[jim_howard_pdx]

The T5 cannot take my current torque of 440 ft pounds. I would need a Tremec since the T45 is based on the 4.6 mod engine with the different bell housing configuration. I would love to try a 6 speed but my torque puts me into the stronger Viper box. That runs 3,900 dollars. With 200 for a scatter shield, 175 for a shifter, 600 for the clutch, 400 for a balanced driveshaft, and 500 to run a clutch pedal and cable setup this puts me at 5,775.00 for a 6 speed set up. OUCH...... A Lentco AOD costs 2,500.00 which includes the 10 inch torque converter, a 1-2-3 shift pattern and OD lockout or hold. This is a palatable investment, but not as fun in the corners.

My son is asking me to bump our cam to a solid lifter 236/246 @.50 5.14 5.24 lift cam. This will put me somewhere in the 485-495 ft lbs of torque and 460-475 hp range with my ported heads. Since the car is basically his now, I will let him play. We can always do a cam change if he feels we are too strong.

I was running a slightly lower lift 4.79 and 4.99 cam a couple of years back at about the same duration. My Mustang ran 0-100 mph in 10 seconds with a 3.55 gear set, smaller carb and stock port configurations. It was awesome until I cracked a piston and threw the rod. Too much distributor advance and too little octane- a deadly combination.

My son wants to hear the beautiful sound of 16 sweet solid tappets singing away happily at 5k+ RPM.

My racer friends think we will get top HP at about 6,500 RPM from what we have seen with Trick Flow head dyno numbers on the flow chart. I will have 504 cfm of flow at 6,500 RPM and 5.14 lift. If I bump the intake lift to 5.60 inches the flow goes to 515 but my streetability goes out the window.

My bottom end will take this all day long if I use some good gas and keep my timing at a sane rate.

I will let you know how it quarters after we break in the new bearings and ring set. My son does not want to use the zero gap rings. None of us racers have any long term experience with them on a street and highway engine. Too bad, I was going to try the zero gap child and albert rings just for the fun of it. And for 15 extra free horsepower.

Now if we could just set up a 4.30 spool for the track, I bet we could hit high 11's with Slicks. That would be really fun.