Troutman said that while he...
Troutman said that while he would have preferred a Multi Layer Steel gasket, that would require a custom order. But Fel Pro offers this composite head gasket as a more affordable off-the-shelf part, so that’s what goes on.
Big 1/2-inch head bolts make...
Big 1/2-inch head bolts make for lots of clamping load. Here, Troutman brings the fasteners up to the final torque spec of 100 ft-lb in three stages.
Troutman stuck with Comp Cams...
Troutman stuck with Comp Cams for the solid flat tappet lifters to mate to the Comp custom-ground camshaft. Don’t take a chance on cheap lifters, especially no-name knock offs from China. With bushed lifter bores you can run tighter clearances for better efficiency, but if the lifter diameters aren’t consistent you’ll wind up with a seized lifter and a potentially ruined engine.
Scorpion produces these fully...
Scorpion produces these fully machined aluminum rocker arms in the stock 1.73:1 ratio that also use the stock pedestal mounting system. You can use stud mount rockers, but that requires significant machine work on the heads. Unlike the original Ford system which bolts the rockers directly against the pedestal, Scorpion does allow lash adjustments by using shims, which you can see in the foreground.
Using shims does require a...
Using shims does require a bit of extra work, but we finally got the rockers properly lashed at 0.020 for the intakes and 0.022 for the exhausts. Once the engine is at operating temp, the hot lash should tighten up to 0.018/0.020.
The pushrods are 8.375 inches...
The pushrods are 8.375 inches from Manley Performance. From this shot, you can really see how much each valve is angled toward the center of the cylinder, which helps unshroud the valves and improve overall flow.
The original Cleveland design...
The original Cleveland design utilized a metal stamping that goes between the valley tray and the intake manifold and doubles as an intake gasket. But it doesn’t provide as reliable sealing as a real intake gasket, and with all the machining KT Engines has done to both the decks of the block and heads, it didn’t fit right anyway and got left off. If you follow this route, make sure to put down plenty of silicone to seal the additional gap between the block’s china wall and the ends of the intake.
Here’s the stock dual-plane...
Here’s the stock dual-plane intake in place. This cast-iron pig is heavy and will definitely choke off top-end power, but since the rulebook requires a 5,000 rpm limiting chip in the ignition, it’s not really a big deal. Also, notice how much material has been machined away to work with a four-barrel Holley.
Rules also require a stock-style...
Rules also require a stock-style HEI distributor. Mallory’s high-output HEI unit can provide plenty of power way beyond this engine’s redline and will handle the job admirably.
In the car, the engine will...
In the car, the engine will use the stock cast iron exhaust logs, but they won't fit on the dyno, so we used a set of headers for the old D3 Ford Cup heads. We probably didn't gain too much in terms of power because the header tubes were too large for the application.
In the end, this Cleveland...
In the end, this Cleveland produced a nice flat torque curve and peaks of 455 lb-ft or torque at 4,900 rpm and 472 hp at 6,400 rpm.
On The Track
While working with Circle Track for this story, engine builder Ken Troutman was working under quite a deadline. He put in a few late evenings in order to finish the engine in time to completely break in and dyno the engine on a Thursday. The race team came by to pick up the engine on Friday and raced that next Saturday afternoon and evening at Concord (NC) Speedway. Although it'sn't an official Kimmel Street Stock Nationals event, Concord has adopted the entire rulebook for the Street Stock class.
Driving a Thunderbird (pictured) powered by the new motor, driver Jeff Melton reports that this Cleveland won its very first race. And as far as we can find out, it's the first time a Ford has won an event racing under the KSSN rulebook.