The 429/460's are really easy to get loads of torque out of without spending alot. Thay still make a load of HP products for the 385 series engine.
Get an RV/HI torque cam, nice flowing exhaust, good low-to-mid range rpm intake. If you want EFI remember the 460 wasn't a MAF motor (except the rare CA version). SD (Speed Density) sucks also ford truck EFI computers are not that smart and most are bank fired injection (not sequential), ok for upper rpm- but not at the bottom. The EFI heads will go on the older engines, but the old intakes will not mate to the EFI intake.
I am currently working on an EFI retro fit for an early 460 to go into a '93 Tbird. I am using a 5.0L wiring harness (out of a '93 V8 'Bird), EDIS from a Crown Vic (Electronic Distributerless Ignition System), a Cam Syncronizer from a ford V6. I will be using the 5.0L ECU with a piggy-back Moates Quarter-Horse chip that has been updated with the BBF displacement and firing order.
This is my project....because I can. Def' not for the weak hearted. There are bolt on aftermarket EFI kits,.......but they're not cheap!
EFI is cool in that the ECU takes into consideration:Air temp, Altitude (Ambient Absolute Atmospheric Pressure), and lots of other things that you can't control in a carb engine. There are trade-offs between the two. But I would go with a Big Block. It's easy HP and TQ. GM (Caddy) 472/501, BBC 454, BBF 429,460 or Mopar RB's 413,426,440 wedge engines and most of these can be stroked out to an easy 550+ cubes! just my 0.02
MikeH
x2 - the aftermarket EFI are nice in that they are complete. Basically install and they self tune the combo. You can put an OEM type system together like talonhead above but if you haven't messed with efi much plan on a TON of studying to figure out how to do it...
Richard White
2011 F150 Ecoboost SCREW 145" 4x4
Firestone Ride-Rite Air Springs/Air Lift Wireless Controller
2006 Sportsmen by KZ 2604P (30')
Hensley Arrow
Are there any aftermarket electronic fuel injection systems for classics out there? I keep getting retrofit advice...
Holley and Edelbrock both make good systems to retrofit.
Eddie
03 Fleetwood Pride, 36-5L
04 Ford F-250 Superduty
15K Pullrite Superglide
Old coach 04 Pace Arrow 37C with brakes sometimes.
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