I recommended the iron because of your budget, but yes aluminum heads will allow more compression and they run cooler. If you can get the engine and transmission in there at the same time it would be great, but you can get either one first. I bought my 700r4 already, and I am using it before I get my motor in there. It will help you economy on the highway with it's overdrive.
On the other hand, if you do buy the transmission first, you have to wait a bit longer to save up the $$ for the motor. If you do build the motor first you could still use the tranny you've got until you CAN get the 700r4. It just depends on where your priorities are, do you want to save some gas $$ now, or get your motor sooner?

 

Jason: I am not sure what you mean by "how do I set the idle at different rpm".
Do you mean the stall speed? For that I will have to change the torque converter.
Curb idle is easy to set on the carb.

I built mine for driving not racing. But if a Mustang happens to get in my way......I have 455 hp
under the hood right now with plans to install a 150 shot over the winter. At present the entire car
has only covered 225 miles since full resto. Plans are to get her out this weekend for photos and some ground pounding.

 

Sweet JR, what kind of a motor you got in that thing? Got some specs for us?

 

bob, oh ok. how much compression can i get out of alum heads and still use regular gas? are fast burns alum or iron? well theres no way i can get both the trannie and engine in at the same time.i wish but dont have the funds..well i'd prefer to get my engine first and then save up for the trannie...but the trannie would probably be cheaper to get tho..

JR, well i meant how do you have an idle at 1000RPM whereas most idles are at about 600RPM? ohh i see..yeah thats kinda what i wanna do with my car..not built for racing but for driving but can show up a car if need be lol...

 

Hey Bob,
The block is the original, I didn't want to get rid of it since the car is numbers matching. So, the usual prep, bored .030, decked ever so slightly, line honed.
Internals are:
Eagle crank and rods
Speed Pro flat top 10.6:1 pistons
Crane cam 488/510 lift & 234/244 dur
64cc Alum heads 2.05/1.6 valves
1.5 roller rockers
Air Gap intake manifold
600 cfm holley

Sorry I don't have any part numbers for you right now. My paperwork is a mess, cannot find the slips. I was going to get pics and post this last weekend but the weather was really crappy here, will get some up soon. Engine Analyzer Pro had the hp pegged for a little over 460, but in reality I got a bit less.

 

Jason, let me think.... I believe on a standard engine with aluminum heads you can go up to 10.5 compression on high octane, I'm thinking you can probably do right around 9.5 with regular if you get it tuned properly, though I'm not 100% sure. 9:1 is safe on iron heads, so you may be just out of range for REGULAR, but you wont need to go with premium. On my 9.6 compression motor I'll be running 89 octane.
With the transmission, don't get a stock 700r4 whatever you do. Get one that will take the 400 horses or so you'll be throwing at it. A stock 700r4 is good for 300 horses but not much past that.

JR, sounds like fun! just a weekender I suppose? I should be pushing right around 450 horses on my motor.

 

JR, that is a sweet engine set up you got going...

bob, ok well as long as im not using premium i wont be to upset lol cuz you know with gas prices today lol...ok yeah i was looking at one on JEGS..like this one

http://www.jegs.com/p/TCI/746476/10002/-1

 

Yups, that tranny would do perfect! You'll be very hapy with what you get out of this build, I can guarantee it'll be worth it for you.

 

ok great! i cant wait to get it all

 

what is a good estimate of how many mpg i'll be getting with my 383, 7.73 rear gear, super comp headers, and 700r4 trannie?