More thoughts on the 460...[S
They were mainly used in big Lincolns, Mercs and Fords plus in a lot of trucks and vans, motorhomes, etc., so there was never a performance version produced. Best years were the first ones, '69 or '70, before the compression drop and retarded timing gears. A good cam, intake manifold, some head work, hot spark and headers will really wake it up. Be sure to use the timing gears and chain for the early engines (or properly degree the cam) that sets the timing straight up instead of 4 degrees retarded. Later fuel injected engines have smaller intake ports and there are no aftermarket carbureted manifolds to fit their intake bolt pattern.
Most 70' and 80's 460 heads have a lump in the exhaust ports for the smog pump ports whether they were machined for the port or not. Taking the time with a carbide burr to grind them out of each port (heads off, of course
) and you pick up 20 HP, more if you do some valve pocket clean-up too.
Another fun 460 fact - every time I've taken the exhaust manifolds off one, at least 4 bolts will break off in the heads
- old bolts of poor quality, I guess.........
