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1,000HP Small Block Build - Grand SchemeDetails Of Our Max Effort Plan To Bring Four-Digit Horsepower To The Feet Of Our Project Pony From the March, 2011 issue of 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords By KJ Jones Photography by KJ Jones
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If we haven't said this before, let us hereby acknowledge that Big Steve really knew what he was talking about when he came up with his now-classic line, "A project car is never really finished until you sell it." Rocco Acerrio of A.R.E. Performance... Rocco Acerrio of A.R.E. Performance & Machine of Simi Valley, California, gives his latest creation-353 ci of blower-ready, small-block-Ford nastiness-a final check, before releasing it to your tech editor for installation in Project T-top coupe. Take good notice of the upper intake plenum. That's Vortech's Mondo ("Igloo") intercooler on top of the new bullet-just one of the latest changes we're making to T-top's power program, as we shoot for 1,000 (or more) rwhp. Now, don't go running away from this story to go scour Craigslist or eBay sale listings with hopes of finding one for our coupe. It's not for sale. Actually, as far as your tech editor is concerned, the rare T-top 'Stang with a trunk will be in the Jones family for many years to come. So, despite whatever feeling of completion we sometimes may have, the special black notchback will always be a work in progress of sorts. With this being the case, our latest Project T-top Coupe tech venture comes nearly one year after our experience at the PSCA's Street Car Super Nationals V in Las Vegas; a bad experience, unfortunately, but one that has brought about a new commitment to making the overachieving coupe even better than it was. A compression check immediately... A compression check immediately after our ill-fated dragstrip pass pointed toward a serious problem with the No. 7 cylinder. After yanking the engine, all it took was a quick look inside the intake port to see that once again, we were looking at a lot more than just a blown gasket. We've enjoyed the credit and congratulations that have come for the big-time power the T-top car pumps out with a drivetrain combination that skeptics felt wasn't capable of generating that type of real-world steam. If you're not familiar with the setup, here's a quick general overview of the 3,500-pound Mustang's previous engine and transmission package, which put 866 hp and 727 lb-ft of torque on the ground, and covered the 1,320 in 9 seconds-A.R.E. Performance & Machine 350ci small-block Ford; AFR 205 heads; Scat 3.250-inch crank; and 5.4-inch rods; SRP dished pistons; Comp 0.608-intake/0.612-exhaust hydraulic-roller cam; Holley SysteMAX II intake manifold; non-intercooled Paxton Novi 2000 centrifugal supercharger (20 psi of boost); and Performance Automatic Super Comp AODE transmission with a Precision torque converter. Here's a close-up look at... Here's a close-up look at the severe damage we found inside the seventh hole. The piston/ring destruction caused gouging on the cylinder wall that's deep enough to require installing a Darton sleeve and giving the block another 0.010-inch overbore (from 0.145- to 0.155-inch). The bore increase brings cubic inches up to 353-slightly larger than standard 9.5-deck engines and roughly 100 pounds lighter. Yes, this fairly simple package, made up of off-the-shelf/non-custom pieces, has been responsible for the good times we've experienced while cruising and drag racing the coupe. However, at SCSN V we learned (in catastrophic fashion) that big steam-moreso, the components that make big steam-have their limits. The bottom line is, we have learned and now accept the fact that throwing 20 psi of non-'cooled boost into the Pony's 350-inch bullet is asking a lot of the Sportsman Racing Products dished, forged pistons that we used in the engine (regardless of tuning, high-octane fuel, and so on). We definitely took the SRP slugs beyond their limits for a much longer time than anyone thought they'd last. The performance is a testament to SRP's durability, as we're sure the pistons would live a lot longer in similar severe-duty conditions if they're used in the lesser-powered engines they're designed for. This is the piston that suffered... This is the piston that suffered the most from the intense heat and cylinder pressure inside the coupe's engine. As this damaging situation occurred with our XFI engine-management calibration (tune) being relatively safe, we've come to determine that the lack of an intercooler and its subsequent elevated intake temps are detrimental to the SRP pistons' longevity. The SRPs are forged from 4032 alloy. In this latest (and if we're lucky, "last") rejuvenation of T-top Coupe's powerplant, we're using our newfound knowledge about pistons to hopefully go beyond the "hundies" and take T-top coupe's horsepower above the 1,000 mark. A rack of eight custom flat-top forgings from JE Pistons gets the nod for this big-steam effort, along with a fresh crankshaft (PN 43022) and rods (PN 65400927) from Scat, and a step up to AFR's 225cc cylinder heads (PN AFR1456). Despite sustaining fairly severe damage in one cylinder, the old-school Ford Racing Performance Parts 8.2-deck "R" block has been sleeved and continues to serve as Rocco Acerrio's mechanical canvas, from which a new, slightly bigger (353 ci) work of engine art will be created. The engine's fresh and upgraded... The engine's fresh and upgraded rotating assembly is highlighted by a custom set of JE Pistons (SRP's parent company), 4.155-inch forgings, and a set of new Scat 5.4-inch connecting rods. The JE Pro Seal ring package is 1/16-inch (top and second) and 3/16-inch (oil), and 0.927-inch pins are used to tie everything together. With this rebuild comes a new mission. As stated earlier, our T-top coupe definitely has exceeded all the expectations that any of us had at the outset of the project. (It's hard to believe that was back in 2006.)We're still working with the rare Pony, and of course, want to make it even better. For this 'Stang, better comes in the form of more horsepower and our new goal is for the coupe to put down 1,000 (or more) ponies at the feet! Yes, we're chasing the dyno now, and we realize that hitting the 1,000hp target will take more than a rebuilt engine with better-breathing heads and a few more cubes. So in addition to the engine upgrade, we're also making changes on the supercharger side of the power system. The JE slugs weigh-in at 550... The JE slugs weigh-in at 550 grams; considerably heavier than the SRP pistons of the original 347 and 350ci versions of the coupe's engine, which weighed a svelte 436 grams. T-top coupe's 20 psi of boost has come by way of a non-intercooled Paxton Novi 2000 supercharger/10-rib, 3-inch pulley-and-belt combination. The lack of an intercooler basically has been the pistons' Achilles' heel, as inlet-air temperatures of 280-plus degrees have had their way with the SRPs, despite safe (rich) tuning and even a blast of water/methanol spray. All roads to cooling the high IATs have brought us to finally accepting the fact that an intercooler must be added to our forced-induction program. Going with a 'cooler is something we've been hesitant about doing. This was largely because installing a unit that will support the type of boost and horsepower the engine generates will require modifying (i.e. cutting) some portion of our rare 'Stang. This side-by-side comparison... This side-by-side comparison shows the difference between our original SRP dished piston (-15.0 dish) and the new flat-top JE piece (left), which actually has a -5.0 dish. With the engine's 9.4:1 compression ratio, the flat-surfaced pistons will promote better (spark plug) flame travel and combustion efficiency because turbulence created by the dish is eliminated. We reiterate that our move is being made simply because of the material used for the JE slugs (2618 alloy) is better suited to withstanding higher heat and pressure conditions brought about by our particular blower application. For those who wish to keep power in the 600-horse range, the less expensive SRP forgings are an excellent choice. After much deliberation, Vortech's Mondo water-to-air intercooler has been selected for the job. Your tech editor and Rocco both agree that the Igloo (PN 8M201-007)-as the Mondo Cooler is called in blown Fox-body circles-is the perfect unit for our effort. Clearancing the 'Stang's cowl hood (for the intercooler's case, lid, and discharge tubing) is a lesser infraction than boring a 4-inch hole in the firewall and cowl box, doing away with passenger seating for 'cooler placement, or hacking up the '86 snout-style fascia to allow better airflow to an air-to-air intercooler. After weighing all of the... After weighing all of the rotating assembly's components individually and calculating its bob weight, Rocco bolts the correct amount of weights to the crankshaft's rod journals (simulates the total rotating and reciprocating weight), adds the flexplate and balancer at each end, and sends the crank on a high-speed spin to determine where weight should be added or removed to achieve perfect balance. So as you can imagine, a good amount of thought has been put into our newest quest for big steam. The tried-and-true Novi 2000 that we've been flogging since the 'Stang was built, will be called on once again for our initial attempt at making a 1,000 horses. The blower now sports a cog-belt drive (blower/crank cogs are roughly the same ratio as serp pulleys) instead of the 10-rib serpentine, and we're confident that without a slipping belt we should see 2-to-3 pounds more than the 20 psi that was the blower's previous max. You may have heard the term... You may have heard the term slug of mallory used in reference to an engine build and wondered what a slug of mallory actually looks like. Mallory is a metal that has more than twice the density of steel. Here's a close-up photo of one of two slugs of mallory that Rocco added to the counterweights on each end of the new 3.250-inch Scat crankshaft. Our stroker is balanced at 28 ounces. If that's not enough for you, the real treat will come after our dyno testing with the original supercharger, when we unbolt the Novi 2K and bolt Paxton's all-new head unit on the potent small-block Ford.
Details on the new Novi 2500, which sources tell us may be Paxton's answer to sister-company Vortech's YSi-trim, will come when we reach the test stage. For now, study the accompanying photos to see what comprises T-top coupe's new boost-ready bullet. A.R.E.'s Rocco stresses that the right combination of parts is key. Even though we're deviating a bit from our original setup (which well may have made 1,000 horses had the air charge been intercooled), we're confident that the new engine package and cogged/'cooled blower setup will work even more efficiently than its predecessor, which was an animal in its own right. The height and width of Vortech's... The height and width of Vortech's Mondo intercooler (PN 8M201-007) typically mandates cutting an opening in a Mustang's cowl hood for sufficient tubing, throttle body, and lid clearance. We're coming to grips with the fact that the T-top coupe's sleeper appearance will be compromised by this addition, but realize it's a must-have accessory at this point. We're counting on a set of Team Z's mounts (3/4-inch drop) to hopefully lower the engine enough for us to maintain the car's smooth profile. Tough Gig
With a goal of 1,000 rwhp, we realize it will be onerous to reach the plateau without addressing the T-top coupe's supercharger situation. While we're sure the Paxton Novi 2000 that has helped get it to 866 hp is plenty capable of producing the required amount of boost for a thousand ponies, we've come to accept the fact that it cannot happen without cooling the air charge. To fix this, we're adding Vortech's Mondo water-to-air intercooler to our project car. The Igloo allows air to pass across ice-water-cooled cores, which dissapate heat and dramatically reduce air temperature/increase air density (our non-intercooled inlet temps were as high as 280 degrees) before it reaches intake ports in the heads.  Our search for more steam...  Our search for more steam brings about a cylinder-head upgrade that we feel will pay big dividends on the dyno. These are the new AFR 225cc castings that we're counting on for next-level performance, as we've taken notice of how well they perform on the NMRA Renegade Mustangs that T-top coupe's powerplant is somewhat patterned after. The heads feature lightweight 2.08 (intake)/1.60 (exhaust) valves and have a combustion-chamber volume of 72cc (the 205s have 58cc chambers). The deck on these heads is 3/4-inch thick, which is perfect for the heavy amount of boost the engine will see as we continue working with T-top coupe.  To the naked eye, intake ports...  To the naked eye, intake ports for AFR's 205 and 225 heads appear to be equal. We eliminated doubt by measuring the ports on both heads.  As you can see, there's a...  As you can see, there's a difference of 0.076-inch (the 225s being the larger of the two, of course).  With the exception of the...  With the exception of the aforementioned pistons, we continue to ride with the lower-end combination that has done our Project Pony's engine well: Scat's forged Pro Stock Style crankshaft, H-beam 5.400 rods, and ARP 2000 Series rod bolts. A.R.E.'s Nathan Hall prepared the fresh short-block in similar fashion to the previous versions of the engine.  Turned over, the short-block...  Turned over, the short-block looks a little odd with the absence of deep dishes in the pistons.  Fel-Pro multi-layered-steel...  Fel-Pro multi-layered-steel head gaskets (PN 1011-1) have proven to be reliable and durable on our high-boost engines, and ARP's heads studs (PN 254-4503) do a great job of keeping the heads on the deck surface.  Nate torques down the new...  Nate torques down the new heads with 55, then 75, and finally 100 lb-ft of torque. Notice the exhaust ports on the AFR 225s. Like the 205s they're replacing, the new heads have 80cc exhaust ports that are raised 0.375-inch higher than OEM, so our JBA headers will bolt right up.  Gaterman makes replacement...  Gaterman makes replacement OEM-style hydraulic-roller lifters for 5.0s and 351W engines. Notice the small washer in this look at the lifter's internals (arrow). Rocco shims each lifter as a method of decreasing the amount of play in the lifter's plunger, making it similar to a solid lifter. Removing as much play as possible helps stabilize and control the valves at high rpm.  We kicked around the idea...  We kicked around the idea of changing the camshaft profile, but ultimately decided to retain the Comp Cams hydraulic-roller bumpstick (0.608-intake/ 0.612-exhaust), as it has served our supercharged engine incredibly well, and Rocco feels it will shine even more with the head swap and other airflow-related changes that are detailed in the sidebar.  The addition of Vortech's...  The addition of Vortech's Igloo intercooler warrants a switch from Holley's SysteMAX II intake manifold, to an R-Series lower manifold from Trick Flow (PN TFS-515L0003). The intake's runners measure 4.625-inch from base-to-plenum deck. After setting Fel-Pro's 1262R intake gaskets in place, Nate drops the manifold over the ARP intake-manifold studs that we've been using since the first build.  Ports on the TFS-R lower measure...  Ports on the TFS-R lower measure 2.00x1.20-inch, slightly smaller than the 2.19-inch ports of the new AFR heads. To overcome this mismatch, Rocco will open the intake's runners up just enough to achieve a spot-on match with the intake ports on the heads.  Once the intake manifold is...  Once the intake manifold is ported, Nate mates the lower with our setup's new intercooler/upper plenum, while Rocco reinstalls the beltdrive, oil pan, and other finishing components for our fresh 353. The intercooler improvement is followed up by a significant change in the Novi's drive characteristics. Cog pulleys are replacing the 10-rib serpentine-belt wheels on the crank and blower. We're making this move to ensure that belt slippage-and the loss of boost-will no longer enter into the performance equation, on the dyno or the dragstrip.  The whole idea behind intercooling...  The whole idea behind intercooling any supercharged or boosted application is to disperse as much heat as possible from the intake-air charge before it enters the engine. The Igloo intercooler consists of three 4.5-inch-thick cores that measure 13.5x9 inches inside a sealed, cast-aluminum box that bolts to the lower intake manifold. Using ice-cold water as the cooling agent, the hot combination of ambient and supercharged intake air passes through the cores twice and is cooled down dramatically before entering the heads (without any significant loss of boost pressure). The Igloo has a maximum 2,000-cfm flow rating, which is well within the airflow parameters we'll need to make 1,000 horses.  The Igloo 'cooler can be adapted...  The Igloo 'cooler can be adapted to the lower portion of three EFI intake manifolds; Ford's stock-302 truck-engine intake, Ford Racing's GT-40, and the Trick Flow R lower unit that we're using, which matches perfectly and does not require any blending.  This 91.5mm throttle-body...  This 91.5mm throttle-body bore on the intercooler's lid is a big step up from the 75mm opening that air entered through in the former engine's intake manifold. Once the new bullet is installed, FAST's all-new Big Mouth 92mm throttle body (PN 54095) will be attached here. Again, Rocco will perform a small amount of port work on the throttle-body bore to compensate for the 0.5-inch difference in diameters.  Naturally, ice-cold water...  Naturally, ice-cold water requires a conduit for passage into the Igloo, and returning to its reservoir (a 5-gallon tank that we'll detail more in our next installment on the project). Simi Valley Race Cars [(805) 990-2158] offers super-sano, water rails that are specifically made for that task. The 3/4-inch rails can be ordered with aluminum or CAD-plated steel fittings for the intercooler's water-feed and return lines. It's important to know that due to the variances in each 'cooler box, water rails are custom-made for each application (requires sending your intercooler to SVRC for fitment).  On the blower side of our...  On the blower side of our performance experiment, we're making the transition from a 10-rib serpentine belt to a full-on cog-drive system. While cogs seem to be abundant for Vortech's superchargers, finding an affordable set of such pulleys for a Paxton Novi 2000 is no easy task. (ASP offers the gears in various tooth-counts, but they're not cheap.) After diligent searching on the Internet, tech editor Jones scored these cog pulleys (30-tooth blower/75-tooth crank) on eBay. This ratio is similar to the 3-inch-blower/8-inch-crank pulley diameters we originally used, which was capable of producing 21 psi of boost.  Finally, here's a teaser preview...  Finally, here's a teaser preview of the new supercharger that we will eventually test on the coupe's new powerplant. This is Paxton's brand-new big-boost bad boy-the Novi 2500 (XP-1407 is an in-house ID code). After performing dyno tests with the original Novi 2000, the cog pulley will be swapped onto this unit for a back-to-back evaluation. According to sources, top-end performance of this new piece exceeds that of Vortech's vaunted YSi! Of course, the dyno is the jury that determines the validity of that claim. Stay tuned to 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords for all of the hard-core results. Saving what undoubtedly is the most exciting upgrade for the end of this effort, an exclusive test of Paxton's all-new Novi-based supercharger is on the schedule. For a long time, the Novi 2000 has sort of played second fiddle to Vortech's YSi-Trim supercharger, especially among those who seek four-digit dyno numbers. Our plan is to explore what's possible in terms of making the 1,000-plus rear-wheel horses we want-first with the OG Novi; then we'll step up to the new unit, which we're told will definitely give Vortech's blower a solid run for its money.
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