Just getting your guys opinions

[97stanger]

yeah, i have to wait on the pistons for now because i got to see if my block is going to have to be bored over or not. my brother went with forged speed pro pistons for his trans am, do they make any forged pistons for us modular guys?

 

[Pennywise2]

Your pushing the limits with the stock rods and pistons.The cast crank should be fine
but, if you can find a good deal on a Cobra crank go for it.
I recommend since you are on somewhat of a budget to go with the Eagle rods and pistons.
I've seen people have great result with Eagle products.If you have the extra coin get
the Manley H beam rods as Bob said they hold up very well to power.
Don't forget a custom dyno tune also.

 

[MustangChris]

Chris, NoNo for giving advise. Skat crank? LOL



Get a set of Hawk rods and Probe pistons and have a machine shop assemble it. You'll be out about $2500. Cast crank is plenty good and will last till about 8k rpm & 700rwhp. (Contrary to popular belief) Buy a 4v ford racing oil pump while you're at it. If you can afford to have a shop assemble it all, do that! That way there, they can warranty the labor. Do NOT try and push your luck, 425-450rw is pushing the envelope unless you're sure you have a world class tuner.

Well, as some of you know I had to pull my motor because I could not get to the back valves to change the valvesprings/retainers for my blower cams. The motor is sitting in my garage and I was going to just rip the heads off, get them ported and polished and slap the cams in and call it a day. Now I'm expecting to be in the 450rwhp/450tq range through stock internals. I originally didnt want to start forging out my whole motor because I know it can be super expensive and a lot more time consuming and it probably wouldnt be up and running come the spring time. But while the motor is sitting out on a stand, the more i think about it, it may just make sense to do it right the first time than to do all this work to my car and still have the risk of damaging the motor at such a high hp level for stock internals. this car isn't going to be a super fast track car or anything, honestly I probably wouldn't even want to go more than mid 500rwhp for a street warrior.
1) Do I need to forge my rods/crank/pistons or can i get away with just forging some of these?
2) any good/cost effective kits out there from companies for forged internals?
3) what companies would you guys recommend?

thanks

<b>what? skat makes good chevy stuff... i dono about ford stuff... (thats why i said maybe. lol.)
and eagle makes garbage DSM stuff (from waht ive seen... then again i dont think ive ever seen a DSM off cinderblocks.)

so... lol. to each his own? lol.

i honestly suggest trying to track down a 1996+ cobra crank.. just look around on ebay and craigeslist.. you might find something </b>

i stand by this 100%

get a cobra crank 1996+ that way if you go bigger later, you dont have to redo what you've already re-done...

scat makes quality chevy parts, look into it for ford. i honestly dont know what they make for Ford, but I would take a scat set-up WAYYY before Eagle.

I still suggest avoiding eagle... if you go with them,... whatever... but *I* would personally never use them...

and keep your eyes peeled on CL, you can find a full kit on there (rods/pistons) just keep looking.