my performance plan

[CustomMerk]

After I buy my wife a new daily driver, im going to start to work on the merc. The plan is to have a stealthy, very driveable car that runs solid 13s
It currently has a stock 302, C6 (ouch), and 3.25 gears. Here is the plan:
-Weiand "action plus" intake
-edelbrock 600 #1405 carb
-small performance cam, something with around 210/214 duration@.050 wide lope separation which would optimize..
-Nitrous, proably the performer kit, jetted at either 75 or 100.

My logic is that the car will not loose any of its daily driver characteristics, will actually see increased milage. And will run some ok numbers on the bottle.

[ca]

i'm no drag racin expert,but it seems like the C6 and the 3.25s should keep you OUT of the 13s without a real serious shot of giggle gas

[CustomMerk]

Thats what I was thinking as well, but 3.25 isnt too bad of ratio with a short tire. The key here is that n20 makes more mid range TQ than anything, so it wont have to be revved like crazy (5000rpm shifts max). Im sure the C6 will sap alot of it up, but at least I dont have to worry about blowing it. My dad-in-law installed the C6 cuz he wanted it to be "bulletproof", I think it made it speed and effeciency proof too.
I am pretty confident that an honest 300 FWHP will push it in the 13's at around 100MPH. Basically it comes down to making at least 200 net HP on the motor.

[ca]

i dont mean to sound like a negative type. if those are the parts you have then put them together and see what it runs ;D

[CustomMerk]

ca said:

i dont mean to sound like a negative type. if those are the parts you have then put them together and see what it runs ;D

it didn't come off as being negative as much as being realistic. Plenty of people talk about all the parts they are going to throw on and how fast they are going to run. They usually are disapointed because things dont always work out as well as the look on paper.
Just from my limited experience, I know that my Camaro traps at 103mph, on the motor, in a much heavier car. It would sure help if I had a baseline from the merc right now, but I dont. The 'lil 302 wants to run but it feels choked with the crappy carb and vintage 2bl 289 intake. The car already has 2.5" duals with flowmasters. I have a pair of used shortie headers I want to make fit. The crappy thing is it might be a while before it happens

[ca]

good luck on those shorties.i've had a set since last summer and still cant figure how to make them fit the 62.

i have just always heard that the c6 is not only heavy but that it soaks up a lot of HP to turn it as well.it really is strong tho

i got the stock 2bl carb on my 221 and its definitely too small even for 221.i took a 2bl off a 351 i have and put it on the 221 with no jet change.it ran better all around-responce,midrange and top end even without changin the jets.but i put the original back in after i rebuilt it.hopefully i'll have my 4bl and aluminum manifold sittin on a 289 by the time the Ford show rolls around.

[STU]

I can tell you this, my Merc has 208RWHP/286ftlbs of torque and my best run to date is a 14.4 @ 95.33mph at a 3400lb race weight but I could have gone faster that day had I not broken the rearend. Last summer with my car 100lbs heavier (3500lbs with the driver) from the new narrowed 9" diff it ran a 14.69 @ 94mph with no traction. I still haven't found a cheap posi locally for my 9 inch diff. Ideally with my trap speed and HP numbers I should run a high 13 pass.

All this is through a stock C4 with a stock 289 torque converter, shifting manually at 5500rpm (valves start to float at 5800rpm). I started with a 215HP 1994 5.0 HO Mustang engine and now with it still running the stock HO roller cam it's around 270HP. Ported heads, Hooker super comps, 1.7 roller rockers Weiand action plus intake, holley 600 and etc. ;D I had a cam like that you speak of in my old, worn out 289 with a autolite 4bbl carb on a factory 4bbl intake. It made 121RWHP through 2.25" duals and factory manifolds. Even making 200HP takes a decent cam. My next upgrade will be more cam, stall speed and stiffer valve springs.

[CustomMerk]

Thanks for the info STU. Nothing is easy huh? Im glad you had those dyno numbers, I can use that as a sort of baseline. Just for bench racing's sake, lets say that...
My 302 (about 18K miles) will make around 125-135 @ the fly.
A correctly tuned (not pig rich) 100HP shot should yield close to its advertised HP and around 130ft/lb of TQ.
That would put me around 210HP I guess it might trap around what yours does?

[STU]

It should but there are no gaurantee's. ....I'm not a nitrous fan, too lean and your in the aluminum melting business.....LOL

[ca]

its ALWAYS better to err on the rich side,just to avoid that problem.i'ma hopin that flywheel HP at 125-135 is a typo cause you could pull that with a well tuned 2.3

i'm no big fan of charts but maybe if you're lookin for ideas this link may help.problem with charts is thay dont deal with all the variables that real life deals you.


www.gearheadracing.com/Reference/HP2ET.htm

[CustomMerk]

I just bought a roller cam 350 Chevy core, so thats going to be getting my attention first. I still want to squeeze the merc this summer, If it cant run some decent numbers I might just have to figure out how to fit a SBC in there j/k

[STU]

The word "Bastardization" comes to mind ...chevy's are for the masses, it takes a real man to build a Ford mill. ;D

[CustomMerk]

Because they are inferior? Or just less common? I have to admit, that I have never been too impressed with the 289/302, its a solid motor for sure, but it does take some work to get them making power.
Now the FE block is a whole other animal. I swear my 390 powered '60 F350 is at least as fast as the merc. I have been really pleased with the FE, it knocks down decent mileage, and makes excellent grunt.

[STU]

I guess chevy's to me are like belly buttons, everybody's got one ...I wouldn't have one just for that reason. I too would have a big block in my Merc if it didn't require so many mod's to make it fit. FE's are strong, torquey buggers.

[ca]

age old arguement but i read a test online recently that one of the magazines did on 302 vs 350 and the ford made more HP with similar mods and was smaller and lighter. i think its more of how you build what you have as opposed to what you have to build. the trick with the ford is getting it to breath,cause most SBF heads generally have small ports in stock form-just a weak opinion

torque is what the BBF is all about,especially the 428 crank.and i think it drops right in that 390 block with 428 rods and gives you a 410 if i remember right