Warning Long Post

I am in the process of slapping an engine together just to get my 64 valiant back on the road. Its been a long rocky road trying to build my big hp slant six but life has a way of getting in the way of things. My car had to get out of my parents garage and is now in my drive way. My daily driver is a F350 with 460 gas hog. Wanting to get the car on the road and save on gas, its time to put a bunch of parts together that are taking up space in the trunk of the car or the shop.

I have a BH block that came from a 70s van had low miles when pulled.
So I measured it all up and the cylinders are all true and within the .007 taper tolerance. I have a set of standard pistons and ring on the shelf that I can't seem to sale. I have new standard bearings as well slapped them in and plastigauged and we are good. I am using as many tricks from Doc oil prep info as well. Ordered up some new cam bearings and am going to use a Comp Cams 264 cam and lifters that once again is laying around and can't seem to sale. For the head I am going to use one that has about 30k miles on it from a guy who raced circle track. It has been milled .060 had minor port work on the intake side and gasket matched with 3 angle valve job. I will be swapping springs out to 340 valve springs. The head CC' ed at 52 cc's. I will be running an Offy 4 bbl manifold and holley 390 carb. Electronic ignition/HEI. Stock exhaust manifold with 2.25 pipe.

My question is will 8.37 to 1 compression be ok with the comp 264. I have a felpro head gasket compressed .040 thick. Would I be better off finding a .020 gasket to get closer to 8.5 to 1 for use with this cam?

My hope is to get this thing together and to get a couple years out of it, allowing me time to get my rear axle, transmission and suspension up to the level they need for the big HP /6. I currently have an A-903 and 7.25 in the car. I have a ford 8.8 with limited slip and 3.73s sitting in the yard waiting to get shortened and go in outback. Keeping my eyes out for a T5 5 speed as well.

Second question is how should I expect the above engine to react with the T-5 and 3.73?

Sounds like a nice peppy buildup. I would degree the cam at 99-101 deg centerline, and not more than 102 deg max. Yes, that is not a typo. 8.3:1 will be fine with that cam if it is degreed properly.

Should be a real hoot with T5 and 3.73s...

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Do you know the actual piston to block deck measurement?

With these combos, you usually need as much compression that you can get, cheap.
Use the .020 steel shim head gasket and advance the cam as much as you can. (or dare to)
DD

Sorry Doc got busy messing with my T-5 install now back to the engine. The pistons seat .171-.170 in the hole.

I call the machine shop to get my block hot tanked and the pistons pressed off and new ones on and he said he would do that plus mill the block .070 for $150 so I said lets do it. That should put me right around 9.4 to 1 to help pep things up a bit and I can us the .040 felpro gaskets that I have.