Way Off Topic -F..D 460's vs. 440's

[jeeper]

Hello,

First off, I am a Mopar guy so don't shoot me. Three of my four DD's are Mopar, and they outnumber everything else here 2 to 1.

That being said, I have accumulated three 460's. Two good runners and a 73 that needs some help. Looking at various sites I have come to several conclusions.

1. They seem to build an enormous amount of torque.

2. Most builders seem to go real conservative on cam timing etc. It really looks like the HP is way down compared to comparable 440's.

So are these things just doggy or is it just the way that most builders put them together? Any decent 460 stories out there? Are the just crappy or what?

I know my 460 that is in my old work truck would get nine MPG at best driving 56 mph. With a slightly clogged filter and some weight I could drop to 6 MPG. It did have a ton of power and was similar to my Cummins in some ways, although really not comparable overall.

Thoughts, opinions etc? No hate mail please:toothy10:

ROB

 

[RustyRatRod]

All the 385 series engines are fine motors. Probably the reason everybody is so conservative with um is cause...like the Chrysler 400, they suffer from pretty pitiful factory compression ratios. and just like the 400, they blueprint well down into the 7s. I had a friend who had one in a 1976 police package LTD that I warmed over for him with some TRW pistons and a mild crane camshaft. I can honestly sit here and say that I have been the fastest in that car than any other car in my life. It had the certified calibrated speedometer. It went to 140. We had it where the needle was under the dash. I would estimate that there was about 1"-1.5" of room between "140" and the edge of the dash. Even at that speed....whatever it was.......I could still open the fours a little more and make the front end rise. When I did let out of the gas, we counted to 7 mississippi before we saw the speedo needle come out from under the dash. We conservatively estimated we were goin 160 MPH. All of the broken lines in the road were solid, and the only point of focus was dead straight ahead. The car was an ex Bibb County Sheriff car my friend bought from an auction and we fixed up. It was still painted the old county blue which was in great shape with the gold stripe down the side ending in a point in the middle of the hood and still had the dual operational spot lights. So, everybody thought it was still in service. We were in Atlanta ....for what I forget. but he had to be at work at 3:00 that afternoon and it was like 2:20 then. We made it from the outskirts of Atlanta to the doorstep of his work in Macon off Mercer University in 28.5 minutes, and that trip usually takes about 1.5 hours. I had the high beams on and both spotlights. We had a CB in it and dual antennas so we looked the part. We had the CB on channel 19 and the truckers were talkin about "that plain brown wrapper HAULIN ***!" We had cars and trucks movin over to the right hand lane over a mile in front of us. .......yeah, we broke the law BAD and I don't condone what we did and certainly don't support or recommend it. But that was like 27 years ago....we were both young and stupid. Plus there was WAY less traffic and construction out there than today. .....still though, no excuse...so flame away. But I can vouch for the old 460. They will haul *** when you get um right.

 

[BBBCUDA]

My nephews done some fooling with 460's and as noted above, the compression on all but the early engines stinks. FWIW, a set of the early "big plug" heads bumps the compression up a bunch on the later model blocks, and really changes their personality. I have an old Hot Rod mag from '72 I believe, on building the 460. This was shortly after they went to the new smogger heads, and the Ford guys complained that the usual hop up measures, (cam, intake, carb, exhaust), was not getting the same results as the GM and Mopar guys.

Hot Rod did a mild build, and sure enough, no where near the increase it should have gotten. They pulled the heads, ground out the ridiculous bump in the exhaust Ford put in for emission purposes, bolted the heads back on, and saw a 40+ HP increase. Chrysler fooled with doing the same thing with choking off the exhaust, but they put the big, dumb bump in the exhaust manifold port. (I have a pair). Pull the manifolds, the restriction goes away.

 

[dodgetkboy78]

the ford head has a hell of a lot more flow in it, if worked over.

460 is one tough cookie...... Built many, love them.

 

[jeeper]

OK. That makes sense. I guess when I look at the head flow numbers etc. I see the potential for some pretty incredible HP. I know the ports just don't flow well on the exhaust flow though.

It may be Ford thing, I don't know. It is weird but you look at a typical 440 build and they are running quite a bit more aggressive cams, compression etc.

I have heard that the Mopar is the fastest / cheapest / easiest way to get to 500 HP out of all of them.

I am more curious than anything. It just seems like there should be more.

I would imagine a 460 with the typical 10:1 and a .240 cam and an 850 CFM would be a screamer just like anything else.

Thanks guys. I need to go and pull the one from the car.

ROB

 

[CUUDAK]

OK. That makes sense. I guess when I look at the head flow numbers etc. I see the potential for some pretty incredible HP. I know the ports just don't flow well on the exhaust flow though.

It may be Ford thing, I don't know. It is weird but you look at a typical 440 build and they are running quite a bit more aggressive cams, compression etc.

I have heard that the Mopar is the fastest / cheapest / easiest way to get to 500 HP out of all of them.

I am more curious than anything. It just seems like there should be more.

I would imagine a 460 with the typical 10:1 and a .240 cam and an 850 CFM would be a screamer just like anything else.

Thanks guys. I need to go and pull the one from the car.

ROB

Mine was a bit radical but pushed over 900HP! I am a firm believer in the 460!!!

 

[65Val]

Hello,

First off, I am a Mopar guy so don't shoot me. Three of my four DD's are Mopar, and they outnumber everything else here 2 to 1.

That being said, I have accumulated three 460's. Two good runners and a 73 that needs some help. Looking at various sites I have come to several conclusions.

1. They seem to build an enormous amount of torque.

2. Most builders seem to go real conservative on cam timing etc. It really looks like the HP is way down compared to comparable 440's.

So are these things just doggy or is it just the way that most builders put them together? Any decent 460 stories out there? Are the just crappy or what?

I know my 460 that is in my old work truck would get nine MPG at best driving 56 mph. With a slightly clogged filter and some weight I could drop to 6 MPG. It did have a ton of power and was similar to my Cummins in some ways, although really not comparable overall.

Thoughts, opinions etc? No hate mail please:toothy10:

ROB

No hate mail here. I've had a few 460's myself, mostly in pickup trucks. Yes, they make great power and torque, when built properly.

Here's a site where they worship the 385-series. have a look and see what kind of power can be made....

http://www.460ford.com/forum/

 

[comoxian]

I like my 460. I'm not sure of the specs, as we never put it on a Dyno, but it is a torque monster. It's in my '86 F-250 4X4.

After I cracked the block one winter(long story, was in the hospital while radiator needed work), I had a new one built. Picked up a '69(?) block, bored it out 40 thou, installed domed pistons and shaved the block and heads. The new heads, after we found the originals were also cracked :angry7:. She's running about 12:1 compression now :-D.

It's on propane, so it can handle the high comp. Heck, when I bought it propane was only $0.19/litre, so all was good. Now it upwards of $0.75/litre, its too dang expensive to drive.

My gears are so low, that it tops out at about 85mph, but it sure gets there fast :toothy10:. It's fun bouncing the front end up and down behind people that piss me off. :thebirdm:

Yup, just love my 460.