I'm looking for a roller lifter that will be a drop in for the 430-462 Lincoln engines. The FE roller lifters I have here have tie bars that are too short and the tie bars on those are integral with the lifter pairs making them difficult to remove and modify. I'm thinking there is a 460 roller lifter out there that will work but would prefer not to purchase lifter sets on a gamble. If someone out there knows of a specific roller lifter that is a drop in for the MEL (Mercury Edsel Lincoln) family of engines, just let me know. Thanks in advance for any help on this. Ted Eaton.
Contact Jones Cams. They supplied the roller cam for the MEL build in the Engine Masters Gig if I remember correctly.
Working on a MEL engine for the Bonneville AIR class. It's a Mercury 383 bored +0.050" and destroked to 3.120". Comes in around 371 cubic inches for the class requirements.
Wish I could provide some help, but that is not a swap I have ever tried to do. Cool build concept. I can see the desire for a roller lifter. I am guessing with that short stroke and big bore, that the RPM's will be pretty high. Get a hold of Kaase or Royce and see what they did with that Engine Masters MEL a few years ago. I know that motor had a roller cam in it.
Just a thought . Years ago( like a zillion years ago ) - When I was broke and couldn't afford new roller/ cams/ etc My Uncle Marion Fairchild used to use some lifters that you broached a groove in each bore.( Aluminum or something like that- with a little roller /ball bearing that followed the groove) They were no taller or not much taller than a stock one.He would sell me the used ones / and regrind a cam that someone had traded in and tame it for our poor mans grenade. May have been Crower/Isky /etc. They were small compared to the lifters of the day.Wow that was 30 years ago - The point is If there is one out there for the .875 bore of the MEL - you don't have to deal with cross bars. Broach the block and ride. My only concern would be oil supply -My memory fades here but does it oil like the 292-312 or like the 390/428 ????? Been a long time since I have built a Ford .We used to piece together a roller set up for a SBC for less that 200 and that was with the springs that I used at the time being the only real new parts in the whole thing. Is boring to a more common roller lifter size out? I am learning here so please bare with me if I sound stupid- but Love Edsels/ and anything else thats off the norm.
I found a set of Morell lifters for the 429/460 Fords that would work in the MEL engine. The engine has survived the dyno session and is now in the car getting ready for the trip to Bonneville.. Thanks to all for the suggestions. Ted Eaton.
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