460 4bolt main question

[wap]

I am wanting to build a BBF for a jeep project cause its differant and I have always been partial to the blue oval. That said I want this motor to be as bullet proof as possible and make around 450-550hp. I have been reading and searching for quite a while now and as far as I can tell the 460s were only offered in 2 bolt mains. Is this correct?

I know the 4 bolt is overkill for what I am wanting to do but I will beat on this motor and I really need it to be beefy. I know it will cost more but I would rather do the job once also.

My next question is, if there are no 4 bolt 460s where would be a good place in the southeast to have it done? And how much $ am I lookin at?

I know these are some newb questions but I have been out of the gas motor seen for quite a while and have been dealing only with hot rod diesel motors for the last few years and dont know much about the BBFs. So any advice is much appreciated.

And if it matters right now I am thinking I would like to go forged crank and rods, Al heads and maybe a 10:1 ratio. I want good power and reliability but I want to be able to crank it up and drive it everyday if I want to, and do it on pump gas.

Thanks for any help, and again, please forgive the newbieness of this post but I have used the search function and I just cant read anymore.

PS What 429/460 block I should be looking for? Again reliability is what I am after and since I plan on aftermarket heads I dont quess the castin on the heads matters other than resale.

Thanks

[Dave Severson]

If you're going to 4 bolt it, go with the splayed caps. Makes a super stout bottom end. The John Kasse designed Super Cobra Jet heads are very good, also ran a set of Trick Flow's A-460 heads, but with Trick Flows, the power band is a bit higher in the RPM range and more of a track only head... For street use, the Edelbrock Performer RPM heads are probably just fine.... Oh yeah, and make sure the rest of the chassis is up to handling a bunch of extra weight and torque!!!!

[wap]

Thanks for the info.

Like stated I dont quess I NEED to 4 bolt it but if its not gona be a boat load of $ I would like to do it just cause I tend to go a lil overkill.

And as far as the rest of the drive train, well it should be up to it, I know its not quite what most around here are used to, but I plan on a 14bolt FF in the rear, a D60 with prob 35 spline shafts and 4.88-5.13 gears, and maybe an NP435 with a 205 case. I know thats not what this site is about (the 4x4 stuff) but I have yet to find anywhere with so much info about motors. This is a great site.

Any FWIW I plan on building the drivetrain and while it is all coming together find/build the motor and like most $ and time are my main limiting factors, if I get this build done in the next 2 years I would be very happy with that.

I think the Edelbrock heads are what I am leaning towards, just cause they seem to make better low end than some, I am not overly concerned with the upper rpm flow, though I dont want to completely neglect it either.

[Paul Kane]

wap,

In all seriousness, I like to over-build my shortblocks for strength, too. That being said, let me tell you from first-hand 429/460 engine building experience that you are mis-spending your project funds by using a 4-bolt block and a forged crank and aluminum heads if all you want is a modest 450-550 hp. You can do that easily with the oem iron heads, oem cast crankshaft, oem 2-bolt block, oem head holts and oem main bolts. How can I be so sure? Because we have generated THREE TIMES the horsepower from those parts and they lived. (Kids, don't try this at home.) You obviously have yet to learn just how strong the factory 429/460 componentry truly is. I have a customer runnink 737 hp with a 2-bolt block at 6000 rpm sustained up the Colorado River in his boat and has beeing running it for years and years.

Money spent on a 4-bolt block (or 4-bolting a block) + aluminum heads + forged crank and aftermarket rods (judging by the way you are leaning) would be thsouands more than you need to spend for 500 +/- hp. OEM 460 parts can do that in their sleep, if you know the proper combination.

All 460 blocks are good ones for such a build. For a brief description of detailed block differences, click HERE.

Paul
www.highflowdynamics.com

[hotrodstude]

no 460 came with 4-bolt engines but you can use a 429 cj or scj block they were all 4-bolt mains.i have a 494 can-am engine but its not for sale at any price.it's an alum block.and it's its in my 69 sportroof galaxie.

[Itoldyouso]

Paul, what do you think of something like Trick Flows main stud girdle for a 460? I've considered putting one on the 460 that I might actually get finished some day. The engine will probably end up in some bracket car....nothing real radical, just dependable and consistent.

Don

[Paul Kane]

no 460 came with 4-bolt engines but you can use a 429 cj or scj block they were all 4-bolt mains.

The 1971 SCJ engines had 4-bolt main engine blocks; 1970 CJ engines were not spec'd to have the 4-bolt block.

Paul

[Paul Kane]

Paul, what do you think of something like Trick Flows main stud girdle for a 460? I've considered putting one on the 460 that I might actually get finished some day. The engine will probably end up in some bracket car....nothing real radical, just dependable and consistent.

Don

How much power and rpm are we talkin'?

[Dave Severson]

We've ran big block Fords in bracket racing and Super Gas since '97.... We always cam for torque and stay out of the high rpm stuff.... Over the years, we've never bothered with the girdles on any of the engines that are always in the 500 horse and torque range and the closest thing we've had to a bottom end failure is a bad thrust bearing---once.... Used to build them with the splayed 4 bolt caps, but we don't even bother with that anymore, just the 2 bolt setup like the factory sent them out.....

[Paul Kane]

Over the years, we've never bothered with the girdles on any of the engines that are always in the 500 horse and torque range and the closest thing we've had to a bottom end failure is a bad thrust bearing---once.... Used to build them with the splayed 4 bolt caps, but we don't even bother with that anymore, just the 2 bolt setup like the factory sent them out.....

Oh yeah, 500hp is a snoozer for the 2-bolt block. I think I posted a 737 hp build on this Forum that we did a few years back, 528 cubic inches. Turning 6000 rpm sustained up and down the Colorado River for the last few years, the 2-bolt block is doing just fine.

Tune is what's critical in cases like these.

Paul

[Dave Severson]

Hey Paul, wondering if you have had a chance to mess with the new version of the Boss 429 semi-hemi heads yet???? Seen pics and read some specs, but that's about it....????????

[moneyruner]

maybe i can help you out a little i ran a 532ci and found a girdle held the bottom to rigid it need to flex some when making big hp 500+ 2bolt mains will move around to much. i use the best.spend your money one time go to blue thunder for your heads and 4bolt main caps. (they make only ford parts) use a truck block a series which has a higher nickle content a wee bit haveier than a car and a lot stronger will go 598 ci max. the bt heads need very little work to get max output and will out flow any thing out there and use the same valve train componts as the scj. i use elderbloc victor 460 for high end torque. your only problem with the 460 is oiling @ high rpms 6+ it will pump your pan dry you need to restrict the flow. i use a lifter bore restrictor system to keep the oil @ the crank. i am 80 over 14:1 700 lift 5700 stall c-6 2800lb car. shifting @ 6500 =7000rpms turning a 5.90 in the 8th w/a 1.2 60ft never ran full potenial race always over 2/3rd track. get your configeration on paper i called lanuati for a cam came to be a special grind. then called ross for pistons made sure the pistons had enough meat @ the bottom to stand the fly cut used egale rods scat crank turbo action convertor and valve body had to shift 2nd on the fly first build cost about $10,000 now building a 557ci reduced compression to shoot a 150 big shot.cost about $2000.00. that need for speed can be dangerous i am 71 now lots of luck. use an old school machine shop and don't rush them