Classic Mustangs List Archive

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Mail From: Jeremy Hodge (email redacted)

I drive a '71 Mustang Grande, and after Christmas (which is about the
time I will be finished paying for my car) I will start to have money
again. So, now, like any young person with a classic muscle car, I have
this undying need to pump my money into my car. Anyway, my question is
for those who have had their engines rebuilt not stock, but not too
crazy. I want to get more performance but I want to keep a stock
appearance, for the sake of state inspection mostly, and because if it
gets too wild I will go through tires as quick as I do gas. I am
thinking about doing this:

Bore .030"
Bigger cam
Replace old 2bbl carb and manifold with used 4bbl from salvage yard
(anyone got some to sell?)
Switch to electronic ignition

What would be a reasonable price for the rebuild, if I took the motor out,
and disassembled it before I took it in. Also, I am sure I won't have
any problem getting the motor out, but how hard is it to put one back in
right? I also plan on putting in a separate tranny fluid cooler. Will I
need to upgrade my radiator with the mild mods I plan on making? Wow,
lots more questions than I planned on asking but hey, it is always nice
to have the advice of people more experienced. TIA for all the responses!

Jeromy Hodge
321 Old Hwy 40
O'Fallon, MO 63366
(314) 240-3039
(email redacted)

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)


On Thu, 28 Nov 1996 04:30:03 -0400 Jeremy Hodge
<(email redacted)> writes:
>I drive a '71 Mustang Grande, and after Christmas (which is about the
>time I will be finished paying for my car) I will start to have money
>again. So, now, like any young person with a classic muscle car, I
>have
>this undying need to pump my money into my car. Anyway, my question
>is
>for those who have had their engines rebuilt not stock, but not too
>crazy. I want to get more performance but I want to keep a stock
>appearance, for the sake of state inspection mostly, and because if it
>
>gets too wild I will go through tires as quick as I do gas. I am
>thinking about doing this:
>
>Bore .030"
>Bigger cam
>Replace old 2bbl carb and manifold with used 4bbl from salvage yard
>(anyone got some to sell?)
>Switch to electronic ignition
>
>What would be a reasonable price for the rebuild, if I took the motor
>out,
>and disassembled it before I took it in. Also, I am sure I won't have
>
>any problem getting the motor out, but how hard is it to put one back
>in
>right? I also plan on putting in a separate tranny fluid cooler.
>Will I
>need to upgrade my radiator with the mild mods I plan on making? Wow,
>
>lots more questions than I planned on asking but hey, it is always
>nice
>to have the advice of people more experienced. TIA for all the
>responses!
>
>Jeromy Hodge
> 321 Old Hwy 40
> O'Fallon, MO 63366
> (314) 240-3039
>(email redacted)

Jeremy,

You have many options, and I am glad that you are planning this in
advance. I have a 65 Mustang coupe, and I rebuilt the motor myself. It
was a 2bbl 289, low compression "gas mizer." Of course it had a lot to
be desired on the power end. I didn't want to have a rough idle, or
change the appearance too much, so here is what I did:
Edelbrock Performer 600 cfm carb
Edelbrock Performer 289 Intake and matching cam and lifter kit
Edelbrock Performer double roller timing chain
Edelbrock Performer valve springs, locks and keepers
Sealed Power 10:1 compression pistons (cast) with TRW moly rings
Felpro gasket set
Clevite bearings

I also had the heads and block hot tanked and magna fluxed, and the block
bored .030 over. All of this (including machine shop cost) was over
$2000. Now you can see that with all the time and effort that I put into
this project that the price is too high. When I originally started on
the car I was going to keep everything mostly stock, so I never
considered a motor swap. Looking back, I wish I had. I don't think you
can beat the Motorsport GT40 crate motor. You can get it in long block
form so you can use a carb, but I would go ahead and buy the EFI kit.
Windsor-Fox (619-946-FUEL) specializes in late model 5.0l swaps in early
Mustangs. I am not sure if they have a kit for 71s or not, you would
have to call. They can sell you everything- the motor, computer, wiring
harness, etc. to do the swap. As far as inspections go, you will have no
problems passing emissions with this motor. Horse power is around 300,
so no problems moving the "sled" either. If you are planning on keeping
the car, I think this is the way to go. In fact my next Mustang
(marriage permitting...) will have a similar setup.
Like I said, you have many options. You just need to decide how much you
want to spend, and how stock you want to keep your car. Good luck!!

Rod

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Ed Humes (email redacted)

>
>Jeremy,
>
>You have many options, and I am glad that you are planning this in
>advance. I have a 65 Mustang coupe, and I rebuilt the motor myself. It
>was a 2bbl 289, low compression "gas mizer." Of course it had a lot to
>be desired on the power end. I didn't want to have a rough idle, or
>change the appearance too much, so here is what I did:
>Edelbrock Performer 600 cfm carb
>Edelbrock Performer 289 Intake and matching cam and lifter kit
>Edelbrock Performer double roller timing chain
>Edelbrock Performer valve springs, locks and keepers
>Sealed Power 10:1 compression pistons (cast) with TRW moly rings
>Felpro gasket set
>Clevite bearings

The Edelbrock Performer is basically a "torque" program. Full power is
reached at low RPM, good for strictly street driving at modest speeds.
The hotter setup is the Performer RPM.

>I also had the heads and block hot tanked and magna fluxed, and the block
>bored .030 over. All of this (including machine shop cost) was over
>$2000. Now you can see that with all the time and effort that I put into
>this project that the price is too high. When I originally started on
>the car I was going to keep everything mostly stock, so I never
>considered a motor swap. Looking back, I wish I had. I don't think you
>can beat the Motorsport GT40 crate motor.

Crate motors are in fact a great idea/deal. You are not limited to
FoMoCo, Keith Black and DSS also make them for about the same price as
the GT40 but they are built to higher standards with better parts the
the factory uses. I bought a DSS short block with some extra items like
the Main Support System and came out to about $2,000, less than what a
total buildup of my old motor would have cost with balancing and
blueprinting. Add some aluminum heads to the recipie for 400+HP and I'm
hunting for Camaros.

>You can get it in long block
>form so you can use a carb, but I would go ahead and buy the EFI kit.
>Windsor-Fox (619-946-FUEL) specializes in late model 5.0l swaps in early
>Mustangs. I am not sure if they have a kit for 71s or not, you would
>have to call. They can sell you everything- the motor, computer, wiring
>harness, etc. to do the swap. As far as inspections go, you will have no
>problems passing emissions with this motor. Horse power is around 300,
>so no problems moving the "sled" either. If you are planning on keeping
>the car, I think this is the way to go. In fact my next Mustang
>(marriage permitting...) will have a similar setup.
>Like I said, you have many options. You just need to decide how much you
>want to spend, and how stock you want to keep your car. Good luck!!
>
>Rod
>