351 --> 408 Build Up?
 

Well, if you read my other post, I don't know which car to do it too. I think i'm going to buy this 92' for sale that is all stock and go that route.

One major question is, if I get a 408, with some performance to it, I know its going to be fast. But will it be a nice idleing car, and drive good? Can I drive it as an every day car back and forth to work? Or is it ment only to take out once in a while?

My main goal is to be able to drive it around. Either going to work, the store, out to eat, friends, girlfriends, or just joy riding. But at the same time, I want to be able to take it out late at night, go find some street races, and race if I REALLY wanted to? I just want a nice every day car with balls behind it to show off.

My plan is as follows. I have a 351w in the garage that I got from a old ford truck. I want to send it in to get it cleaned, checked, and ready to go. I got quoted $400.00 for this, is that a reasonable price?

The second thing is to have a 408 stroker kit installed. I seen a stroker kit in the 5.0 magazine for $1895.00. I was going to purchase this one, and have a local performance store install it (As well as do the block cleaning). They are going to charge me $375.00 to do the block work. Their stroker kit was $2500.00 so I decided to buy the stroker kit and bring it in myself. Do any prices sound way to high? Or way to cheap?

Next, is get a Holley SysteMax for 351w EFI. It includes (from what I read) the lower and upper intakes, heads, and cam. I would then get bigger injectors (They recommend 30lb). I would get a bigger MAF (70mm I think I was told).

And I am sure their are smaller little things I would have to get for the car to keep it running with the rest of the equipment. Those I do beleive are the major (Expensive) parts. The only other thing that comes to mind is the computer itself.

But would a 92' with all that equipment, run 'fairly' smooth? I mean, be street drivable, and on top of that, be a decent every day driver if I wanted to drive it? Or is all the equipment way to poweful for a car to drive around a lot? Should I go with smaller 347 stroker or what?

Thanks!

- Kevin

better add a good set of tires to your list too!! looks like that thing will be a torque monster with those parts. :D :D


will that shop install parts that you bring them??? most places don't cause they want you to buy from them.

lx mike is right, a 408 would put out a lot of torque. That in mind, i dont think the systemax kit would be the best choice. First of all, the cam sucks. Second, the aluminum heads flow pretty well, but I have heard that you can melt them to easily. The systemax upper intake has very big very long runners. Long intake runners tend to build torque, something you will already have an ample supply of. I think you should look for an intake with runners that are a lot shorter than the systemax runners.

Hope this helps.:)

Ok. So I'm looking at a very torquey car. Will it be every day driveable though? Will it run sort of like a normal mustang? :)

And from what you said, systemax has long runners. Is there another kit I should check out that comes with the whole kit? Including cam, heads, and intake? Basically the whole upper half of the engine?

And is there anything else I should really look at thats going to cost a lot? I just want a very fast street car and I think a 408 is a way to go :) Thanks.

- Kevin

Ok, the system max heads are according to my sources AFR, which ones I couldn't tell, you but if you melt them your done something wrong, they have 3/4" surfaces. I have had mine up to 270 degrees and no problems. holley should be able to tell you if they are 185 or 165 you need the 185!
You want torque, the more the better, especially in a street car that will be driven around town, and used to drive Betty or Jane out and impress her at the local drags. You want that bottom end grunt smok-in torque! Stay away from the short runner stuff it will kill your torque and make your power band go up, that not what you need.
It sounds like you are building a 5500-6000 engine if so, match componets, for that range. A good cam with 230-238 duration and less say some where under .550" lift intake and ex, will pull like heck. The comment about tires is serious get some good 10.5 or at least a 8-9 wide soft compound tire under this, and you will be surprised, so will the folks that race you, look for times in the low 11's with good gears..
You might have problems with emissions, the idle quality will be great, I wondering if 30# injectors will be enough. You might wait to hear from someone else on injectors I run a carb and can adjust jets quicker and cheaper then you can injectors. Make sure you have at least a 2.5" ex, you will need it and keep you timing in the 28-30 degree range...

Mac.. God loves a Good Stroked small block..!

My 408C stroker made 537hp @ 6300 and 480 torque at 5000. That's with stock 4v closed chamber heads. The cam is what is going to make it streetable. Mine is a solid roller 244@.50 and 6.23 and 108 lobe seperation. 11-1 compression. Don't think this would be good for back and forth to work. RAy

Just make sure you use a hyd. not a mech roller cam and you'll be fine. One of the comp xtreme cams would be great or even one of the motor sport cams except for the b cam. You can run much more duration with the 408 than a 302 (streetability). I'd run afr 185's with the tfs manifold. I run the 205's and the manifold head fit is perfect. Shoot for 10 to one compression and go with the 38 lb injectors. this combo will be rock solid streetable and will get you low elevens for sure with some suspension work.

The AFR 185s and the TFS R intake is a good combo. And the Twisted Wedge heads are good, too. When you get your cam get a custom grind. There's a guy that does alot of custom ground cams (flat tappet or roller) for the GEN 1 Lightning guys over on the National Lightning Owner's Club site but I can't find his name and number/site. I had it somewhere but can't find it now. I believe his first name it Tom but that's no help, lol. He really knows his stuff. If you want you could go over there to the GEN 1 forum at http://nloc.org/ and post for his name and number to get an awesome custom cam. Get it ground for YOUR application. The driveability should be fine and I say ditto on the tires. It's bad enough getting traction with our 275s we have on the Lightnings. Get some 275/40s or something in the drag radials and don't pick on too many vettes, lol :D.

I didn't even know that Holley had a systemax kit for the 351W now. When did they come out with that? How much is it and where can I see some info on it? I was wondering if they would have one. We just never have talked about them over at NLOC.

Oh, and are you staying flat tappet with that 351W or are you going to convert to roller? What year is the block? I know in the Lightnings the 93s are not roller compatible but the 94-95s are. They are pre-drilled. I dont' know if the 94-later 351W in the other F series trucks are roller ready or not. But they are flat tappet.