Choosing a Manifold:SBF

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by FireSail

600 is max lift for the AFR 1399 heads. I'm at 586 or so and that's close enough for me with dome pistons. I have plenty of time to tweak my car so setting valve lash is no real chore.

Dale

Which engine version you plan to run in GT class?
I notice you talk about dome pistons; in GT class you can only run a piston configuration as applicable to the engine make, model and year as shown in the NHRA spec. Not a piston configuration that fits the chamber of the aftermarket head.

[Ed Wright]

I think a lot of bracket racers think their stuff is closer to what we have to run, to be legal, than they actually are.

[Chris1529]

I don't think you can go wrong with either the Stealth or the RPM AirGap.
THey are both good choices for an all around intake for SBF's.

[FireSale]

SSDiv6:
I ordered flat top pistons to begin with, but they were always backordered. I switched to the 1970 BOSS 302 which NHRA says has a 5.090 rod and ordered domed pistons. After receiving the pistons I realized that NHRA made a mistake and my build would be illegal. Short rods must run flat top pistons. Rather than try to rub the blueprint page in some techs face, I have opted to finish the engine with the pistons I have and bracket race this year, then switch to flat tops over the Winter and run GT using the 302/230 combo designated for the 68 Cougar. It lists the 600 cfm Holley carb offered on the GT350 that never made it into the blueprint lists. This puts me back where I started at probably GT/M or LA. Lot of nice competition in those classes.

Ed Wright:
As for bracket racers thinking they are more legal than they are, well, I’m not legal and I know it so I’m going bracket racing. I’ll class race when I can.

Personally, I think we should encourage bracket racers to see what changes they need to make to slip over into SS or GT. Some of these cars are a carb and hood scoop away from class racing.

Dale

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by FireSail

SSDiv6:
I ordered flat top pistons to begin with, but they were always backordered. I switched to the 1970 BOSS 302 which NHRA says has a 5.090 rod and ordered domed pistons. After receiving the pistons I realized that NHRA made a mistake and my build would be illegal. Short rods must run flat top pistons. Rather than try to rub the blueprint page in some techs face, I have opted to finish the engine with the pistons I have and bracket race this year, then switch to flat tops over the Winter and run GT using the 302/230 combo designated for the 68 Cougar. It lists the 600 cfm Holley carb offered on the GT350 that never made it into the blueprint lists. This puts me back where I started at probably GT/M or LA. Lot of nice competition in those classes.

Ed Wright:
As for bracket racers thinking they are more legal than they are, well, I’m not legal and I know it so I’m going bracket racing. I’ll class race when I can.

Personally, I think we should encourage bracket racers to see what changes they need to make to slip over into SS or GT. Some of these cars are a carb and hood scoop away from class racing.

Dale

You will not find a Stock or Super Stock eliminator piston on the shelf unless it is a Speed Pro type piston. So the dome pistons you ordered and ready to use, are they for a Boss 302 or an AFR combustion chamber? The AFR cylinder head is a 20 degree head while the Boss 302 is a canted valve, Cleveland series head. They are two different valve layouts.

[Jim Caughlin]

The other issue in regard to being SS legal is that I believe the AFR 1399 head comes with larger valves than are legal if you want to run them as a SS replacement head. That means that you will have to replace all of the seats and valves to be SS legal. The performance drawback is that there will be a big lip under the new smaller seat, without a bunch of welding or epoxy, I can imagine the flow will suck after the seat change.

[FireSale]

Originally Posted by SSDiv6

You will not find a Stock or Super Stock eliminator piston on the shelf unless it is a Speed Pro type piston. So the dome pistons you ordered and ready to use, are they for a Boss 302 or an AFR combustion chamber? The AFR cylinder head is a 20 degree head while the Boss 302 is a canted valve, Cleveland series head. They are two different valve layouts.

AFR 1399 heads on a Ford Racing BOSS block. The one listed in the guide as a replacement for small block Ford. It was less confusing when they just called it the Ford Racing Sportsman block. You can build a SS BOSS with AFR heads, but it sets the purists on fire.

The pistons are Keith Black with a modest dome, 2.6cc I think. The block is 4.000 bore, which makes it a little harder to find pistons. The SRS flat tops I wanted kept slipping month to month in shipping and I ran out of patience.

My rear axle assembly comes tomorrow and I should have it all together and broken in just in time to put it up for the Winter. At least there will be a hotrod in the garage instead of a pile of parts.

Dale

Jim: AFR makes 165 and 185cc SBF heads. The 165cc model number 1399 is listed as a bolt on legal SS replacement head. No valve voodoo needed.

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by FireSail

AFR 1399 heads on a Ford Racing BOSS block. The one listed in the guide as a replacement for small block Ford. It was less confusing when they just called it the Ford Racing Sportsman block. You can build a SS BOSS with AFR heads, but it sets the purists on fire.

The pistons are Keith Black with a modest dome, 2.6cc I think. The block is 4.000 bore, which makes it a little harder to find pistons. The SRS flat tops I wanted kept slipping month to month in shipping and I ran out of patience.

My rear axle assembly comes tomorrow and I should have it all together and broken in just in time to put it up for the Winter. At least there will be a hotrod in the garage instead of a pile of parts.

Dale

Jim: AFR makes 165 and 185cc SBF heads. The 165cc model number 1399 is listed as a bolt on legal SS replacement head. No valve voodoo needed.

Let me clarify a lot of confusion as regards to your interpretation of the rule book and the engine specifications.

The Ford Racing Boss 302 is a Windsor replacement block that can be used in any 260, 289 or 302 applications. It replaces the old Ford Motorsports R 302 block.

Although the AFR cylinder head comes with larger valves, you still have to meet the valve size specs and combustion chamber size as the original OEM cylinder head as shown in the NHRA spec just as Jim Caughlin has stated.

Your pistons also have to meet the dome configuration and dish/dome/valve relief sizes as shown in the engine spec.

NHRA Stock and Super Stock engines are no longer an off-the-shelf engine you can build. They have become high tech engines that require a lot of more work and finese that other engines.

[Chris1529]

Personally, I think we should encourage bracket racers to see what changes they need to make to slip over into SS or GT. Some of these cars are a carb and hood scoop away from class racing.

Dale[/QUOTE]

.....and an engine bay full of money.

[FireSale]

Originally Posted by SSDiv6

Let me clarify a lot of confusion as regards to your interpretation of the rule book and the engine specifications.

The Ford Racing Boss 302 is a Windsor replacement block that can be used in any 260, 289 or 302 applications. It replaces the old Ford Motorsports R 302 block.

Although the AFR cylinder head comes with larger valves, you still have to meet the valve size specs and combustion chamber size as the original OEM cylinder head as shown in the NHRA spec just as Jim Caughlin has stated.

Your pistons also have to meet the dome configuration and dish/dome/valve relief sizes as shown in the engine spec.

NHRA Stock and Super Stock engines are no longer an off-the-shelf engine you can build. They have become high tech engines that require a lot of more work and finese that other engines.

68 Cougar 302/230 stock heads
Intake: 1783
Exhaust: 1457
Head cc: 49.5
Rocker Ratio: 1.6

AFR 1399
Intake: 1900
Exhaust: 1600
Head cc: 58
Rocker Ratio: 1.6

Edelbrock 60217 heads (stamped NHRA Accepted)
Intake: 1900
Exhaust: 1600
Head cc: 60
Rocker Ratio: 1.6

If valves have to match stock +.005 like the rule book states, then neither of these heads listed as SS replacement heads in the Stock Car Classification Guide can be used without basically remanufacturing them down to factory specs. Why would NHRA approve heads that come either supplied or ready for valves that are too big?

Some posters on this forum make building for stock or super stock way too complicated. I refuse to be deterred.

Dale

Chris1529 I have so much money under my hood I can't fit my engine.