Background: I've owned this car since early 13'. It's mostly a weekend driver. I typically like to add power once a year and then chase an improved timeslip. The basics of it are: VMP Gen 3R / JLT Super Big Air / 6R80 / Stock converter / BMR suspension / Palm Beach Dyno Tuned. Year by year, it has gone 10.51 / 10.31 / 9.92 / 9.66 / 9.29 / 8.94 (18').
After it went 8's in 18', I decided to stop adding power and making passes and to sell my Gen 1 Aluminator while it's still healthy. I street drove the car weekly, like normal this year and saved up.
I am selling the Aluminator complete. The only things I will have after it sells are, my VMP Gen 3R blower kit, exhaust studs, coils, wiring harness, accessories and front cover. The Aluminator comes out this weekend.
The goals of this new build are to:
1) Maintain low/mid range torque for street fun (nothing like a stock converter car with the ability to have instant power delivery) and so my stock converter will continue to work at track
2) Add block/rotating assembly strength to give me head room to continue to add power
3) Improving the engine's breathing capacity
Here goes:
Block:
Gen 3, 5.2 block (2020 GT500)
A seemingly little known fact is that the 5.2 block is quite robust without sleeves. I'm paranoid of sleeving, so learning this was music to my ears. Scott Hasty recommended that I contact his engine builder, Will Rollins of RPG Race Engines. I did and Will has been consulting me on this build. At his business, he will use an unsleeved, Gen 2, 5.2 block to 1200 rwhp as a safe power limit, and the more robust Gen 3 version of the 5.2 block beyond that. He currently has customers making passes and with 1300 rwhp with an unsleeved Gen 3, 5.2 block. According to Will, the Gen 3, 5.2 block is beefed up in every weak area and then some vs the Gen 2, 5.2. That was all I needed to hear. I did some homework and immediately ordered one through Devin Hyde at Lexington Park Ford (see below).
Rotating assembly:
Boss 302 crank (double keyed)
Manley H Tuff rods
Manley Platinum Extreme Duty pistons
Total Seal AP series rings
Heads:
Gen 2, cnc ported (w/the "Gen 3" intake port), decked, valve job, +1 Ferrea valves by Bret Barber at Airflow Solutions. I had the combustion chamber measured by a local machine shop and it measured 55cc's. With the head gaskets at .050", this should net a compression ratio of 11.3:1 (thanks Will!).
Head gaskets: 2020 GT500
Cams:
Boss 302 intake and exhaust
Ford parts: basically everything else other then bearings, head and main studs
Ford 11'-14' oil pump with TSS opgs and crank gear
Bret Barber put me in contact with Devin Hyde @ Lexington Park Ford. He not only had Gen 2 heads on the shelf, they were priced at the lowest number I had found online. Devin shipped the heads straight to Bret. Bret putting me in touch with Devin was a gold mine. Devin is a car guy who knows Ford parts and is willing to help you figure out what you need and sells at the lowest price you'll find online. I have now purchased my heads, almost every part to assemble a longblock and any day, my block from Devin.
Assembly:
My Aluminator has been rock solid and built well. Fonzie Novelo happens to be the guy who built it and he also happens to be a guy who builds these engines daily. He will be assembling my new engine.
I will update this post as I receive new parts and have news to share.
To kick this off, here are some photos of my heads. Out of respect for Bret, there are no closeups of the ports, just in case it's something he would prefer I don't show.
Thanks for reading!
After it went 8's in 18', I decided to stop adding power and making passes and to sell my Gen 1 Aluminator while it's still healthy. I street drove the car weekly, like normal this year and saved up.
I am selling the Aluminator complete. The only things I will have after it sells are, my VMP Gen 3R blower kit, exhaust studs, coils, wiring harness, accessories and front cover. The Aluminator comes out this weekend.
The goals of this new build are to:
1) Maintain low/mid range torque for street fun (nothing like a stock converter car with the ability to have instant power delivery) and so my stock converter will continue to work at track
2) Add block/rotating assembly strength to give me head room to continue to add power
3) Improving the engine's breathing capacity
Here goes:
Block:
Gen 3, 5.2 block (2020 GT500)
A seemingly little known fact is that the 5.2 block is quite robust without sleeves. I'm paranoid of sleeving, so learning this was music to my ears. Scott Hasty recommended that I contact his engine builder, Will Rollins of RPG Race Engines. I did and Will has been consulting me on this build. At his business, he will use an unsleeved, Gen 2, 5.2 block to 1200 rwhp as a safe power limit, and the more robust Gen 3 version of the 5.2 block beyond that. He currently has customers making passes and with 1300 rwhp with an unsleeved Gen 3, 5.2 block. According to Will, the Gen 3, 5.2 block is beefed up in every weak area and then some vs the Gen 2, 5.2. That was all I needed to hear. I did some homework and immediately ordered one through Devin Hyde at Lexington Park Ford (see below).
Rotating assembly:
Boss 302 crank (double keyed)
Manley H Tuff rods
Manley Platinum Extreme Duty pistons
Total Seal AP series rings
Heads:
Gen 2, cnc ported (w/the "Gen 3" intake port), decked, valve job, +1 Ferrea valves by Bret Barber at Airflow Solutions. I had the combustion chamber measured by a local machine shop and it measured 55cc's. With the head gaskets at .050", this should net a compression ratio of 11.3:1 (thanks Will!).
Head gaskets: 2020 GT500
Cams:
Boss 302 intake and exhaust
Ford parts: basically everything else other then bearings, head and main studs
Ford 11'-14' oil pump with TSS opgs and crank gear
Bret Barber put me in contact with Devin Hyde @ Lexington Park Ford. He not only had Gen 2 heads on the shelf, they were priced at the lowest number I had found online. Devin shipped the heads straight to Bret. Bret putting me in touch with Devin was a gold mine. Devin is a car guy who knows Ford parts and is willing to help you figure out what you need and sells at the lowest price you'll find online. I have now purchased my heads, almost every part to assemble a longblock and any day, my block from Devin.
Assembly:
My Aluminator has been rock solid and built well. Fonzie Novelo happens to be the guy who built it and he also happens to be a guy who builds these engines daily. He will be assembling my new engine.
I will update this post as I receive new parts and have news to share.
To kick this off, here are some photos of my heads. Out of respect for Bret, there are no closeups of the ports, just in case it's something he would prefer I don't show.
Thanks for reading!
Look forward to this build!
