Explorer Upper And Lower. Head Choices

[tamadrummer88]

So today, i picked up a nice explorer upper and lower. Im thinking about getting it ported by tmoss (thats pending shipping...hell i don't even wanna know how much its gonna be ) I was thinking of going with GT40 iron heads and an E-303 cam for a nice stockish combo with somewhat decent power.


I would like to go with aluminum heads, but from what i understand, this intake isn't really the top performer, so i think id be limited in head choices. Any suggestions?

 

[f8tlfiveo]

You will make good fun power with that combo.. It's been proven many times.. Might be a better cam out there though. Change the valve springs also. I didn't on mine, and I think I left some power on the table. I used a stock cam and put down 260rwhp and 285rwtq. Fun car to drive though

 

[tamadrummer88]

Yeah i was also thinking of going with the TFS stage 1 cam. Would a set of TW 170's b good with this intake?

 

[A5literMan]

I've never ran an explorer intake but I wouldn't think it should be a problem. If the ports don't line up perfect break out the dremel.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Trick Flow 170's, AFR 165's GT40X's.....all good matches for the Explorer intake.

 

[tamadrummer88]

Trick Flow 170's, AFR 165's GT40X's.....all good matches for the Explorer intake.

Ah nice. Thank you. Would the unported lower be fine with 170's? How about a bigger head, like a 205?

 

[revhead347]

Not enough intake for that big of a head.

Kurt

 

[jAEded]

Thats what she said.

 

[mikestang63]

The explorer intake flows pretty darn well untouched, even better with the lower ported by Tom. Any one of the heads Brian said will be a good fit. I would avoid any letter cam as they are 20+ year old grinds. You can do much better with a comp cam or TFS1 . Make sure you upgrade the springs on the heads as they are barely adequate for a stock mustang cam.
My setup will be a ported Explorer intake, AFR 165's and tfs1 cam along with the usual other stuff. I think you'll have a fun setup.

 

[tamadrummer88]

The explorer intake flows pretty darn well untouched, even better with the lower ported by Tom. Any one of the heads Brian said will be a good fit. I would avoid any letter cam as they are 20+ year old grinds. You can do much better with a comp cam or TFS1 . Make sure you upgrade the springs on the heads as they are barely adequate for a stock mustang cam.
My setup will be a ported Explorer intake, AFR 165's and tfs1 cam along with the usual other stuff. I think you'll have a fun setup.

Ah sounds good. Ill probably look into aluminum heads rather than GT40's. Could i use a custom ground cam? I want one with near stock idle but still make a nice mountain of power up top. Am i asking too much?

 

[tannerc91gt]

@madmike1157 knows all about these builds

 

[mikestang63]

Ah sounds good. Ill probably look into aluminum heads rather than GT40's. Could i use a custom ground cam? I want one with near stock idle but still make a nice mountain of power up top. Am i asking too much?

yep. a custom cam will do that for you,. Look up either Buddy Rawls or Ed Curtis, both are excellent and will help you.

 

[a91what]

good cheap heads we run 7.00 in the 1/8 with the 190s and a parker funnel web. 6.50 with a 125 shot.

kmj performance they get pro comp castings clean em up good check for flaws then assemble with new valves and springs $700
we liked them so much we got the 205s for our 329.... in progress

 

[tamadrummer88]

good cheap heads we run 7.00 in the 1/8 with the 190s and a parker funnel web. 6.50 with a 125 shot.

kmj performance they get pro comp castings clean em up good check for flaws then assemble with new valves and springs $700
we liked them so much we got the 205s for our 329.... in progress

Im not looking for this thing to be a track monster, we don't even have a racetrack on the island, so I'm just looking for a good street cruiser with good street manners that can make a nice amount of power.


Oh and if it matters, its an AOD car.

 

[90lxwhite]

Talk to Tom moss (tmoss porting) before I decided on the Vortech I purchased an explorer intake because I was going to do heads in leu of a supercharger. He said he could port the lower to work well w a set of tfs heads.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Ah nice. Thank you. Would the unported lower be fine with 170's? How about a bigger head, like a 205?

Any head bigger than the ones I suggest, I would look into a better intake to match. As Kurt stated, the 205's are way too much head for the Explorer casting.


Oh...add the Edelbrock Performers to the above list as well. Another good choice.

 

[a91what]

Im not looking for this thing to be a track monster, we don't even have a racetrack on the island, so I'm just looking for a good street cruiser with good street manners that can make a nice amount of power.


Oh and if it matters, its an AOD car.

Just a cheap option. the 190 will make an excellent street head cant get a better bang for your buck in an aluminum head. the numbers we ran are unported. my street car has a set of ported gt40 irons and the 190 is about the same out of the box.

 

[f8tlfiveo]

Just a cheap option. the 190 will make an excellent street head cant get a better bang for your buck in an aluminum head. the numbers we ran are unported. my street car has a set of ported gt40 irons and the 190 is about the same out of the box.

I did not use the kmj heads but I used the 190 castings with upgraded valve train. Worked good for the 2 months I had them on the car. Never got to the track with those heads, car got totaled before I got there.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

good cheap heads we run 7.00 in the 1/8 with the 190s and a parker funnel web. 6.50 with a 125 shot.

Which 190's are you referring to? Trick Flow FAC, 11R, ProComp, Blueprint, old AFR's, etc

The first two I know will put to shame even the most heavily ported GT40 iron heads.

 

[a91what]

Which 190's are you referring to? Trick Flow FAC, 11R, ProComp, Blueprint, old AFR's, etc

The first two I know will put to shame even the most heavily ported GT40 iron heads.

Mine flow pretty well, but i do agree afrs are hard to stack up to. kmj uses procomp castings and does a full check out with a new valve train. What i spent on head work for irons i could have gotten these and some.