Opinions, need to run at least low 12s

[429mustang]

My 86 GT is sitting in front of my house with a trashed trans, so I figured I might as well start buildings everything up. I want to run at least low 12's, but I'd rather be well into the 11's. I have a 1970 429 sitting at a machine shop, should I rebuild and bore it w/forged pistons, arp studs/bolts, stock crank/rods, aftermarket heads, victor intake? I'm not sure how strong the stock bottom end is, I want to run some good times for as cheap as possible, but I want the motor to be reliable and last. I thought about stroking it out to a 514, that'll cost another $2000, I'm not sure if I want to put that much into a 2bolt main 429 block(I'll probably get a set of splayed main caps either way). Any ideas????

[chris91LX]

If you have a 429 in good shape you might consider selling it and buying small block stroker with all the bells and whistles. The 429's are worth big $$ and I personally think putting a big block in a fox body looking for 11's is way too complicated and unbalanced. The weight of the big block, the extra work trying to stuff it in the engine bay, the custom parts you'll have to get to make it work are all things I wouldn't personally want to deal with. You can go 11's on a stock short block with nitrous, 12's easily with the right combo on a n/a stock short block. a 331 or 347 will get you in the 11's pretty easy on motor if you pick your parts wisely. I'd think you could build a brand new stroker long block with the money you could make selling that 429 if it's in reasonable shape, but i could be wrong.

[WADS56]

Chris has a good point and i agree. A fox body with a 429 would be cool as hell though. If it were me I would stuff that thing in there. It will weigh more on the front end but if you are just looking for a high 11 it will be no concern. It shouldn't be a problem to get it in there because the DOCH 32 valve engine is huge and people stuff them in there all the time.
Are we talking about a Boss 429?? If so you are my hero and that would be one of the coolest swaps that could be done to a fox body.


Wade

[86GT]

A very good friend of mine put a 460 in his 86. It's pretty much a custom job, since its expensive to get the mounts/headers/oil pan, and all the extras needed to do it. He hardly drives it due to the high gas prices here (72cents/litre).

If you want something unique and with enough stump pulling power to make you turn into mush when you hit the go pedal, then go with a big block. Otherwise I'd recommend selling it, and making a more balanced setup with a small block.

[429mustang]

WADS56, I was told the 429 was out of a T-Bird, I think the block/heads were either C9VE or C8VE (I haven't seen the motor in almost 2 years, I'm kind of an idiot). Anyway, I don't know what to do. I've had the motor at the machine shop for a while, so far it's been disassembled, the block was cleaned and the rods possibly fitted with new arp bolts. He said the cast pistons may have been thrown away, and the rest of it's on a skid plate in the shop. I have (new parts): Victor intake, Melling HV oil pump, Fuel Pump, swap oil pan, Ford Racing Aluminum Valve Covers. They're all with the motor at the shop, so I can't sell them to pay for the work thats been done on it. i'd rather build a 331 (stock block, d.s.s. girdle,arp studs) with a set of the TFS HighPort heads, maybe a Victor/RPM/TFS intake, BBK longtubes, etc. Damn, I don't know what to do, maybe I'll save up and get the whole setup out of the shop in parts, then sell everything and start buying smallblock parts. Anyway, I appreciate everyones input.