I have a 87 302 4 speed in my 65 with mild upgrades(msd ignition,stealth intake,1406 carb,hooker headers....etc). Is it worth it to get a high torque starter or should I just get a stock. I do plan on getting heads in the future and maybe a different cam. Will the starter give me at least a quicker start up now.

 

If you're running headers, get one of the mini-starters. Much better chance of avoiding heat soak on the starter since there is more room between the header and the starter. Also makes it easier on installation/removal of the starter or headers due to the smaller footprint.

As far as high torque vs. regular....it's a personal choice unless you're running a high compression motor. If you're running over 10:1 compression, definitely get a high torque starter.

We run a mini-starter on our '66 (9:1 compression motor), and it turns the motor over just about the same as the full size starter does. Doesn't start any faster or any easier, but we don't get heat soak any more.

 

I took my starter out with the headers on without much of a problem...and I never really had any heat soak. By the sound of it I might be able to get away with a stocker and a heat shield just in case for the time being. thanks for the input

 

Frankly, the little high torque units LOOK cool, they are cool gadgets, but in the absence of fit issues, or the ACTUAL NEED for additional torque, for me it is hard to justify replacing an EXTREMELY RELIABLE starter available at practically any parts store in America for $20 to $40, with a unit that costs 3 to 10 times as much...

IMO, the "old style" starters are even "cool" in a traditional kind of way.

Also, I really like the fender mounted solenoid. I think this really was one of Ford's "better ideas", I think that the starter mounted solenoids are not as reliable as the inner fender mounted units.

So, I like the old style.......

 

I agree with JMD; I wouldn't recommend replacing a good standard replacement starter. If it's not broke, don't fix it. Heat soak isn't much of a problem on these cars, even with headers.

That said, I dropped a Powermaster high-torque mini starter in my car a couple years back after my very old stock-style unit heat soaked and died. I absolutely love it. It's much, much lighter and it spins up much faster (sounds like a Mopar now). I even kept the fender mounted solenoid.

 

Some years back we put a Power Master starter in my sons SBC powered truck. It does sound cool and it does turn his warmed over 350 nice and quick.

Early on, the fuel injection was screwing up and flooding the crap out of the engine. In the repair process (and out of frustration) we worked that starter long and HARD several times. (it was flooded to NEAR HYDROLOCKED a few times.)

Well, for one reason or another, the sprag started slipping. Brought the starter to the parts store, KNOWING they did not have another one, and being STUCK on using the starter we had just paid over $200 for, knowing the starter was made with common parts because of development costs, I asked the counter guy if it looked like any other starters he routinely sells. He let me know it kinda looks like a Toyota starter so I had him pull a few.

I found one that 'looked right' brought it home pulled it apart, swapped out the sprag and rollers and bang,, rebuilt for the price of a $34.00 starter and a little time...

The Power Master starter IS a reworked and modified TOYOTA starter...

But all in all, sans the abuse, the starter has lasted for a long time now. But still looking back on the whole thing, a $30.00 parts store starter or two would have been a lot cheaper...

 

You're right, they are reworked Toyota starters, but that's because parts are cheap. I don't regret paying the $160 or so for mine (I got the lower torque version) because it's been reliable and starts very well.

PMGR starters tend to have a higher current draw than the OE-style starters. Because of that, it's not recommended to turn them over for more than a few seconds at a time.