New to this forum (so please bear with me) but the info that you have all shared is amazing! You guys rock!
I have a 1967 Cougar, XR7, Dan Gurney Special that I have had since I was 16. Drove it for 10+ years and then parked in the garage for the past 20 years. My wife has finally said poop or get off the pot and restore that thing… So here goes the adventure.
Of course in my younger years I was stupid and tore parts off and replaced them with the speed parts and chrome that of course makes the car faster. For this reason I am not looking to restore this car to original but more of a resto-mod and a good driver car I can have some fun with.
I pulled the 289 out of the car and was looking to rebuild but in looking at some upgrades I found that I can get a 408 stroker from Blueprint Engines that should fit and bolt right in for a couple grand more.
Questions are:
Has anyone had any experience with the 408 strokers from Blueprint Engines? I’ve heard good and not so good.
I have heard that the C4 will bolt right up to the 351W but will it last (I rebuilt the C4 with a B&M rebuild kit just prior to storage (20+ years ago = Probably rebuild again).
The car currently has an 8 inch rear end with 2.73 gears. I know that this will not last with the reported 400+ lbs of torque the 408 stroker will produce. Any suggestions on getting a 9 inch that will fit the Cougar? I have heard the track is slightly different from the Mustang.
1967 - 1970 Mustangs and Cougars share exactly the same track. All 1969 - 70 Cougars have a 9" rear end. So a call to Don Rush will get you one that will bolt in to your car. You will need to have a drive shaft made or yours shortened.
The 8 might last if you don’t get traction, but it’ll be on borrowed time.
The C4 will need a lot of internal part upgrades for 400 tq, like the sprag, main shaft, and a better clutch pack. Probably best just to buy a c4 already done with a warranty, swap to a manual, or go to a 4r70w for overdrive.
I’ve had good experiences with Blueprint in street applications. Be sure to read all of the fine print and installation instructions so if you have a warranty problem there won’t be any issues.
Thanks for the info. Sorry new to the forum and the community. Can I ask who is Don Rush? I would loke to contact him and see what we may have in stock.
I was afraid the the stock C4 wouldn’t be up to the task. Manual is out of the question but I will look into the other options that you suggested. Is there any brands or companies you would recommend?
If you’re doing a 408, start with a 69-70 351w block. Not sure if the power you’re trying to make, but a decent 408 should make at least 500hp. Blocks after 69-70 tend to give up after 550 hp by cracking at the mains or splitting the lifter valley.
As far as a c-4, they can be made to handle 750-1000 hp, but you’ll spend a lot of money and still only have three gears. Ask me how I know. My advice get an overdrive transmission.
Finally, dump the 8” and get a 9”. Many of the car rear end widths can be made to work with proper wheel offsets. Just be within an inch or so of your current 8” track width
Thanks for all the great advise and to all that replied!
I’ve doing a lot of research on line and to replace the entire drive line at this point is going to break the budget I have at this point. I still have to think about the suspension, paint, wheels and tires and interior that also needs some attention.
I’ve decided to go ahead and order the 408 from Blueprint (rated at 460 HP and 450 lb/ft), rebuild the C4 myself and keep the 8 inch. Ill just have to keep the right foot light until I can get the all other parts together and replace.
This should give me a good drivable Cougar that has plenty of upgrade capabilities on the driveline side and allow me to actually enjoy this car instead of it sitting in the garage dormant.
If you feel I am making a big mistake, please let me know.