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Original Message
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| RE: tunnelport engine |
| By Dave Shoe - 03/07/2001 9:47:18 PM; IP 12.2.11.131 |
Keep in mind that I'm not a racer, so my opinion isn't generally the best.
You've dumped the valves - that's good.
You'll want to take the motor to a qualified builder. Don't go to any old high-perf shop or rebuild shop. Unless you've learned the shop you go to KNOWS FEs or has an engine guru you already trust, you want to avoid them. I was surprised to learn, after many years, there are still three top-notch FE427 builders right here in Minneapolis. It was tough for me to learn, as none advertised. I know it'll be tough for you to find a good shop, but ask around a whole bunch and you'll find someone near you, or possibly - someone worth shipping your engine to. I know there are several worthy shops who frequent this forum.
I'll bet the current setup will NOT permit this car to run on the street, it'll simply load up, foul out, and repeatedly kill if you run it under 4000RPM and below 90mph.
You'll need to determine a cam/compression/carb combo that'll let you keep a streetable amount of the Tunnelport personality. A mild cam will allow the motor to run smooth and quiet - but you DON'T want this. I'm not experienced enough to tell you which way to go, but I'll take a S.W.A.G. and suspect your lift will end up around .580, your compression around 11.0:1, your twin Holleys around 650 each, your header pipes around 2-1/8", and your rocker assemblies very non-stock.
You'll need a ministarter to crank it over, as stock starters just aren't up to it. The stock distributor is good. Install the plain Ford, Pertronix, or Mallory conversion kit into it and it'll look stock and run great. You'll need an ignition amplifier like MSD to protect the distributor electronics and also drive an aftermarket coul with sufficient energy. You don't need a high-voltage ignition as much as you need a high-power ignition. The MSD will deliver. If you also decide to bump the voltage a bunch (sparkplug gap pretty much determines the voltage at which plasma occurs), you'll wanna install the Duraspark cap, rotor, and fatter wires to keep the voltage contained. Other alternatives exist, but if you keep the sparkplug gap stock, you can get away with a stock-type cap, and make enough plasma to supply an army hospital.
Since streeting the motor will require a reduction of compression (IMO), you can switch to a CJ crank and stroke it out, but I'd probably keep the steel stuff in and let the motor rev to make power - you know, like a Tunnelport is supposed to make power. If the pistons still fit well, maybe you can shave them to 11.5:1 and run small airplane gas like I do (low-lead 100 octane). The low-lead does still foul plugs regularly, but you sorta get used to it and learn when to change plugs before misfiring becomes a problem.
Be careful - Even I wouldn't listen to most of this advise. Still, it's fun to toss out ideas.
Shoe. |
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