First let me say I have not posted here in a long while do to family circumstances. Everything is fine now so here is my question? Some of you may remember I have 71 comet gt and I am putting a professionally built 408 stroker motor in her with 500 horses and above. I have cut the shock towers, welded the plates in and have put on the sub-frame connectors on. Now, someone told me that I should install a mustang 2 front end for strength. I want to know without the stang 2 front end will the car the way it is be able to handle the stress of the motor. Also, what else can I do to beef up the frame? Thank y'all in advance. james comet
Sorry, can't help with front end question. But, will your rear and tranny be able to handle 500+ horses? Not sure what your setup is, but your C4 will need work, and the rear will probably have to be 9". Aftermarket drive shaft?
front end should be no problem. however make sure you have good shocks and ball joints, etc. what are you using for a rear end, traction bars, tires, shocks, etc.?
I think it would be OK. Make sure you have the V8 cross brace that goes under the engine and a torque limiting strap on the driver's side of the motor. You could also stiffen up the chassis with a roll bar/cage or use motor plates instead of motor mounts. With a 408 you could be in the upper 500HP range and it should have a lot of torque too. Sounds like fun.
i guess a lot depends on what your intended use is. if it's going to see the dragstrip it will need a roll bar, driveshaft loop, 5 point seat belts and other stuff. especially if you run faster than 11.49. you need to get the nhra rulebook if you plan on that.
You COULD do a M II front end but you don't NEED to. Supposedly Ford's shock tower front end is stronger than a M II because it carries the load into the cowl/firewall area, whereas an M II kit carries the load down the thin sheetmetal unibody subframe. We've all seen big hp motors running both setups, either one will do the job for your power level.
Ok, here's what it has. ***It has a ford 9inch, 31 spline rear end. It has a posi with 3:55 gears. The tranny is a baby C-6 with a manual valve body. All the ball joints/shocks/idle arm etc and suspension is new. Manual steering with brand new ssbc brakes to stop this thing. I do plan on using additional braces like a montecarlo bar etc. The car is not going to be a drag racing car per se but rather a street/freeway car. Oh, and I don't have a roll cage as of now. Can you guys think of anything else? What kind of tires and size would you use? Thanks again. james comet
Should be a screamer. The MII would also add disc brakes and rack & pinion steering. Its really not necessary but if you got the bucks its a worth while investment.
Yeah, right... rear can go 255/60r15 max (at least width-wise) I think that is 26X10.5 on slicks, not that you care, since this is a "street car" Sounds like a great setup, but it will need to be a sturdy car (subframes, etc) and all that. I don't know...will a C6 handle 600hp...anyone?
Honestly, it's not going to the drag strip and ***Honestly, it's not going to the drag strip and I only live 12 miles from the Las Vegas Speedway. If it ever did I would let my mechanic's nephew (a younger guy than me) make a couple of passes. He has a 2000 mustang with twin turbos and runs in the low tens. Btw, where did you all of a sudden come up with 600 hp? I do have access to a dyno and my mechanic said he will put it on there for free so it should be interesting. Thanks :bananaman james comet
I came up with 600hp as you said "500+". I believe that you should build all your other parts to be stronger than your engine. That way, you throw a rod before you blow up a rearend, spin off a driveshaft, or blow up a clutch/tranny. Personally, with my 302 (soon to be 347), I will build the rest of my car to handle 500hp, since I know that if I hit 500 with my 302 block (which I do NOT plan on doing, I want to keep it closer to the 400-450 mark), I will split the block. Therefore, I will build the other components so that they will be able to handle whatever the engine can throw at it. I figured if you build everything else to handle 50-100 hp more than you think the engine is making, you should be fine (until you hit that 150HP nitrous shot :evilsmile )
I would put a Monte Carlo bar and Shock Tower braces on it for ease of handling the 500+ hp's. The car could get away from you really quick! It'll stiffen and help support the front end. I'm with Erick - you DO have the V8 cross bar, right? Right! Check this guy's 427 out (in an engine bay that 'might be' the same size as the Mavericks - one of the Legend Members here will hopefully confirm or debunk that information) http://www.network54.com/Forum/75943/message/1155778471/A-NSS+TBOLT+FOR+SALE
man, i wish i only lived 12 miles from lvms. that's a great track. well run and racer friendly. i ran the first big bucks race there, even won some money. and then ran the et finals there the next month. they put on a banquet for the racers that cost about $30k. wow. i'd like to make it there for the thanksgiving 4 day race. $100 entry for sportsman for all 4 days. but the wife and daughter say that thanksgiving is a family tradition at home. oh well. sounds like you're going to have a hauling car. good luck.
