How do I make a 460 look traditional?

Whats up guys,
I'm still in the planning/part collecting stage of my '31 Tudor build and I think I have decided on running a Ford 460 for the go. I think it would be easy to make big power and not be a "bellybutton" engine, and I already have two of them in my garage. I'm planning a 557 stroker kit, ported factory heads, big cam, about 10.5:1 compression, ect ect....
My question is how do I make it look traditional? I plan on building my own lake style headers but what about valve covers and intake? The only valve covers I've found are stamped chrome steel or billit. Does anyone know if covers from another engine can be adapted? And the intake, all I can find are either a single 4bbl or 2x4 tunnel ram. Thanks, Justin

 

If you can find some stock "Powered By Ford" stamped chrome valve covers they would be correct. Heck, Ed Roth used them on the Mysterion!

You should be able to find a dual quad manifold out there and that would be a bit more era friendly than the lone 4bbl or tunnel ram.

 

Really?? I did not know that but then again I don't know nearly as much about the Roth cars as I should. I think the stock covers that are stamped "Powered By Ford" are around here somewhere. Might have to make them taller (roller rockers) and get em chromed. Thanks!

 

Sounds more like a Pro Street to me !

 

You don't

 

Put it in a '70s F150.








Or just build it for performance and when the trad police hassle you, let 'em choke on yer dust... I think the bottom line is: If you want a traditional hot rod, use a different engine.

 

Roth had 390s in the Mysterion.

 

Hey man, I say this from experience. You can make it look 70's period, but traditional is kinda hard with that motor...

 

Just run a full hood... Cut a opening in the side panels for the headers. I like BB Fords but it's tough to make it look right!

 

Blue Thunder makes some finned, cast aluminum valve covers that are pretty nice, but they are very proud of their work ($$). It won't make your motor look like an old Oldsmobile, but they aren't ugly.

 

Here's a buddy of mine's glass 32 with a BBF. It's not exactly traditional but I think it works.But what do I know I got flamed for running a BBC.

 

hide it.

 

Make some early Hemi valve covers that will fit over the Ford ones.
Isn't the 460 similar to the 429? Not the Boss but Cobrajet/wedge type engine? That might be a source for older parts.

 

look into the late 60s early 70s 351M and 400M they were BBF based motors with Cleveland style heads, i messed around with a 351M makes good power and small bore so you can wind the piss out of them. not completely sure on intake and valve cover compatibility. in order to make something look traditional, it kind of has to be a motor based on a motor that was tradional. that'll be hard. can you tig? if so, pick up a set of used aluminum covers for a 460 and a ford/lincoln 390/430 and make them into 1 set. you'll probably have a hard time finding "real" parts that look tradional. you'll ave to make them. GOOD LUCK!!

 

Fit 312 T'bird valve covers on it.

 

Weld on some metal to square off the valve covers externally and run a blower. GMC 6-71s are traditional, aren't they?

 

Make it what you like and to blazes with what anybody else thinks.

 

429s and 460s are virtually the same engine, the difference being in the pistons and crank. They are A big modern power plant built to propel a heavy vehicle . It is hard to make them look like anything but a modern engine. This is the one in my avatar, it makes my drag car go but looks far from a traditional hot rod engine.

 

Thanks for all the input guys, I got some thinking to do.

 

I had M/T valve covers on my 460. To tell the truth I thought they were ugly. Maybe if I had blasted the black wrinkle finish paint off of them, possabley polished 'em. It wasn't pretty but it sure was fast for cheap.Look what this guy did. You could get the 460 EFI manifold and do something simular. I would use bigger carbs.http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=338561

 

You Can't, Mysterion was running FE 406 engines if I remember correctly.

 

get some 283 valve covers...

 

Sorry,but you have your Ford engine families confused.A 351M and 400M is not in the same family as a 429-460 BBF.Also,the 390 and the 430 were in separate engine families.

 

As someone mentioned, Blue Thunder makes some valve covers that are finned. They run about $240, and are a modern interpretation of the original CJ covers. http://store.survivalmotorsports.co...-block-429-460-plain-finned-no-lettering.html

IMHO, the CJ covers look a little more '60-ish, with thinner fins, but a good set will run you $150-$300. So far as I know they are not being reproduced currently.

So far as intakes go, Blue Thunder makes a 2x4 high-rise intake (NOT a tunnel ram) in both CJ & std. port sizes. http://store.survivalmotorsports.com/bluethunderim4298v.html

There are also Weber & blower intakes for the BBF. There are no 3x2 intakes currently made that I know of...there were a FEW experimental 3x2 pieces made by Ford sometime around 1969-70, and one pops up every great once in a while, for big $$$.

A lot of people feel that the BBF aren't traditional looking. I'd add that they can be difficult to fit, due to width & weight....although probably no harder to fit into a '31 than, say, a Hemi. Their big appeal is that, given a little knowledge, you can get a lot of streetable power for relatively low cost. Bottom line, if that's what you want to run, go for it. Your money, your car, your call.

 

Put it in your car and drive the hell out of it.

 

"70's Traditional"

 

Make it look like a 430 Lincoln.............

 

This making crap look like something else makes me puke. Did they try to make flatheads look like 4 bangers? If you want to run it because it goes fast,makes a lot of noise, and you have it, thats traditional. If you don't have the balls to to tell the self appointed Tradition Troopers to kiss your ass you should let them build your car. Why do you think we pulled our flatheads and put in 283s? Tradition!!! The tradition of HAULING ASS!!!

 

Don't worry about it...the "belly button boys" won't know what the hell it is anyhow. Saw a cluster of these clowns around a car with a Boss 302 in it trying to figure out why the guy didn't use a 350 "crate motor"!

 

429 covers will work just fine...I'm in the same boat as you, I'll be running a 460 in my Chrysler ( I can't say no to a free big block)