake which can be re-purposed just not sure what I would leave on the table for hp / torque. Reuse what you have. if you are not gonna twist 6500 plus why give up driveability?

3. Carburetor: Been in contact with John at AED regarding carb - he gave his recommendation for a 750cfm custom built Super Mod on top of the air gap. The carb currently on the car is a Holley 750DP. Does fine with the engine in there. Way above my pay grade. For every carb there is one guy who swears by it and one who swears at it

4. Flywheel. Ford recommends a neutral balanced unit. Steel or aluminum are my choices. What are your experience levels with either in a similar combination? Steel is our choice for street. Aluminum is not as stoplight friendly

5. Clutch. Car currently has a Centerforce with low miles. Used clutch on a new engine is most likely a crapshoot. What would you bolt in there?
McLeod. Use them a lot, no issues and they work well above the rated HP ratings

6.Ignition Current combo is the Superformance Durapsark. At the least would need to switch to a steel gear. At the worst I'm buying a complete MSD setup. Summit actually has a kit for a Factory five with this crate engine. Either Crane or Pertronix. Forget you ever heard the name MSD

So there is my dilemma spelled out. Help me sort through the maze of decisions. For those that have this or a similar combo, what are your recommendations. What would you do differently - that hindsight thing.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Jeff

My answers highlighted. Take them or not.Your car, your decisions.

[Jim Vander Wal]

Intake. With a low cowl car intake height might be an issue. Any problems with the current set-up? Use that as a gauge for install height.

Carb. On my 427W I've run a 670 & 770 Street Avenger vac secondaries & choke, then a ProSystems 780 & 940 double pumper, no choke. Started with a Performer RPM and switched to a Vic Jr. For most I'd offer the dual plane manifold and the 750/780 double pumper. Never figured I needed the choke. The 940 was way too big until 6,000, ran great at 7-7,500.

Ignition. Ran a MSD billet distributer and a Crane Hi-6 ignition and coil. Worked well for me, Hi-6 was flawless.

The steel flywheel provides a bit more rotational mass, might be easier to drive but I doubt that it's a big deal.

Clutch. The last "normal" one I used was a Centerforce dual friction (??). Nice piece.

I'd take the opportunity to check and clean everything, Flush the oil lines if you are using/reusing. Oil coolers are a PITA to clean. Flush the radiator and lines.

I had motors in & out of my SPF cars regularly. I'm hard on toys.

Jim

[lmmargheritis]

The water pump that came with my engine (same as yours) was total Chinese crap. Completely surprised they would even consider using it. I purchases a high flow Edelbrock water pump.

With regards to the flywheel. I went with the Ford Performance Billet Flywheel for internally balanced engines.

No idea about how much space you have under the hood in a Superformance. I went with the Edelbrock RPM Performer and it just fits. The Victor Edelbrock intake is too tall for my application. Also, the Victor is a single plane and more suited for race application. Look at the Edelbrock Air-Gap Performer series if you have the space.

I can get you part numbers if you like.

[GASKETBOY]

Thanks for sharing your collective wisdom / experiences. This is why I ask these questions here.

Good info on the cleaning / flushing of lines and coolers. Interesting tidbit on the water pump - had not read of that before but will check once I get it on the stand.

Its looking like a steel flywheel is the better choice here - its always easy to get lured into the darkside of fancy, shiny, lightweight, aluminum parts.

I'll unbolt, clean up and install my current intake and carb. Why fix what's not broken? That choice alone saves over a grand...

Same as the duraspark - try out a new gear and if I need to upgrade later then I can look at my choices that don't sound like MSD. I have read a lot of failure stories related to them. Crane ignition would have never crossed my mind. Thanks for the tips on this one.

I'll look at Mc Cleod as well. Again, thanks for the info.

Thanks guys,

Jeff

[olddog]

Every book I have read on testing an air gap verses a Vic Junior on the same engine with the same carb shows that the Air gap gives much more low end torque and flatter torque curve. You have to have a combo that is capable of fairly high rpm for the Vic Junior to pay off big. On a typical street engine, you will give up a lot more torque, where you drive most of the time to gain a little bit at an rpm you will rarely see.

Sure you might make 20 Hp more for bragging rights with the single plane but on the street is will feel weaker where you drive.

[MKS427]

Originally Posted by olddog

Every book I have read on testing an air gap verses a Vic Junior on the same engine with the same carb shows that the Air gap gives much more low end torque and flatter torque curve. You have to have a combo that is capable of fairly high rpm for the Vic Junior to pay off big. On a typical street engine, you will give up a lot more torque, where you drive most of the time to gain a little bit at an rpm you will rarely see.

Sure you might make 20 Hp more for bragging rights with the single plane but on the street is will feel weaker where you drive.

That is correct. I had Keith Craft install a Performer Air Gap instead of a Victor Jr for big broad low end torque band. The engine did better than they expected, 572/582 vs 585/565. The torque curve was on the downhill at 4300 RPM, so the torque number is actually higher. You will want to select a cam to compliment the intake. If you go with a BIG cam, I would recommend an EFI for low end driveability. FiTech or equivelent works well with a high volume in tank pump.

[GASKETBOY]

Its here.

What you see is as far as I got last night uncrating it so lots more to uncover / discover.

I'll get it on the stand this weekend and dive into it.

Plan is to R&R Labor Day weekend.

[KDubU]

Very nice!

[caesarmascetti]

for what it's worth from everything Ive read you dont need an airgap, the current Preformer RPM works just as well and offers more clearance. I would add a spacer between the carb and intake a phenolic spacer (keeps the carb insulated from heat). As for a carb, Quickfuel VS 750

my two cents

interesting read

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hrdp...pm-vs-air-gap/

[GASKETBOY]

Was in the garage last night unpacking. Could not find two 7/16" bolts for my engine stand so she still sits on the crate.

I did, however realize that it looks like a box of crayons. Blue block with black freeze plugs, bare aluminum here and there, black valve covers, black oil pan...

Once she is on the stand I'm pretty sure its going to end up one color and that color is black. All black. My favorite crayon.

I built a small block for a '93 Cobra a few years ago and painted everything a Toyota metallic grey. It really played well against the Teal paint.

[GASKETBOY]

Spent Labor Day weekend spinning wrenches. Engine made it in with little fanfare.

Ran into a few things I needed to spend some time on like replacing all the rubber hoses, fabbing up and modifying some brackets etc.

I have a distributor getting built to match the combo and just a few more loose ends to tie up before I can start her up.


Really wanted to hear it make noise but I've been patient for this long what's another few weeks. Never did get to detail nd paint it - my "helpers" showed up and the wrenching commenced!

That's my brother in there making short work of getting the old 351 out and a friend hanging out in back.

The pic of the 427 nestled in there was taken on Sunday night - there was no labor on Labor Day!

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Hi,
Real nice valve covers. DITCH the little air cleaner probably restricts upper rpm flow, maybe 40 hp lost
Perry

[MKS427]

Originally Posted by caesarmascetti

for what it's worth from everything Ive read you dont need an airgap, the current Preformer RPM works just as well and offers more clearance. I would add a spacer between the carb and intake a phenolic spacer (keeps the carb insulated from heat). As for a carb, Quickfuel VS 750

my two cents

interesting read

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hrdp...pm-vs-air-gap/

Hot Rod did not test at operating temperatures, in other words not real world application. They stated they did not data log temps.
Both manifolds on a cold engine would have similar numbers. However as the engines get to full operating temp, the air gap should deliver a cooler fuel charge. I would not save the $28.

[MKS427]

Originally Posted by lmmargheritis

The water pump that came with my engine (same as yours) was total Chinese crap. Completely surprised they would even consider using it. I purchases a high flow Edelbrock water pump.

With regards to the flywheel. I went with the Ford Performance Billet Flywheel for internally balanced engines.

No idea about how much space you have under the hood in a Superformance. I went with the Edelbrock RPM Performer and it just fits. The Victor Edelbrock intake is too tall for my application. Also, the Victor is a single plane and more suited for race application. Look at the Edelbrock Air-Gap Performer series if you have the space.

I can get you part numbers if you like.

I have the Performer RPM Air Gap in my Factory Five. With solid motor mounts (3/4" drop) and a K&N drop down air cleaner, it just barely clears the hood.
I would guess that, Superformance could give you good advice about this.

[GASKETBOY]

Replaced all the hoses, fabbed up a bracket, and routed everything nice nice.

Just waiting on the distributor.

[Gaz64]

What is the go with the carb feed hard line with all the bends in it?
Gary

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Gaz64

What is the go with the carb feed hard line with all the bends in it?
Gary

Jeez, that thing looks like it's just asking to brake and squirt on you....