bad news...
4th Gear Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,236
From: NJ
If you're budget is $5G's, forget about what people are saying about heads and cams, you don't have the money at this stage. Unless there's something wrong with the heads or cams in the car, run with what you have for now. First, decide what it is you want to do. If you're going to run FI later, have a shortblock built with that in mind. If you're going to do nitrous or NA, than put that into your plans, but you need to know which way you're going to go. Get a good shortblock built or the time being, that way when you get some more cash, you can throw on nitrous or a blower and your bottom end will be able to take it. When you get a bit more, then do the heads and cams. This way if you do FI, you're not hurting performance by doing a blower specific cam profile on motor hat at that time doesn't have a blower.
4.6L Section Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,286
From: South Central PA
Well, I was at that price range at the end of last year, and after talking to a few guys, decided to wait because 5k wasn't enough to build the NA motor I wanted. The problem is, if you build a NA motor with the intention of boosting later, you will have to compromise in one way or another. You can't build a NA to it's fullest potential and then boost it, because the compression will be too high, and the cams will be wrong for it. But if you build it for boost, and dont boost right away, it won't run well/at with the blower cams you will need to get your full potential. Now, of course you can still build the motor, and put some decent cams in, and then boost it later, you just won't get as much out of it. If you want a NA ONLY motor, with not intentions of boosting, then you can get everything brand new that will rev to the moon and get you around 400rwhp for about 7k$. That's the number I got last year, and I have not gone through with it because I just didnt have that kinda change in the cushions...
Now, you could definitely do it cheaper, if you use a stock block, and piece it together from different companies. But you should definitely talk to some shop owners. I think 10inchterror is who I talked to and got a price from...Cushman maybe..I have terrible memory sometimes..
Now, you could definitely do it cheaper, if you use a stock block, and piece it together from different companies. But you should definitely talk to some shop owners. I think 10inchterror is who I talked to and got a price from...Cushman maybe..I have terrible memory sometimes..
Anyways, I'd go ahead and get an MMR1000 shortblock awhile($3k) and then get all the fixings like ARP head bolts and stuff like that, reassemble with your current heads and cams and run it and put the rest of the money in the bank and save for the power adder.
Thread Starter
5th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,312
From: NJ
how about this block with my heads ported and bigger cams?
http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/MMR-400900A
http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/MMR-400900A
4.6L Section Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,286
From: South Central PA
Run around a 9.2:1 compression which isnt really that terrible...only .4 less than stock and I think that might be a 17cc dish, im not sure though. The MMR1000 shortblock that i priced out with the fixin's i'd put on/in it is roughly around $3600 with all the ARP hardware and headstuds and stuff.
The one you posted would work well, but i'd want the ARP rod bolts, main studs, and head studs, and the MMR side bolts. But yea, that would work well.
The one you posted would work well, but i'd want the ARP rod bolts, main studs, and head studs, and the MMR side bolts. But yea, that would work well.
Last edited by teej281; May 11, 2010 at 08:37 PM.
Thread Starter
5th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,312
From: NJ
That wouldnt be bad. Oh and for those who were mentioning weight reduction im cleaning the whole thing out a/c interior seats its all going. ITs gonna be a nasty street strip car because i dont need it as my DD now.
4.6L Section Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,286
From: South Central PA
The way Im going to ask you to look at it right now is would you rather have a blower sooner or spend the money on the heads and cams now and have to wait that much longer for the supercharger? I'd want to build the motor now, save the rest, buy the blower you want and then worry about heads and cams. But i'd also look into PI heads and cams a while too if you dont already have those.
Thread Starter
5th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,312
From: NJ
i have ported pi heads and stage I comp cams. So i think my plan than is to get the forged mmr shortblock and put my heads and cams on and than save for a blower. or maybe even try that 1500 kit cause i have time to wait and piece everything together. Will that meet my goals for an 11/10 sec car? Along with the motor stuff i plan on getting skinnies for the front and and new struts and as i said all the weight reduction.
Last edited by 98redstang; May 11, 2010 at 08:47 PM.
