I am new around here. I just aquired a 1968 Torino GT 390 (One of the more common configurations) which is Yellow but not pristine. My first big problem is the manual steering is LOOSE, I ordered a rebuilt box from Maridian, was that wrong.

As for the FE questions:
1) It has an Edelbrock Street Performer Single plain manifold with a 750 Mech Sec. Edbl Brk carb. What are your opinions of this set up, and what should my stall be?

2) My FE is in great shape (about 100K on it), but someone offered to sell me, for too much I think, a 67 428CJ Thunderbird. I thought that might be a nice switch, since my car is not original. I would get rear disks out of the deal also. What are your opinions of this idea and how much is that engine worth?

TIA.

Pippin
User Name: TorinoBP88
1868 Torino GT Fstbk

When I said switch I ment the engine in my Torino, not the Cars, I do not like the 67 T-Bird... 66 is thelast year I can tolerate, personally

Pippin
User Name: TorinoBP88
1868 Torino GT Fstbk

Torinos are different and really cool!

Well, I don't know a whole lot about steering boxes. When you said "was that wrong" did you mean your new box was bad? or that your old box was so bad that you had to get a new box?

Regarding your intake and carb. I've never run an Edelbrock Performer, but the consensus is that is okay, but no better than a factory 4 bbl intake. If your motor is not running over 5500 rpm it'd be okay.

There are better intakes out there, though, even for mild motors. We'd need to know a little more about your engine combination and car to get too specific, but for hot street cars some good intakes are the Edelbrock Performer RPM (much better than the Performer), the factory Sidewinder intake, the old Edelbrock F427 intake, the factory PI aluminum intake, the old Holley Street Dominator intake, and maybe the old Edelbrock Streetmaster intake.

If your motor is a little more strip oriented, the Edelbrock RPM will still do well, or The Blue Thunder single 4 bbl dual plane intake is great, but more expensive.

If you decide to keep the Performer manifold I would suggest using as tall a carb spacer as you can fit to increase it's plenum volume and help it's high rpm breathing.

The Edelbrock 750 carb would be fine choice for your big block unless you are getting really radical with it. By the way the Edelbrock carb's are not mechanical secondary. They are based the Carter carb design and have "air valve secondaries" which open based on airflow like a vacuum secondary Holley carb.

A 428 would be great. I don't know what a 428 T-bird is worth. Are you sure it has 428 CJ? If so, someone transplanted into the T-bird at some point as T-birds only came with regular 428's. 428 CJ's are pretty valuable. I'm just guessing, but a running complete 428 CJ might be worth $2000-$3000. Bare CJ blocks go for $500-$800 and up. You might look at the cylinder heads. CJ cylinder heads have 4 bolt holes around each exhaust port, 16 per side. Other FE's have 8 or 14 bolts per side. Hey, maybe you could buy the car and swap your 390 into the T-bird and sell it while keepin the 428 for yourself.

Can you tell us more about your car? What's the intended usage? gear ratio? How about the cam? Stall speed depends on what cam you're using more than anything else. Compression ratio? Anything else you can think of?

Have a good one,

Paul

I miss spoke about the intake, in is a Edlbrock Street Dominator? Low Rise SINGLE PLANE Open Plenum. Currently the car is set up with an open wheel 3.70 gear ( I think ) with traction bars, 15x8 rear tires, and a C-Six with a mild shift kit. it is shifting at 5000 in first and 4800 in sevond when left two its own devices at WOT.

Hay, is the stock GTA cam fine or is there a slighty more radical cam I should consider if I get into the engine?

I think the guy was making up the CJ thing in the T-Bird, but have not gone to look at the car yet. It was a like $2500 for the whole car, runing and registered suposidly.

Any way, As for the steering. I was just wondering if any one has experiance with Maridian steering rebuyilders which is who I ordered the box from.


Pippin
User Name: TorinoBP88
1868 Torino GT Fstbk

.........and Lord only knows what happened at the dealership when she bought the darn thing. I don't know how (or why) she ended up with a honking motor like that, but it sure was fun to borrow when I visited her. I was in my 20's at the time. I'd say it's safe to assume I drove it a little harder than she did, but I never broke anything, and I always ran it for a while with the windows open so it didn't smell like burning rubber

P

What is my best option for headers for my 68 Torino. I have one of the two years of "odd" bolt paterns on the 390 heads. I could consider cast factory style headers if the are a better option.

But this boolt patter issue could be eliminated if i replace the heads with aluminum (I would like that, just the $$ thing). But still not sure what fits in that body best.

Also, what do most people do for collectors/pipes. I have been reading some cool books on SB chevy's and they MAKE A BIG point that people often use collectors that are too large a diameter and too short, and furhter more that even high quality glass packs alone (which came on my car) may not give the best pressure tuning signal compated with a Resonator/Scavanger expanding box (read that flow master or walker) design alone or infront of the glass pack.

What exhaust systems do FE's really like. My 390 is a GTA with 10.25:1 factory, and a factory gta cam, and currently has 2.25 pipes into magnaflow glass packs that exit in 3 inch pipes in front of the both rear wheels , ala NASCAR style, just not both on the same side. Currently there is not a cross pipe, but that will be rectified soon with a 2.25 cross pipe.

I wondered if scavanger cans infront of the glass packs or in place of them might make a more powerful sustem (and possibly a bit quieter is built right?

Pippin
User Name: TorinoBP88
1868 Torino GT Fstbk

The Hookers (#6113?) would be a good choice. I believe they have 1-3/4" primaries and 3" collectors. If they fit your bolt pattern I'd use them.

Other choices are FPA tri Y headers. Might be better for mid range power.

For something a bit more radical, critesrestoration.com has 2" primary, 3-1/2" collector headers for the 66-69 Fairlane.

With any of these headers I'd double check the bolt pattern issue with the manufacturer.

As for exhaust tubing, my opinion is that even a mild FE needs a 2-1/2" system with a crossover. For anything over 425hp I think a 3" system would be very helpful.

Let us know what you decide to do.

Paul

Thanks, everyone, for all your input. This is a really great resource.

First, Non FE stuff: Steering update. I bought a manual steering box from Maridian Auto Parts. They built a nice box, cost me 255$ after shipping and core refund (they paid that shipping). Wow, even with the rest of the front end loose, my 68 GTA Fastback really steers nice. To put it in: one motor mount out, exhaust off, and jacked up the engine 4 inches, I had a shop do it… thank god.

As for FE stuff, I want to thank John with the 66 galaxie 427 (458) and others for good FE info., these are NOT SB chevy’s that is for sure. After describing my desire for a weekend cruser, Wednesday night drag car that I can still drive to work one day a week if I promise to not sit in traffic much (leave at 0 dark 30 I guess there is always traffic here), he has suggested that I (too keep the budget down) keep my Edelbrock Street Master Single plain manifold, and Edlbk 750 carb, and go into the motor, rebuild (or new )rods, rings, maybe even a 30 over bore, cke/replace bearings, some nice details like oil and windage mods, and a medium (say 280 Comp mechanical cam), mild head, valve, chamber work. This all sound great, like a cool 350 to 400 horse motor that has solid low end/mid with ok power to like 5500 or 6000…I better start saving my $$.

This leads to my question: What exhaust… has any one herd of trying to fit stock 427 “Y” headers in a 1968/69 Torino/Comet (this car is similar to a Fairlane, those years). Or should I go with the Try-Y’s headers recommended in another post (which are supposed to make great torque). I contacted the manufacturer of these style headers and they said on a 500 HP 428 they saw 20 FT at 2500 RPM over 4 tube hooker headers, and the headers DID NOT hang below the oil pan… And what mufflers are recommended in that car for best power(if they are mounted back by the rear axcel (It has megaflow steel wool glass packs now, 2.25 diam under car by drive shaft with side dump pipes in fron the rear tires now)).


Pippin
User Name: TorinoBP88
1868 Torino GT Fstbk