Help.. 1969 Mach 1 needs a little more power

Nuke Laloosh · 07-01-2009, 12:16 AM

Hi everyone. This is my first post at this forum.

I just bought my first Mach1 & wanted to know how I could get a little more H.P. I'm not looking to race it. I want it to be a streetable car, but have a little more torque.

I have a 69 Mach with 351w 4V and a FMX auto. Everything is stock right now. most important thing to me would be drivability... but I want it to be a little mean on the streets.

I'm looking for 320-350 h.p. range... maybe a bit more if it won't hurt anything.

Any help would be appreciated.

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htwheelz67 · 07-01-2009, 12:27 AM

cam and heads, an intake carb and headers would wake it up quite a bit.

Houndstooth · 07-01-2009, 01:48 AM

I agree, if it's stock better flow is #1. Some headers, a new intake and carb are cheap power adders. Heads will make a big difference too but are really expensive (if you are poor like me).

2+2GT · 07-01-2009, 06:59 AM

Well, the heads are of course the 351W, which later on was called the GT40 head, so they are not exactly horrible. Even the intake isn't horrible, but the cam used in the 351W is pretty mild, the factory 4V had the same cam as the 2V. The 289 HP had a much more aggressive cam, even the C9OZ-C hydraulic smallblock cam would be a huge improvement, could be done in one day, and you'd really like the results.

htwheelz67 · 07-01-2009, 10:26 AM

actually the stock 351w intake is horrible, worse than the 289 stocker.

KMatch · 07-01-2009, 10:47 AM

You'll get the most bang for the buck if you replace sucky rear end gearing. If you're already at 3:50-4:11, go with engine mods. If you're in the 2.73=3:00 range, a swap will do WONDERS to your ego and kill some tires in the process.

socalwrench · 07-01-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htwheelz67

actually the stock 351w intake is horrible, worse than the 289 stocker.

I agree- the intake is restrictive. If you have GT40 heads- swap out the intake, carb, and cam. After that- headers, larger exhaust and then gears (with a LSD if you don't have one).

boogerschnot · 07-01-2009, 11:54 AM

Ive got the same motor man and I went with the Holley street avenger 670 carb, Edlebrock performer cam, and intake and some hooker headers. Nothing else was done but a motor build at .020 over. It really changed the way the car ran.. In fact, the biggest change was just a month or so ago when I finally went from the 2bbl stock carb and intake to the 4bbl setup to match the cam.. It woke up big time!! I do however think that I would have been happier with a bigger cam. Just because I know that I will eventually go with the Performer RPM or something along that line, and of course have to change the intake to match the cam again..

Im guessing that Im putting out right at 300hp, but with the 275 gears in the rear its a little chuggy off the line..

If you are shooting for 350hp, I would go Edlebrock RPM cam/intake and some headers or something similar and a bigger carb (600-650-670cfm) You may fall a little short of 350, but if you add heads later you will definately be up past there. A cam/intake/carb/and headers should run you under $1000, way less if you go used for the intake and find a good deal on the carb and headers..

htwheelz67 · 07-01-2009, 10:35 PM

booger, the dyno test on the performer int/cam/carb is 230hp.....your a long way from 300hp, the performer cam drops off way faster in a 351w than in a 302.

Nuke, I'd go the bolt ons first, with intake,carb,headers, 2 1/2" exhaust, maybe hot ignition, if its a 4bbl engine you have to run 92 octane and get the ignition recurved, you are kinda screwed with the almost 11.1 compression but ignition curve can be adjusted.

Then when you want to yank the engine, add cam, heads (if no rebuild bigger chambers) to get compression down to 10.1. Otherwise if you want to do a cam change while in the car I would recommend a custom cam to work with what you have as far as the long block.

longlive289s · 07-02-2009, 03:41 AM

if your just looking for quick, cheap, fast power you can do yourself.....headers. all the other suggestions are awesome and need to be done but as hounds said....flow is key and the mustang manifolds were crap.

doing it yourself is pretty cheap. got my hooker headers for $300. ripped the manifolds off and put the hookers on.

fun part was since i dont have a welder i got to drive the car to a close by Midas that welded my headers to the rest of my exhaust for $80. SO FREAKING LOUD