My winter '04-'05 project is rebuilding my 460.  I am using a D1VE block, E6TE heads (home ported), Edelbrock Performer 460 intake, Speed Pro hypereutectic flat top pistons, and a Comp Cams 268 H cam.  It is bored .030” over.  Compression should be about 9.0:1.

Hamilton Machine in Lake Station, Indiana, prepped the block with a .030" overbore, checked the main bearing alignment, cleaned it and ground the crank (.010/.010).  He also hung the new SpeedPro pistons on the rods.  When I got it home, it got a bath with Tide, a pressure washer, Gum Out, and WD40 to make the water run off.

I used Tom Monroe's books, The Engine Builder's Handbook, and How to Rebuild Ford V8 Engines to guide my rebuild.  After putting in the various water and oil plugs, I installed the cam (with cam lube on the lobes), and then the crank.  Here I have just tightened down the main caps.  I bought my rebuild kit from www.fastengineparts.com .

With the crank in place, I set up to put the rings on the pistons, the bearings in the rods, and install the pistons in the bores.  I bought a new piston ring compressor from Sears Hardware.  I couldn't get a piston in the bore and I broke the compressor!  I'm glad it was Craftsman.  I consulted with my advisor, Greg Cook, and borrowed a piston ring compressor from AutoZone's loan a tool program.  This time they all went in.  Thanks Greg!

Working carefully, I followed Mr. Monroe's instructions for putting the timing chain in place (after I found a timing gear without the smog era retard built in) and assembled the front cover and water pump.  The gnarly old water pump looks bad and probably won't last long, but I had to pinch pennies to get this thing on the road this year.

I found a pair of freshly rebuilt heads on Ebay (from the Gear Worx in Rockford, IL).  They are E6TE castings, the last head before the redesign for fuel injection.  They had valves and springs in place, but I bought Comp Cams recommended 940 springs and replaced the stockers with them.  Once again, AutoZone came through with a valve spring compressor in their loan a tool program.  Here the new springs are in place on one head.  I also ground the thermactor (air injector) bumps out of the exhaust ports.

My Edlebrock Performer Intake joins the heads and rocker arms on the motor.  I bought the intake through the classifieds at the 385 Series Engine Forum (http://www.network54.com/Forum/85220) The stock rocker arms went back on.  That may be a future upgrade.