Making a 430 from a 383?

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Brushwolf
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Making a 430 from a 383?

Post by Brushwolf » Tue 27. Oct 2015, 20:22

I have a 60 383 Merc engine that appears to be rebuildable and a second that is not but it had a nice set of the ram style exhaust manifolds and a few other salvageable parts. I also have a 430 Lincoln motor that the exhaust manifolds have a C2 casting number. Know how long they used those? Anyone know what stamping at base of cylinder heads indicates? It says 5437J

It appears from my research that the blocks have the same bore, so am wondering if I can just use the 430 rotating assembly in the 383 block to make it a 430? The reason I can't use the 430 block is that I need the FE bell housing pattern so I can use a T85 OD transmission. I have read that there is both a red and a blue main bearing set for some late motors. What is that about?

Have also read that the early and late motors used different cams and cam bearings as well as timing sets. Can either cam be used as long as matching bearings and timing sets are utilized? Do the heads and intake manifolds differ between the 58-60 versions and later models?

Are the oil pans the same on both a 60 383 and the later motors? I also have a 66 or 67 462 and was wondering if any parts of that would be of use in converting this motor. Read somewhere that the motors after 1960 had a different intake matched to lower profile heads, but IDK if it is true?

Finally, it looks like the only way to sustain a decent compression ratio is to use custom made forged Pistons. How much compression can be maintained without pinging with a streetable cam in a 57 Ford chassis? Do you normally have to deck blocks about 0.020 since the modern gaskets are roughly that much thicker than the steel head gaskets?

Thanks, Mike

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Re: Making a 430 from a 383?

Post by 430 6V » Wed 25. Nov 2015, 21:30

Don't know

Yes, swap blocks

Red or blue, don't know, some later bearings had dual tabs

No, cam bosses changed in the blocks

Heads and intakes do differ early to late, interchange is possible.

Pans will interchange, however, the pre '61's have a shorter sump front to back, better for '57 ford swap

No lower profile heads. Raised port floors around '66 and lower profile intakes '61 up.

Don't know about the ping, I run as much as my race organizers allow.

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