Big-Block Ford Engine Build - Easy 500 HP From The Ford 460

Shim to Win

We bolted our 466ci big-block onto JGM's SuperFlow dyno and capped it off with a set of 131/44-inch dyno headers and a pair of 2 1/2-inch dyno mufflers. With 35 degrees of timing and bigger jets, the big Ford cranked out a massive 555 lb-ft of torque and a respectable 503 hp at a conservative 5,200 rpm.

The JGM crew also clued us in on a simple valvetrain adjustment on these engines. The '73-and-later iron 429/460 heads all use a nonadjustable fulcrum-style rocker setup. Rebuilding one of these Lima engines usually involves removing the block and the heads. If using one of the tall-deck-height blocks, this could involve milling as much as 0.030 inch or more off the block deck. Retaining the fulcrum-rocker system with a shorter-deck-height or milled heads creates excessive lifter preload. Crane makes a kit (PN 99170-1) with 0.030-, 0.060-. and 0.090-inch-thick shims that will reduce lifter preload.

This minor change accomplishes two things. It is generally worth improved idle quality and more importantly minimizes the amount the lifter can "pump up" at higher engine speeds. While this may appear insignificant, a minimal hydraulic-lifter preload is generally worth power at higher engine speeds.

Networking At Its Best

There's always something new to learn, and one of the best things about the Web are sites devoted specifically to engines like the 429/460 Ford. While researching this story, we found a forum on network54.com. Find the search button and type in 385-series Ford and you'll get to 460ford.com (we tried just entering www.460ford.com but it never works for us). Its tech forum gives members a chance to ask questions and get answers on these engines and related big-block Ford information. Check it out.