Thread: young guy with a 429 and a budget!

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Hello car guys! ive learned a good deal from reading some of the threads from this site so thought i would sign up and try to learn some more. I have a
1972 ford gran torino, my first car. I traded it for a firebird 5 years ago when i was 17 and stupid, and was luckily able to buy it back a few months ago. The guy sold the stock windsor out of it some time ago. I bought a 1973 429 out of a torino wagon to rebuild for it. Later i learned that this was not a good year for power for the 429 because of the heads and the deck hight. When given that bit of news i looked for better heads, and found a set of 1970 dove c heads from a truck. So... I have a 73 429, a c-6, and a set of dove c heads. My question is, what kind of potential do i have here? And is the info i have heard accurate? I would love something between 4 and 500 horsepower with a "modest" budget in mind. Any info would help me. thanks for reading!

The problem will be building the motor to run on pump gas with the +/-72cc heads. Nobody makes an affordable dished piston any more to make a combination that will work.
With a 0.030" overbore, zero deck height, 9cc gasket and piston with a 30cc dish, you'd be at 9.6:1 static compression ratio and could run pump gas with the proper cam match.

See post 5 on this thread to get an idea of how the cam works with the static compression ratio. This is small block Chevy information, but it all works the same. Every motor out there is just an air pump. A certain cam will seem smaller to a larger displacement motor than it will to a smaller displacement motor, but in the end, they're all the same and will respond to the same hot rod tricks we've been doin' to 'em for over a hundred years.
http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/sho...threadid=41633

thanks techinspector1, so you think i will make too much compression? i thought i would be on the low end. what is the max compression you would want to run on pump gas?

Originally Posted by josh bichard

thanks techinspector1, so you think i will make too much compression? i thought i would be on the low end. what is the max compression you would want to run on pump gas?

Personally, I wouldn't want to go more than 9.5 with iron heads. I'd build in a good, tight squish of 0.035" to 0.045" and match the intake closing point of the cam with the SCR to make a DCR of 8.5 or less. There are fellows who run up to 11.0 with iron heads, but I don't like runnin' on the ragged edge. I also don't like runnin' out of heads before I run out of cam.

I can definatly understand that. So do you think my parts have the 4 to 500 horsepower potential? I would like to use the stock bottom end if I could. And as far as street ability goes, I like a little lope but would like a valve train that will last that i dont have to costantly adjust. The engine came with some kind of holley dual plain that i would also like to utilize. you think i could make it happen?

Those D0VE heads are killin' you. There are no affordable 429 pistons to bring the static compression ratio low enough to operate the motor on pump gas. Bolt on some D3VE's and call it good.

Josh you posted this under the Fe big block Ford thread. I would look into asking the same question under the 429-460 thread where Paul Kane will hopefully see it and respond. He works with these engine for a living .To quickly answer your question about your 429 yes with DOVE-C heads you should be able to get 400 h.p. pretty easily. The problems like Tech has said is in the compression rations with the low profile heads, running on pump gas. Mine has slightly dished pistons made by Keith Black and my compression is around 9.9. Ask Paul, he will steer you right and you can read my thread where he has chimmed in with advice. Good to see another big block Ford guy here.
http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38755

thanks stovens, i will go look for paul. take care