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Hey Folks:

I am looking for some "reasonable" performance upgrade suggestions for my 1971 Pantera (4V heads).
The engine appears stock, except for Edelbrock Performer intake, Holley 750 DP, Breakerless ignition. Currently runs real well, but I would like a little more performance from it, and have a budget in the 1200-1800 range.
Let me know what you all think?

Cheers jack
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Heads

The OEM valves have a reputation for dropping the valve heads while the motor is running. Although all 351C’s don’t drop their valves, the reason why some valves fail & others don’t has never been identified. Since there is no way of predicting under which circumstances the OEM valves will fail, all OEM valves should be considered a ticking time bomb. Replacement of the OEM valves is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Manley Severe Duty one piece, single groove, stainless steel exhaust valve #11805-8.

Manley Severe Duty one piece, single groove, stainless steel intake valve #11800-8

Valve stem seals, Ford Perf Racing Parts #M-6571-A50
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Reciprocating Assembly

Do not use a 30 year old balancer without having it rebuilt; it WILL fly apart on you. Balancer rebuilding businesses include Damper Dudes in Anderson California 530-365-2144 and Damper Doctor in Redding California 530-246-2984. The Boss 351 balancer was once the standard recommendation for street and competition, it was designed to be effective to 7200 RPM, but it has become very rare and very expensive. The 3 Ford balancers listed below are almost as beefy as the Boss 351 balancer; all 3 are more substantial than the Cobra Jet balancer.

A rebuilt Ford D5AE-CA, D5AE-DA or D7TE-BA balancer is perfectly adequate for any high performance street application up to 7200 RPM.

A good aftermarket balancer for street applications is the Romac #0203 all steel balancer, weighing 12.23 pounds. The Romac balancer is manufactured in Australia, the general consensus among Aussies is that it is a good piece. Ford Racing sells Romac balancers.

Drop the oil pan & replace the connecting rod nuts with the ARP nuts, I don't have that number in front of me, I apologize.

Lightweight steel flywheel, 11 inch, 164 tooth ring gear, 28 ounce imbalance; Yella Terra #YT 9902L weighs 23.8 pounds

High capacity oil pan; equipped with baffles, windage tray & scraper. Armando #404 or Aviaid #155-55365

Prepping the motor for a little high rpm fun

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Valve train

Lunati Street Master #07111 hydraulic flat tappet camshaft. The cam specs are 225/225 degrees duration at 0.050”, 275/275 degrees advertised duration, 0.550”/0.550” lift and 108 degrees LCSA. The cam has good idle characteristics and a power band of 1800 to 5800 RPM. This cam has both muscle and manners. You can fry tires all day long with this camshaft.

Lunati Micro-Trol hydraulic lifter #71900. What you want is an honest to goodness anti-pump-up lifter that requires adjustable valve train and is held together by a heavy circlip and not just a thin wire retainer.

PAC Racing #PAC-1520 beehive valve spring. Never heard of PAC Racing? They manufacture the beehive valve springs sold by Isky, Comp and Lunati. Their beehive springs are made of ovate shaped wire using their proprietary “Pacaloy”. The spec for the #PAC-1520 spring is 150 pound seat pressure at an installed height of 1.90”; 370 pounds per inch crush, 400 pounds open pressure at 0.650” maximum lift. This is a single spring; no spring pocket machining is required. The matching retainer for this spring is PAC Racing #PAC-R310 for steel or #PAC-R510 for titanium. With 0.650” lift capacity this spring should work with any “street cam” you select.

OR

Lunati #73815 conventional single valve spring with damper; 120 pound seat pressure at an installed height of 1.82”; 342 pounds per inch crush; 325 pounds open pressure at 0.600” maximum lift.

Yella Terra #YT6015 pedestal mount rocker arm with push rod cup adjuster. Adjustable valve train with no guide plates.

Manton series 3 hard drawn, seamless 4130/4135 chromoly pushrods; part #312-120 single taper style pushrod with 0.120” wall thickness and 3/8” to 5/16” tapered diameter; with a type C 5/16” tool steel ball end to match the tool steel cup end adjuster in the Yella Terra rocker arms. Tapered push rods cannot be used with guide plates.

Roll Master timing set #CS3091 has fully machined billet sprockets and a top quality chain; it is a top choice amongst the various chain & sprocket timing sets that exist to choose from.

Be sure to use motor oil containing an adequate amount of zinc diethyldithiophosphate (aka ZDDP), such as Valvoline 30 weight VR1, Brad Penn 30 weight Penn Grade 1 or Amsoil 20W50

The combination of anti-pump-up lifters, adjustable rocker arms, beehive springs & sturdy tapered push rods will significantly raise the engine speed at which valve float takes place & will allow you to rev your motor like its designed to do.
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Exhaust

European GTS exhaust system, available from Hall Pantera
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OK, I went over budget .... Smiler
quote:
A good aftermarket balancer for street applications is the Romac #0203 all steel balancer, weighing 12.23 pounds. The Romac balancer is manufactured in Australia, the general consensus among Aussies is that it is a good piece. Ford Racing sells Romac balancers.


George,
I have tried to find the Romac with no luck. Who sells this product? Also does it require any additional spacers etc. I am hoping for un bolt OEM and bolt on new.
Thanks,
Jeff
My Romac came from Fastlane Motorsports in Benson, N.Carolina 2 yrs ago, for $257. NO E-MAIL! Call on the phone 1-800-457-6166. He's dependable. They make various weights for Ford engines. Note that Romac makes a special harmonic balancer for you poor guys with Eagle or SCAT stroker cranks; their noses are cut undersized and OEM-sized balancers don't fit tight enough to actually damp the vibrations. They're supposed to be a slight interference fit. Never let 'mechanics' run a brake hone thru your harmonic balancer 'to make it easier to install'....
Hey George:

So I did a little digging around... trying to find some of these parts, not all have prices, as i could not find online retailers. That saidm if you had to cut this list down, what would you absolutely keep, or could possibly live with out?

Manley Severe Duty one piece, single groove, stainless steel exhaust valve #11805-8.
$183.95

Manley Severe Duty one piece, single groove, stainless steel intake valve #11800-8
$171.95

Valve stem seals, Ford Perf Racing Parts #M-6571-A50
$29.95

ROMAC-0203 harmonic balancer
351C External-33 7" Steel Inner - Steel Outer
$319.99

Yella Terra FORDC FORDW F/W 11 12.0KG C/W YT-9902
$174.99

ARP nuts #?
Price ???

Aviaid Oil Pan 155-55365 SBF - 351 C, Pantera
Length: 15" Depth: 7 1/2" Width: 8 1/4" Quarts: 9
Price: $437.95

Lunati Street Master #07111 hydraulic flat tappet camshaft
$119.69

Lunati Micro-Trol hydraulic lifter #71900
$74.95

Lunati #73815 conventional single valve spring with damper
$79.95

Yella Terra #YT6015 pedestal mount rocker arm with push rod cup adjuster
Price ???

Manton series 3 hard drawn, seamless 4130/4135 chromoly pushrods; part #312-120
Price ???

Roll Master timing set #CS3091
Price ???


Total not including Roller Rockers, Pushrods and Timing set;
$1593

BTW, the beehive valve springs are insanely expensive and they now only offer the titanium retainer. Pricey, around $800, for springs and clips.

Anyhow, let me know... I left off the GTS exhaust. As I am likely going with a Hall Big Bore header set attaching to the stock pipes for the time being... Budget concerns.

Cheers Jack
Do the head work & the balancer for sure. Those are critical items. Buy the GTS exhaust system & save the rest for next year. Clevelands respond very well to exhaust system improvements.

Do not buy any exhaust system that utilizes any part of the oem system, its a waste of money. The oem system is too restrictive. Even if you replaced the tailpipes later down the road, the Hall big bores are designed to attach to the oem 2" tail pipes, and that "necked down" restriction will be there forever. The GTS system is relatively inexpensive, it is easy to install, there's nothing to fabricate, its relatively quiet and it looks stock.
Cheers for the info George... really appreciate it.

Jeff the part number is;

ROMAC-0203 harmonic balancer
351C External-33 7" Steel Inner - Steel Outer
$319.99

I found it for sale in the US at;

PetersPerformance.com. * 408 Sands Drive * Albany, GA 31705 * Call 229-878-1222 or call Toll Free 1-866-313-1222* Email: ford@petersperformance.com

But if not available, you could get it shipped from plenty of retailers/speed shops in Australia, I am sure.

Cheers Jack
quote:
ROMAC-0203 harmonic balancer
351C External-33 7" Steel Inner - Steel Outer
$319.99

I know the Romac is the favorite of Dan Jones and many on this list, but a little pricey for my blood. I went with a Professional Products Powerforce SFI approved damper.
D-90006* -- S/B Ford Early -- 6.4" -- External - 28.2oz./in. -- $245
http://www.flatlanderracing.co...erforce-dampers.html

Now here's the $$$-saving part...
This exact same damper is sold by SCAT for even less!
D-90006* -- SB Ford Early - 6.4" -- External -- 28.2oz/in. -- $185
http://www.flatlanderracing.com/scat-dampers.html

This is the EXACT SAME DAMPER as above, shipped in the exact same packaging, but for only $185.

* These dampers have both 3 and 4-bolt accessory bolt patterns and are made to the shortest Ford damper length, as used on '79 and earlier vehicles.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bosswrench:
My Romac came from Fastlane Motorsports in Benson, N.Carolina 2 yrs ago, for $257. NO E-MAIL! Call on the phone 1-800-457-6166. He's dependable.

Jack,
Thank you for the referral. I spoke to Melvin at Fast Lane a super nice guy and extremely helpful.

He was out of the steel balancers #203, but sold me the aluminum one #203AA for $239 + $10 shipping.

Fast Lane does have a website and e-mail.

http://www.fastlanemotorsports.us/UHome.asp

Jeff
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