Last month, you may recall we got a great performance boost for Jack Iafrate's 351W engine with a set of Air Flow Research (AFR) aluminum cylinder heads. They were good for an impressive 40 hp right out of the box. The month before, a set of Hooker Super Competition headers was installed, and they were good for almost 20 horses, so already Jack's mild 351 is up 58.5 hp with these two upgrades. His car is now making 244.2 hp at the rear wheels.
This month, we've decided to add to our power improvements with a roller cam conversion from Competition Cams. To ensure a good, hot and consistent spark, we've also decided to use an all-billet-aluminum distributor from MSD. We didn't want the old single-point Ford unit holding us back, and since we were going to need to change over to a steel distributor drive gear anyway, we decided this was a good time to toss that old breaker-point unit out the window. In addition to this state-of-the-art stand-alone distributor, MSD also had a new Blaster Coil and a set of new 8.5mm plug wires on the menu for our engine.
The cam we selected was a roller-conversion grind from Comp Cams, PN 35-442-8. It has a .533-inch lift at both the intake and exhaust valves, and an advertised duration in degrees of 284. Lobe separation angle is 110.0 degrees. Comp tells us this is a good cam for power above the 3,500-rpm range while still maintaining good low-end torque. It's the middle selection of the five 351W roller-conversion cams offered in its catalog. We'll install our cam and distributor according to the instructions, and after an overview of the installation, we'll head out to Superior Automotive and document our situation on its dyno jet chassis dynamometer.
| WHAT'S IT COST? |
| 1 Comp Roller Cam | $258.45 |
| 1 Set Comp Roller Lifters | 223.58 |
| 1 Set Pushrods | 43.52 |
| 1 Timing Set | 69.13 |
| 1 Roller Cam Conversion Kit | 46.08 |
| 1 MSD Billet Distributor | 279.00 |
| 1 Set MSD Plug Wires | 75.00 |
| 1 MSD Coil | 32.95 |
| Rentals, fluids & misc. | 50.00 |
| Total | $1,077.71 |
01. Here's our new roller-conversion cam from Comp Cams. Also shown are the new Comp roller lifters, special-length pushrods, and conversion kit. The "dog bones" or lifter tie bars keep the lifter rollers square with the cam lobe, and the spring-steel spider keeps the tie bars in position. | 
02. We've used these MSD stand-alone distributors before. They're super reliable, and the billet aluminum construction means they're nearly indestructible, as well as great looking. Just set the timing and you can forget about ignition problems forever. | 
03. These MSD Super Conductor wires and Blaster 2 coil will round out our ignition system and make sure that a hot spark reaches the plug. |
04. This Comp Double-Roller timing set was included to provide a slack-free connection between the cam and crank. | 
05. You'll need a 15⁄64-inch drill bit to install the lifter retainer spider into the engine. You'll also need a thread tap to thread the holes. The other special tool was included with the MSD wires and will be used to crimp the completed wire ends. | 
06. Here's the landscape underhood on Jack's '69 Mustang as we prepare to begin. The AFR aluminum cylinder heads were a great addition, and we think Jack's engine is really beginning to look like something. |
07. We begin our task by draining the cooling system. The radiator is removed from | 
08. The valve covers come off the cylinder heads. Belts, hoses, and electrical connections, including the battery, were also undone at this time. | 
09. Removal of the stock distributor came next. With the mechanical breaker points and worn housing, this is one engine component we're happy to see go. |