New combo Idea for my 73 mustang....

Engine
472ci
9.5:1 compression
stock scj heads
camshaft 236/236* @ .050 .634/.634
victor 4150
1000 cfm carb
2 1/8 headers with 3.5 collectors

transmission
ford C4 2600 stall

Driveshaft
stock

Rearend
Ford 8.8 with 3.55 gears rolling on a 26" tall tire
Cal trac system

est weight with me in it 3200

how fast would this combo be good for?
Any ideas on what to tweak?

9" rear IMO

Will an AOD handle that kind of power and torque?

D. Sea wrote:9" rear IMO

Will an AOD handle that kind of power and torque?

yep, nowadays they're building them pretty tough! not the cheapest tranny, however. The few gurus that are building them tend to argue that they are the best 4-speed auto tranny ever built for their size and have yet to reach their full potential.


So, to answer the thread...sounds like a mean combo! Pretty big camshaft and you may need a higher stall. Sounds like the weight estimate may be a bit on the low side, too, but you would know better than I.

That 8.8 is probably an Albatros swap it for a 9 Inch from what I have read & seen at the track.

Im guessing on the weight bit we dragged it down to the scales and it came in at about 2600 without an engine. Did have the transmission and a couple gallons of gas in the tank. helps to have a fiberglass bumper and fenders

9 inch isnt an option at this time sadly. but ive seen 8.8's hold out against stouter combos since the season heres been cranking back up.

i would say you will weight in around 3350lbs , 650-700hp*** , and run mid to low 10's

you got any safety gear in the car ? cage, window net, drive shaft loop etc.............your gonna need it

*** alot of it depends on who does the porting and if you get a custom stick by the guru

A question if I may? Is the '73 Mustang in the picture of your posts the Mustang receiving the thoughts of your engine plan/question?

The '73 Mustang in the picture appears a street driven automobile and may occasionally see drag strip action. Is this a fair assessment?

If this is the case, IMO (for what it's worth) your thoughts of carburetor and camshaft may be a bit much without a custom built converter for your application that stalls @ 3500 rpm. P51 heads with their ability to flow great at mid-range valve lifts would be hard to beat! Compression would work great with inexpensive pump gas and as I previously mentioned, that's a big carburetor that may not offer much drive-ability or be efficient during daily driving! The transmission, as mentioned in another reply will need attention to survive the torque your planned engine will produce. As others have mentioned, I would prefer the 9" Ford assembly over the 8.8" unit for two (2) reasons, durability and the availability of ratio choices.

From the picture and considering your car has little or no advanced chassis tuning abilities as well limited tire options, you may have a "tire-smokin" son of a bitch! Jet Boat Bob recently finished an engine very similar to your thoughts. It made tremendous power relative to it's build. The kinda of power that would require very little throttle action to spin a set of street tires at any speed!

Just my $0.02,
Dave.

LivermoreDave wrote:A question if I may? Is the '73 Mustang in the picture of your posts the Mustang receiving the thoughts of your engine plan/question?

The '73 Mustang in the picture appears a street driven automobile and may occasionally see drag strip action. Is this a fair assessment?

If this is the case, IMO (for what it's worth) your thoughts of carburetor and camshaft may be a bit much without a custom built converter for your application that stalls @ 3500 rpm. P51 heads with their ability to flow great at mid-range valve lifts would be hard to beat! Compression would work great with inexpensive pump gas and as I previously mentioned, that's a big carburetor that may not offer much drive-ability or be efficient during daily driving! The transmission, as mentioned in another reply will need attention to survive the torque your planned engine will produce. As others have mentioned, I would prefer the 9" Ford assembly over the 8.8" unit for two (2) reasons, durability and the availability of ratio choices.

From the picture and considering your car has little or no advanced chassis tuning abilities as well limited tire options, you may have a "tire-smokin" son of a bitch! Jet Boat Bob recently finished an engine very similar to your thoughts. It made tremendous power relative to it's build. The kinda of power that would require very little throttle action to spin a set of street tires at any speed!

Just my $0.02,
Dave.

Yea thats the car thats getting the big block
pretty much the only street time she will see is the Branson Cruise and to head out to the strip
I was counting on a custom converter for the engine from the get go. Ive learned that alot of off the shelf converters RARELY fit any application

The car as some mods to the chasis such as subframes connected and im test fitting a cage now that sould help out some on the stiffness of the car. Darn unibodys!!
I purchased a set of caltracs a few weeks ago to aid my traction.......... or rather lack there off!
she also as adjustable shocks on all 4 corners and stiffer springs all around as well.

From what i felt on the car i drove with an SV1 carb it would be my best bet for drivability. guy wouldnt spit out the cam specs but he did say its in the .750 range with alot of duration @.050. Ive come to know the guy that owns this car and his deffenition of alot is more than any sane man would want

As for the 8.8 its what i got to work with which has already had some serious mods done to it (tubes welded braced etc.) and its a darn sight better than the 8 inch with its 2 somthing gears. car only did 90 at 3000 rpms with a C4
A 9in from currie is in my future for sure however.

bruno wrote:i would say you will weight in around 3350lbs , 650-700hp*** , and run mid to low 10's

you got any safety gear in the car ? cage, window net, drive shaft loop etc.............your gonna need it

*** alot of it depends on who does the porting and if you get a custom stick by the guru

working on the cage and safety loop now. also replacing the side windows and rear window with plexiglass to lighten the load up so it may get even lighter.

I was actually hoping for very very low 10's

If its not going to see very much street driving why the AOD and not a C6 or glide? Maybe Im missing something.

Barney wrote:If its not going to see very much street driving why the AOD and not a C6 or glide? Maybe Im missing something.

tracks roughly an hour from me with alot of highway. just trying to keep the revs down to dodge cops

Gotcha.

511Fox wrote:That 8.8 is probably an Albatros swap it for a 9 Inch from what I have read & seen at the track.

We've already had this conversation. He will be fine with an 8.8. He had the same good parts that you would put into a 9 inch so in essance is fine as far as strength is concerned.

He will break a lot more stuff before the rear.

LivermoreDave wrote:If this is the case, IMO (for what it's worth) your thoughts of carburetor and camshaft may be a bit much without a custom built converter for your application that stalls @ 3500 rpm. The transmission, as mentioned in another reply will need attention to survive the torque your planned engine will produce. As others have mentioned, I would prefer the 9" Ford assembly over the 8.8" unit for two (2) reasons, durability and the availability of ratio choices.

I agree about the carb. I have a prosystem 1000cfm 4150 that will be more than enough for you. Don't over carb.

As far as the rear is concerned again, put a gear in it and forget it. How many times do people really change gear ratios. From 3.00-4.88 the 8.8 and 9 inch have about the same amount of choices but for the 4X4 guys the 9 inch does offer more in the 5.0's+ The 9 inch case that came in these cars, if it even had one which this car didn't, was weak anyways. Yes, it did have the 9 inch carrier, the stock one would break under power in this app, and the 9 inch ends but as far as the actual case is concerned, it is not really that good.(It IS a good design though, and that is why we still use and copy it.)

Just remember to use my favorite theory. K.I.S.S. I think it may be my new motto.

K.I.S.S.?

Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

ah.....

whatbumper wrote:How many times do people really change gear ratios.

In an effort to seek perfection, as many times as ratio's available!

Dave.

LivermoreDave wrote:

whatbumper wrote:How many times do people really change gear ratios.

In an effort to seek perfection, as many times as ratio's available!

Dave.

I have about 4 different sets of gears on the shelf.....its just all part of the tuning.

Matt,

I like your drive to build a nice engine and all, but I think all of the older guys here could agree that you could assemble a real nice 466 and lay down some nice numbers with just that.

I had a friend back in about 93-94 that built a 73 like yours. He put in a 466, some home ported D0VEs, nice Erson flat tappet, Victor intake and a 1050 dommy, C6 with a 3500 stall. It ran 11.30's on motor first time out with some high 1.XX 60" times...

He sold the car because he needed the cash, but it had 10 second potential all over it. It was also very streetable...

Just a thought. You can easily pick up some used ported D0VEs on here as well a basic rebuilt shortblock and go have fun earlier than saving for that nice engine...



Trust me, I've been in that same boat you are in with another car when I was young. I sold it and bought a decent turn key deal and went racing the next night.

Now, I'm back into the same boat trying to do it right the first time when I could've swapped a whole engine/trans combo in and went racing the next weekend...

You live and learn. Just trying to help you achieve your goal of going fast with any BBF a little sooner if you know what I mean.

jbozzelle wrote:Matt,

I like your drive to build a nice engine and all, but I think all of the older guys here could agree that you could assemble a real nice 466 and lay down some nice numbers with just that.

Trust me, I've been in that same boat you are in with another car when I was young.

You live and learn.

Excellent advise!
Dave.

Your right I'll just run a 466 I guess.
I have a second solid roller cam nothing special 634 lift 236@.050 280 seat to seat

new combo idea see first post.

Engine
472ci
9.5:1 compression
stock scj heads
camshaft 236/236* @ .050 .634/.634
victor 4150
1000 cfm carb
2 1/8 headers with 3.5 collectors

transmission
ford C4 2600 stall

Driveshaft
stock

Rearend
Ford 8.8 with 3.55 gears rolling on a 26" tall tire
Cal trac system

est weight with me in it 3200

how fast would this combo be good for?
Any ideas on what to tweak?.

Hey Matt...I didn't re-read the whole thread, but I haven't really seen you state your goals. From the looks of it, your 'new' combo is drastically different from your original combo, and that's a bit confusing. I do know you want to drag race it and have to drive quite a distance to do that, but otherwise clue us in to what you want to do and then you may get some better advice so you can do this (mostly) right the first time.