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Original Message
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| RE: You're not going to do this all at once. |
| By Gerry Proctor - 10/21/2004 8:12:32 PM; IP 216.12.192.71 |
First, nothing is worth it if you have to spend the milk money to get it done. Beyond that anyone here would have to ask what you expect.
You don't need to spend a lot of money to get a lot of smiles from a 428.
Even the poorest FE heads will easily support 400 hp in basically untouched form if you build the engine right and choose the right cam.
You don't need the alloy heads for what it seems you're looking for. They make it easy to make power but they're not necessary as I see it. Sure the Edelbrocks exceed the non-427 factory stuff but that doesn't always mean that they're a good value.
As to the intake, the CJ and the Performer RPM are just different approaches to the same problem. The only real advantage to the Performer RPM is about 70 lbs. in weight off the nose of the car. They vary by a couple of horsepower so you could save 300 bucks by keeping the iron CJ intake.
As to the exhaust, if you keep your 14-bolt unibody heads then you'll do better with the FPAs since they are made to fit that port. You might be able to get the Hookers to fit, since some folks have, but there is a mismatch that can cause persistent gasket leaks.
You can easily run the stock valve train. Avoid anti-pumpup lifters. They have a particular lash setting where they're designed to work and aren't quite as forgiving as a regular hydraulic if you're a bit under or over. And unless you're spinning the engine over 6,000 rpm, you don't need them anyway. Be reasonable on the cam selection and you'll only have to change the springs in your existing heads. Talk with a couple of the cam grinders and get their opinion and suggestions on what will get the job done. You don't need a lot of duration and very tight lobe angles to get a lope. With a 428, 225-230 degrees at .050 on the intake and 230-235 on the exhaust on a 110 LSA will give you a nice thump and the cam will still be streetable. Keep the lift in the lower .500 range to save yourself from high seat pressures. Vacuum for power brakes can get real iffy though. Comp Cams is a very good street cam grinder and almost always gets it right for the street guy. I don't personally favor their grinds, but unless you have a lot of practical experience through experimentation, go with the sure bet. You're going to ask anyway, so I favor Crane for my stuff.
As to pistons, Diamond is a very good forging and they do support the FE folks. But the others are probably just as good. You do get what you pay for so if you're paying a lot less or a lot more, you need to find out why.
You'll get a lot of opinion. Just understand my opinion is not gospel and has no more value than anyone else's so don't look at the differences as conflict. There's more than one way to do the job. That's just how I would approach the same problem. |
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