The 1st time I ever was introduced to an MEL 430 was when I was a kid at my Dad's car lot. It was my Saturday job to wash all cars and start them up.I remember a beautiful maroon '64 Lincoln, next to the gas pump. I always looked forward to starting this car. It was turbine smooth and the engine had a uniquely pleasing whine to it. Simple, dependable, American power...
There's a guy in Minnisota who custom built one recently for torque . 517 inches 4.42x4.21 10 to 1 fully ported heads. 244/244 .500 lift hydraulic cam. An adapted Performer RPM from 429 CJ 950 Holley 1 inch 4 hole spacer. It makes 530 hp at 5300 rpm and 590 ft lb from 3300 to 4400 rpm with headers.
The hp is in line with what I would estimate. The torque reading is slightly less than what I would expect given the displacement. My smog choked 1992 460 makes similar torque. Its too bad the performance parts are non existent for the MEL engines. Jon Kaase made around 700hp with one of these at Engine Masters. It was definitely one of the more obscure engines at the competition. A neat antique for sure. Thanks for the post.
Typical horsepower/torque from a 50's era V-8 of that size in stock trim. You could build this motor into a real beast without much fuss. 220*@.050 lift cam, street head porting(bowl work and port matching) with a 750-800 cfm carb on a one inch 4 hole carb spacer. Not much room for headers on the older full size MEL''s though so you probably could push the motor past 54-5500 rpm with the stock exhaust manifolds.
Those 50's and 60's "gross" numbers were always wildly optimistic. The above dyno numbers are more in line with reality. Quite frankly, im impressed the engine put out more than 280hp in this dyno run.
Actually the best running MEL's were produced in its first year, 1958. After this year the MEL's were down rated for power with 2 barrel carbs and smaller valves. Ford shifted its performance focus to the same age FE motors. I think they probably realized the power to weight potential of the FE was far superior. The MEL motors were too heavy and the combustion chamber in cylinder design severely limited rpm potential for racing.
The builder of this motor has no clue what he's doing. There's a forum thread that shows this motor being built and he put something like 8:1 compression pistons in it, making it weaker than original.....
The 1st time I ever was introduced to an MEL 430 was when I was a kid at my Dad's car lot. It was my Saturday job to wash all cars and start them up.I remember a beautiful maroon '64 Lincoln, next to the gas pump. I always looked forward to starting this car. It was turbine smooth and the engine had a uniquely pleasing whine to it. Simple, dependable, American power...
There's a guy in Minnisota who custom built one recently for torque .
517 inches 4.42x4.21 10 to 1 fully ported heads. 244/244 .500 lift hydraulic cam.
An adapted Performer RPM from 429 CJ 950 Holley 1 inch 4 hole spacer.
It makes 530 hp at 5300 rpm and 590 ft lb from 3300 to 4400 rpm with headers.
The 430 was referred to as the "Bulldozer" not "Bulldog"...
The hp is in line with what I would estimate. The torque reading is slightly less than what I would expect given the displacement. My smog choked 1992 460 makes similar torque. Its too bad the performance parts are non existent for the MEL engines. Jon Kaase made around 700hp with one of these at Engine Masters. It was definitely one of the more obscure engines at the competition. A neat antique for sure. Thanks for the post.
Typical horsepower/torque from a 50's era V-8 of that size in stock trim. You could build this motor into a real beast without much fuss. 220*@.050 lift cam, street head porting(bowl work and port matching) with a 750-800 cfm carb on a one inch 4 hole carb spacer. Not much room for headers on the older full size MEL''s though so you probably could push the motor past 54-5500 rpm with the stock exhaust manifolds.
In 1958 Edsel had the MEL 410 "E475" engine producing 345 hp @ 4600 rpm and 475 ft-lb Torque @ 2600 rpm stock.
Those 50's and 60's "gross" numbers were always wildly optimistic. The above dyno numbers are more in line with reality. Quite frankly, im impressed the engine put out more than 280hp in this dyno run.
@@bobbybobberson9349
No, they weren't.
@Robert K
You are correct.
@@20alphabet Yes they were. You are watching evidence of the fact in this video. Are you next going to write that the dyno in the video is broken?
@@bobbybobberson9349
No, they weren't.
Yeah what's the base timing set at....?
I bet there was a LOT left on the table as-delivered that people unlocked later....
I think later versions a couple years newer made bigger numbers.
Actually the best running MEL's were produced in its first year, 1958. After this year the MEL's were down rated for power with 2 barrel carbs and smaller valves. Ford shifted its performance focus to the same age FE motors. I think they probably realized the power to weight potential of the FE was far superior. The MEL motors were too heavy and the combustion chamber in cylinder design severely limited rpm potential for racing.
that is a lame running MEL engine. not even 300 HP ??
tunnelportterror I hope you understand 6 years prior their flagship v8 was a flathead making a blistering 110 horsepower
@@theeoddments960
I hope you understand this engine was advertised by the factory as making 345hp.
Considering that 427 FE's that were introduced at around the same time would pull in mid 400hp numbers stock, this is truly lame.
The builder of this motor has no clue what he's doing. There's a forum thread that shows this motor being built and he put something like 8:1 compression pistons in it, making it weaker than original.....
oh nice sound.I also got an 430 mel (Buldog),for my 1960 Ford Fairlane.
Mel ton Archie Goodsell