Windsor project..questions on heads/cams

[chiciak]

Hey guys...im going to build up a drag car...going to be using a 351w in a mustang notchback. Right now im spending the time to research and such so i will ask the questions that i havent found using search. Will it be easier to start with a notchback 302 or 2.3? I assume 302 because of the motor mounts. The car's goal is to be a mid-low 11 second car on n20. What brand/size carb do you recommend for this application? What head/cam combination do you recommend? The car will be completely lightened and gutted and everything possible. What about gearing??? What stall...and how much building up will the c-4 transmission require?
I will greatly appreciate any input! I come from the turbo world and all this stuff is relatively new to me!

[fiveohpatrol]

I'd start with a 2.3L because they can be found in better shape alot of the time, and will be cheaper.

If you only want mid-low 11's in a drag car, then you can do that easily without the use of nitrous.

AFR 185s or 205s, victor JR intake and a barry grant carb, and a solid roller cam from ed curtis

Then spray it with a 200shot and say hello to low 10s

[chiciak]

Ok...yeah w/o nitrous would be better....what compression ratio is ideal for mid low 11's????would stock compression on a stock 351 accomplish this??? And if i start with a 2.3 what else would be required that wouldnt be if i started with a 5.0?

[chiciak]

i meant stock compression on a 351 with the mods you mentioned above.

[Eric4Nitrous]

perfect compression for a mid 11 351 would be around 10:1. It doesn't take much from a 351 to get mid 11's on motor. Just a good cam, doesn't have to be custom to make good power, and don't forget heads. Box stock afr's or trick flow's..or my personal favorite..Brodix.

[jim_howard_pdx]

I don't mean to be a hard ***, but you should start with good brakes, a 9" ford rear end with a spool and 4.30 gears. Slicks are mandatory. They will use 15 inch rims 5 x 4.5 4.3/4 or 5". Currie will drill the axles for any of these three bolt patterns. I prefer the 5x5 for 11 second cars. And use the 35 spline axles and 35 spline spool. If you want to drive this on the street go with 31 spline axles and buy an Auburn cone type positraction unit. This will be super strong, no risk of breaking things. Currie has extra strength modern Nodular housings for about 250.00 so don't spend a fortune buying one at a swap. Make sure all your yokes and drive shafts are set up for the 1350 Spicer type UJoint. You will be glad you did. You will have to run a drive shaft loop for an 11 second car.

The C-4 can take about 500 hp. You are cutting it close. I would go with an AOD with a solid main shaft, and a 3,600 stall converter. Make sure the tranny shop deletes the factory locking torque converter. IT HAS TO GO. The AOD is based on the FMX and can handle 700+ horsepower. It will have an Over Drive which will make it nice for the ride back to the staging area.

The 351 should be centerline bored. Use an early 70 or 71 block if you can get it. Line hone the mains. Have it machined for the 4 bolt splayed mains. Have the block deck Squared. It is really important to start with a square block on the 351's because the cores shift so much.

Go 30 0ver on the bore. Try not to go over this or you will run HOT HOT HOT. I would recommend a stroker kit. the 408 is my favorite, but the 427 street fighter is an awesome assembly. Comp Cams has a bunch of non-hydralic roller cams. I like short duration very high lift cams. Go 265-275 duration (245-250 @.050) and go 640-670 lift on the intake and 650-670 on the exhuast. I would use an 11 to 1 forged light weight piston. With the high lift cam, the engine will think it has 13 to 1 compression and will run without detonation.

Rods, I like Eagle H beam Rods. I have my machinist cut the rod journals down to SB Chevy size. This reduces bearing speed and friction. It will help reduce spinning a rod bearing.

Use a forged crank. I think a good nodular crank is good to about 5-600 horsepower but you are really cutting this tight. The forged crank should be able to tame all 800 HP without problems.

Get a billet distributor from MSD. Set it for no more than 32 degrees advance, and all in by 3,800 RPM. Run an MSD or Crane Hi 6 Box with rev limiter. Go the best coil you can find. I like MSD and Crane peices because they use epoxy filling instead of oil.

AFR heads are nice, but the Trick Flow R model heads are my choice. They have all kinds of room to port. But out of the box with a cam like the one I described, we got 641 horsepower on a 427 street figher stroker kit. With nitrous, expect about 800 HP. You will hit late 10's with the stroker kit and R heads, you will be in the late 9's with Nitrous.

You need traction, so replace all the factory pressed control arms in back with the tubular steel and polyurethane bushings. Use drag springs and shocks.

When you run 11's you need a roll cage. Might as well put that in now while you are planning all this fun. Use Wilwood or Baer Brakes. 13 inch rotors for the front and 11 inch rotors on the rear. Use carbon kevlar racing pads to reduce fade, and use cross drilled rotors.

You will need a helmet, battery cut off, and a fire extinguisher.

For Carbs, I would run a Demon 850. They flow almost 1,000 so don't let the 850 part fool you. I like the double downleg HP boosters front and back. Double pumper of course.

You should put in a line lock for sure.

Hope this helps.