Help me build/get a motor for my maverick!

My maverick has been sitting for approximately 3 months now


It came with an overheating 302 "roller" carb motor. It consisted of

Stock style distributor and coil.

Original 6 cylinder radiator

Roller map cam

Edelbrock torker 289

650cfm edelbrock cam

e6 block and heads

long tube headers with dual flowmaster mufflers


What I believe to be original 6cyl c4 transmission.

8" possibly? rear end with 2.80 gears and open diff.

Car was painted bright blue and in decent shape, it overheated but I figured with timing adjustments and a new aluminum radiator it would be fine. I drove it TWO+ hours overheating if you gave it more than half throttle.

Long story short, a head-gasket was installed backwards. I changed the gasket and installed a new radiator and it was still a dog and running hot. It also had low oil pressure. Skip ahead; took the motor apart and it is destroyed. The crank cannot be turned enough to be usable. Rods are junk block needs all the machine work.

 

Now for my options...

Rebuild my shortblock and reuse my heads cam and timing stuff. This will cost approximately 1300-1400$ from Bay engine exchange.

I can buy a running no warranty 400$ e6 long block non roller from a salvage/junkyard..

A local recycle has a 93 cobra motor with all the fuel injection crap on it for 1000$ supposedly low miles, it has been on the shelf "saved" for a few years by the owner but he knows my uncle and is willing to sell it to me.

A shop in sacramento says for 2700$ they will rebuild my longblock with some aftermarket iron heads, a custom erson camshaft and stock rods and crank. Approx 350hp

Another shop will build me a 347 stroker with custom cncd aluminum heads and all the goodies (410hp 11-1 compression) for 3700-3800$ requiring a new carb and intake.

For 800-900$ I can get a roller 5.0 motor with unknown miles and a 30 day guarantee.


What should I do? My transmission will also need replacing with any sort of horsepower, I can live with the rear end for a few months.


At this point, I think the cobra motor which comes with gt40 heads and roller rockers, sell all the fuel injection stuff from it, stuff in a real aggressive cam (carb. and no smog) Use my headers, and a single plane like weiand stealth with my carb, and electric fans, and take the other 1000$ to buy a decent c4 with a 3500 converter or so.

Im not afraid of turbo's either which was another idea, snag the cobra motor and put a blowthrough and masterpower t76

Give me some thoughts, sorry for the saga.

 

sounds like you have done all your home work. you just need to decide on what you what to use the car for. what are your goals for the car and what type of budget do you have?

 

I think you've covered all your bases. What do want to do with the car? The more motor you buy the more you have to spend on the rest of the car to match it.

 

I would like a quick cruiser type car, but I do want to be able to upgrade in the future. It is a tough decision.

IF I go for the gusto and spend 3800$ on a stroker motor, and it goes tits up! Big problem.

If I buy a 1000$ gt40 motor and it throws a rod through the block...atleast I have a 400$ set of heads to go on the next shortblock.

I Have right now approximately 2000-2500$$ but my budget total is around 3500$ for the transmission and motor, this does not include intake/carb/cam or ignition upgrades those can be a little further down the road.

 

i would go with the cobra motor. sell the efi stuff. have the c4 built to v8 specs. you listed that you had a torker 289 intake already. thats a single plane intake. you reference a weiand stealth intake as a single plane but its a dual plane intake. all you would really need to make that cobra motor carbed is a distributor that has the right gear on it for the roller cam. the 85 mustang GT 5 speed distributor is a very easy and popular way to go. you will need to use an electric fuel pump or swap the front timing cover for a mechanical pump cover and put the fuel pump eccentric on it. then just swap the oil pan and oil pick up to a front sump set up.

 

I had completely forgot about the fuel pump...Can a inline electric be placed toward the rear of the vehicle? Or do I have to drop the tank for an intank style?

Also should I go back to Vbelt and ditch the serpentine or is it a better idea to have a serpentine setup? I have just the waterpump and alternator to turn, I will have e-fans when I install it.

Next question, any idea what kind of horsepower this would make?

GT40 cobra motor, with a aggressive cam, intake, and headers/dual exhaust, topped with a 650 carb and solid ignition? I am guessing 260hp or so at the crank? Sound about right? Deffinitely not a hot rod motor, but much better than the 160hp motor I had before.

 

I'm running an inline Holley electric (biggest type without regulator) and it's worked absolutely perfect. its mounted just outside the tank on the frame rail. don't cheap out on one...i did and had to replace it after 2 months, no name brands just don't seem to last.

 

USe a serp type belt and the newer 3g style alt. You'll need it with the electric fan anyhow. I have the v belt on my 3g but it slips a bit cold with accessories turned on. Switching to multi rib next season. MAny options for the pulley and belt arrangement. You could start another thread just on the belt drives.
The gt40 set up with a nice cam,induction and exhaust will get the car moving quicker than you may realize. Its a nice set up for the street. A bit of converter and a gear change out back will wake it up to be a very respectable street car. No idea on HP numbers nor does it matter. I know you'll like it though.

 

I had the v belt with a large case gm ad244 alternator already. If I go serpentine I think I will have to go with the 3g ford instead which is a huge downgrade.

Electrical output is a small concern I have much bigger fish to fry at this point :\

Im going to try to slide into the cobra motor under a grand...feel it out tomorrow, wish me luck!

 

Just a thought here.
You say that at some point in time you want to be able to upgrade, do you mean the motor, trans, or rearend?
Once you have a good solid foundation (shortblock) you can always add heads, change cam or whatever...................but looking at the big picture the short block should be your strongest starting point. The trans can always be upgraded and so can the rearend.
I would look at getting a good block, then getting a good but fairly inexpensive 331 or 347 stroker kit which will include crank, rods, pistons, rings and bearings. All you need to do is put it together. If you need some help I know a number of guys in the Sacramento area or I would help you put the motor together although I live in San Jose. Take whatever heads you have and do some porting work yourself (not that hard) and cc the chambers...........etc. At least this way you will have a good shortblock to add to rather than sink more money later on into a completely new motor, and if you do it right you will learn while having some fun putting together a 350hp motor.
IMHO

 

Upgrade to me honestly would be a turbo, supercharger, or nitrous. I have owned several turbo cars and played with DSM's a bit, and my uncle has a blown 360ci chevrolet with a 6-71 and twin holleys on a 32 ford sedan...So I am well versed in tuning and making timing adjustments, and upkeep to a FI engine.

That said. Honestly I would love to have a solid shortblock, but I have E6 heads....They are good for a whopping 150hp?! They are paperweights. In order to really get into a solid stroker shortblock or even a high compression 306 I HAVE to buy heads, cam, intake...possibly a carb? Ignition setup...It never ends, and honestly...I dont think its in my budget to get completed.

Who knows I havent bought anything yet and im still saving

 

A couple of weeks ago on Horse Power TV, they built a 306 that put out 419HP, with $3000 worth of top end parts. In a few of the Mustang magazines there are different advertisements for rebuilt short blocks around $700.

 

I would check our Champion Radiators First. They have great products that will cool your engine so this won't happen again.
http://www.championradiators.com/search?searchwords=MAVERICK&searchsmall_566018034=

 

Late Model Restoration has a nice shortblock for $699. I've used them in a few builds and never had a problem. We've used E7 heads or early 289 heads with TFS Stage 1 or 2 cams, Torker intake/Weiand Stealth/Edelbrock RPM Air Gap, and 600 or 650 carbs. Depending on the heads and modifications to them we've put down anywhere from 310 to 350 hp to the tire.

As Bob stated, get a radiator from Champion. "Must-have" item.