Who would be interested in new MEL speed parts?

I kind of hi-jacked a thread yesterday. I'm about halfway done with my new Lincoln motor. It's the 500+ inch stroker 462 that I mentioned a few months ago. I've kind of stalled on the stroker part and turned it over to a pro but in the meantime, have gotten an all aluminum long tube cross ram U-Fab intake together with 8 dueces and some header flanges. Steel intakes can be made cheaper of course but I like the look and weight savings of the aluminum. I'm looking at maybe casting some custom valve covers now too.

These will fit the Mercury 383 and 430, Lincoln 430 and 462, and Ford 430, and Edsel 410. These are great motors that made mad power from the factory. They are still out there pretty cheap because folks are afraid of them due to the extreme scarcity of virtually any performance parts. I'm wondering if I got a few more intakes (4x2, 6x2, and 8x2 and possibly another aluminum single or dual 4v) with header flanges, cams, and valve covers plus stroker specs out there, maybe some folks would bring these motors back.

I'm jumping the gun here a little bit and didn't want to mention this till my motor was finished completely but I have no self control. My intake and header flanges will be posted up here in the next week or two. The aluminum single 4v is already done (there were never any made in the aftermarket before) and I'll try to post pictures in the next day or two . The valve covers are going to cost about $2k for tooling and production so I'd have to have some deposits and serious commitments before running them and even then they take several months. I'd think they would sell around $200-250 a pair if there was enough interest to do them. The intakes and exhaust manifolds are going to be available either way. The exhaust flanges are $100 a pair. The intakes vary wildly depending on what you want. The single 4v was $700 but it was a one off.

If there is any serious interest, please let me know. I know a lot of you can make your own stuff but a lot of folks can't. I'm a fan of the MEL and I'd like to see a few more out there.

 

Still looking for a stock oil pan for gasserkids roadster.

 

I'm trying to find you one that is not on a complete engine. I'm looking for more cores right now and can hopefully help you out. The machine shop lost all the pulleys on one of my engines so I may end up piecing that one.

 

Valve covers and a dual quad intake would be my interest. Intake pricing around $400 should be attainable as is the Blue Thunder for the Y Block.

Once the train starts rolling others will jump on with a variety of products. Just a few years ago the Y block was a dead engine.

Ive been trying to determine on other forums if my 58 430 was updated to correct early problems. There is no tag on the head nor stencils on the valve cover to signify the changes. Do you have any idea how to determine the build date? It is a 64K original.

 

Ive been trying to determine on other forums if my 58 430 was updated to correct early problems. There is no tag on the head nor stencils on the valve cover to signify the changes. Do you have any idea how to determine the build date? It is a 64K original.[/QUOTE]

Are you on the MEL forum? It's a good forum for stock info. I'll dig though my stuff and see if I can find date codes.

 

Mels make me smile.....
I think lately it seems that even more people are looking into these, maybe there would be a market. I know Vintakes still has roller cams for later (60 and up) MELs

 

subscribing to this thread to see where it goes. i have an interest in some of the parts you're talking about.

 

Are you on the MEL forum? It's a good forum for stock info. I'll dig though my stuff and see if I can find date codes.[/QUOTE]


Yes I have and see your posts over there; problem is very little activity, one month fills one page on the PC! Also use the late V8 Fordbarn forum. Each forum brings out more information as new owners pop out of the woodwork.

 

Interested in valve covers and either a tri-power intake or one of the aformentioned dual quad intakes. I'll admit it right now I'll probably never build one for a hot rod just a torque monster to pull my huge car ya know.

 

I got the header flanges today. They look great. They are 3/8" cold rolled steel. CNC cut with matching CNC cut gaskets. The bare flange set of 2 is $100. They can be stubbed with 1 7/8" tubes for $225 per set or with 2" tubes for $250 per set. UPS Ground Shipping is FREE to Hambers.

The intake manifolds are on a per order build. The U-fab is about a week from being finished and the modified 460 manifolds are ready to go now. The dual quad version is $700 and so is the single 4V hi rise.

The finned valve covers are still a few weeks out yet. They are no name 7 fin versions with extra clearance for roller rockers. Valley pans are next.

The 462 Stroker kit is about two weeks out yet also. We're gonna bring these back to life!!! Hopefully someone besides me cares!

 

Damn uncle scooby your my new favorite uncle I'm realy intrested in the valve covers and valley cover and 4-2 or 6-2 intake

your new nephew
Jared No Respect

 

I'll take two sets of header flanges as soon as you have them. I would also be interested in the valve covers.

Beep

 

How do I send you the $$$$. I want one header flange set stubbed with 2" and one set bare.

Beep

 

No sweat. I PM'd you the info. We're workin on the valve covers as fast as we can too. The flanges are ready to go right now though.

 

Hello Unclescooby,

We are standing in line with all the other (serious) MEL Gear Heads ready to send you the Big Bucks $$$$ for the aluminum valve covers. I am understanding of the fact that performance parts for non-mainstream engines will almost always drive the price up on the finished product. We can only hope that a grass roots high performance movement is underway that will shine the light on an engine series that never really got the recognition it really deserved.

This prier statement was made by myself, Eric, a Chevy guy. I truly do believe the MEL series engine does have a performance advantage in its very design, and I believe that this advantage lies in its combustion chamber itself. After all, the MEL's combustion chamber is the only real design departure that differentiates this particular engine from the more traditional Detroit engines of its time. This is not to say that the MEL Engine was the only engine series to utilize a design where the combustion chamber itself is determined by the piston crown, not the cylinder head. I suspect I don't need to bother with the specifics here. I am aware of the fact that you are well versed in the specifics of the MEL series engines itself, especially its combustion chamber design.

Chevy's famed 409 W series engine utilized a similar combustion chamber design of the not so famed MEL series engine. I would suspect that the 409's great fame in general might very well be attributed to the total package itself. Put the W series engine in a relatively lightweight car (for its timeframe), give the individuals racing the car a great deal of factory endorsement/support, and write a catchy tune about the engine being so fine, my 409. They were even smart enough to give the engine itself a female gender tag in the song, very smart!

Unfortunately, there was never a song written about the MEL series engine. Though there was a song written about a Hot Rod Lincoln, it was about a the car itself, there are no specifics about an engine in the song itself. If there was ever an engine that was deserving of some type of recognition for its performance numbers, it would have to be the 1958 MEL 430 Super Marauder, very impressive indeed. Four hundred horsepower in 1958 out of an engine series that was in its first year production run no less, WOW!

We both know what ended up happening, or might I say did not end up happening in the 1959 production run, good by performance. I am often times humored by the fact that the Lincoln owners are the worst offenders with talking up how the MEL series engine is sooo much heavier than anything out there and how this attribute alone deemed its death as a true performance engine. If my recollection serves me right, the elephant engine, better known as the 426 Hemi was right in the same ball park as far as weight is concerned. Now how is it that the Hemi engine itself never seemed to suffer from a perceived weight handicap? To bring up such a point would quickly be refuted, and rightly so.

If there is one other feature about the MEL Engine that is rarely overlooked and that would be its ability to produce extremely high/broad levels of torque. I am a firm believer that nothing happens by happenstance. I am of the mind set that what might have been viewed as a poor, outdated design shortly after its conception might very well be the strongest attribute of the engine itself. I also believe that its design advantage can be improved upon.

My friend Jeff is building a MEL 514 Engine. We have been able to come up with just about every performance part, no easy task, for his engine build up. Unfortunately, we have been unable to find any valve covers that he would even consider bolting onto the engine. He will be running aftermarket rocker arms, pedestals, shafts, and so forth. Therefore, we will need to acquire a valve covers that will accommodate these features.

I have included a quick write up about my friend Jeff's MEL Engine bellow.

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Hot Rod Lincoln ​

<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR><META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2912" name=GENERATOR>My name is Eric Steele. I am writing to you in regards of my best friend Jeff's Lincoln Continental that was formally owned and brought brand new by my ant Irene.

After a years worth of ownership, Jeff approached me with a question as to what it would take to make his car a "Hot Rod Lincoln." I than asked him for his definition of what he felt he wanted his whale of a car (4,900 lbs) to perform like when done? Are you only going to be racing other land barges?


I quickly gave him a lecture on the value of building a vehicle with a somewhat tolerable power-to-weight ratio, and that his Lincoln had just about the worst ratio out there. He agreed that the best way to help remedy the problem would be to build more cubic inches, the more the better. Judging from the direction his build has taken, I don't suspect that he is going to limit his competition to land barges only.

The car itself is a 1966 Lincoln 2-Dr. that will be powered by a 514" Mel series engine. The crank is the factory 462" casting that has been off-set grind to 4.15. The 462 block has been bored 0.060 over. The cylinder heads are MEL 1958 vintage with aftermarket valves (2.25 intake & 1.88 exhaust). They have been mildly ported, particularly in the valve bowl area to accommodate the large valves and the poor short side radiuses. The intake will be the 1958 cast iron four barrel configuration with extensive work in its plenium area. We will be going with a 950/1000cfm HP series Holley carburator with anuler discharge boosters. The headers will be custom built using 2" primary tubes with 3.5 inch collectors. Due to the Lincoln's great girth and its unibody construction, the car will have frame connectors installed. We are hoping to get it down a few hundred pounds, but not much more.

We both feel that the car needs to maintain its luxury car standing. The car will be using a small amount of nitrous, about 150 hp. The Lincoln will be a duel purpose built car with an emphasis on both its cruise-ability on the street and its ability to surprise more than a few people at the track. The car will utilize a gear venders overdrive with a 3.7 to 1 gear ratio in order to make it a bit more livable in both regards. Future plans will also incorporate a wide-ratio gear set for the C-6 transmission as well.

We were able to locate the following camshaft on e-bay: nos never installed Isky roller cam for 61-66 Lincoln 430 462 motors 505 lift 320 duration intake 52-88 ex 88-52 lash 030 comes with cam id card uses FE ford lifters want HP this will help. We will be sending the cam off to Motor Machine and Supply to have the cam reground to a profile that incorporates a somewhat less dated configuration, a higher intensity and more lift.

Motor Mach. and Supply is, among other things, a camshaft broker that designed and built one of the most sophisticated computerized piece of machinery that is able to determine what camshaft profile is best suited for a particular application. The computer is so good at performing the task that it can outguess the best in the business! Many of the top engine builders out there rely on Motor Machine and Supply to help them determine what cam is best for such and such an application, especially the unfamiliar ones. David Vizzard saw a need for such a machine years ago and worked with them to build the computer. They have quite a bit of time and money into the Machine itself. And from what I understand, it is the only one in existence that is as complex in its design and capability, pretty cool.

We are planning on running Comp Cams bee-hive valve springs with titanium retainers. The aftermarket has various aluminum roller rocker arm kits available for the FE series engine that are said to interchange with the MEL; however, we a fairly sure that the rocker shafts themselves are a bit shorter than what would be needed to retrofit onto the MEL engine. We may end up having to have a set custom made.

By the way, my project is a 1950 Chevy 1/2 ton BBC pro-street truck...with a three inch chopped top & 14 x 32" DOT slicks out back. Like my friend Lincoln, it is still a work in progress but is coming along quite well. When complete, truck will be NHRA/IHRA certified to run sub-tens. I am hoping to run in the mid nines. The truck is presently a roller, less engine and transmission. We are planning on building a 10-71 Supercharged 572" BBC that will run on pump gas and low boost on the street and the trick gas and higher boost at the track. the transmission will more than likely be a glide.

Eric Steele cell (509) 951-4403

Eric email steeleric@aol.com

Jeff Slippy cell (509) 998-6893
​

 

Here's a couple of pics for you.....

 

i'd be interested in these parts also-- particularly the valve covers and intake. put me on the list.

-scott noteboom

 

Ditto.

 

Though there was a song written about a Hot Rod Lincoln, it was about a the car itself, there are no specifics about an engine in the song itself.

Actually the hot rod Lincoln in the song is described as a Model A with a souped up Lincoln, 12 cylinders with overdrive, a 4 bbl carb, dual exhaust and 4;10 gears

 

MOON cast rocker covers for this engine back when. A matching set of finned rocker covers, finned vally pan (with provision for PCV) and a matching finned front cover (with and w/o mechanical fuel pump provision) would be a nice touch.

And a billet aluminum FEAD will finish it off...

 

I am in agreement with you Mr. Kultulz about the MOON cast rocker covers, finned valley pan (with provision for PCV) and a matching finned front cover (with and w/o mechanical fuel pump provision) would be a nice touch. And a billet aluminum FEAD will finish it off...


I thought that I would save the best for last, sorry Mr. Kultulz. Thank you Mr. Lewishlynn for correcting my error regarding the song, "Hot Rod Lincoln." I obviously did not do my homework before opening my mouth, for say. I did, however do a very fine job of inserting foot in mouth. Fortunantly, I am secure enough in myself to take constructive criticism well. I am hoping that Jeff and I have done a little more accurate research guarding the MEL engine build itself. Jeff, however, played no part in the song/lyric screw up; that was purely my doing. Always up for constructive input of any nature.

Thanks again, eric <><

 

Yes valve covers would be nice.. Someday I'll build my 383 powered Model A and more aftermarket stuff would be a welcome addition. Only thing I have for it now is an edelbrock 6x2.

 

While were @ it Mr. Kultulz, How about adding the aluminum Super Marauder air cleaner housing to the engine dress up package? I would suspect that it might be a little more marketable if it were available in both tri power and four barrel configuration, and possibly a host of others for that matter! You know how crazy things got with carburetors and their numbers way back in the day.
I am sure the Mercury puritans would get a little riled up with the four barrel configuration though. Than again, from my understanding, Lincoln cars with MEL engines came with either painted or chrome valve covers. Again, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Thanks again, eric <><

 

Thank you Mr. Revhead. As far as my statement concerning the multiple carburators and the marouder housing, six two barrel carburators no less! You are the man for sure!

 

Holy shit.

 

we're still trying on this one. A HAMB'er is doing the castings but he has a lot going on right now so I don't know when we'll get it done.

 

Above is a correctly assembled LINCOLN Super Marauder Option. This car is an H-CODE and was assembled with donor parts. The engine code for a genuine LINC SM Option was J.

 

I just thought I might check into this post to check on the MEL aluminum valve cover stats. In reading through the post for a second time, I had noted that I gave credit to Mr. Kultulz for clearing up my disinformation about the "Hot Rod Lincoln" song, oops again! Thank you Mr. Grenade Inspector for clearing up the matter about the song, and thank you Mr. Kultulz for clearing up everything else.

I am in the process of Purchasing a MEL series MSD distributor from an individual named Brian Estrada. I recently received an email from Brian that expressed the following:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eric how's it going... good here, super busy. I talked to eddy he is shipping
the gears tomorrow, Friday. I'll put it together as soon as it gets here!! I already
sent husky58's dist and he was pleasantly surprised at the quality..!! Hey I
got a source for the valve covers!!! 95 dollars a piece.. all we need is a
flawless core that is oversized to allow for shrinkage.. and a min of 10
pieces(5 sets)..
1. do you know who has the core
2. do you know any other people to jump on the band wagon.( I want 3 sets so
realistically we only need 1 other interested).

Let me know on this because I really want some of these!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those individuals who are deficiently interested in acquiring a set of MEL aluminum valve covers, it is more than likely that Uncle Scooby and Brian Estrada will have to work out some type of a business deal. I would be prepared to pay an amount somewhat higher than posted by Brian E. simply because it might just require one more party being involved in the business transaction in order for a finished product to be made available to the public. All parties involved on the business end would need to know that they would be fairly compensated for their effort, time, expenses, connections and what have you.

I would suspect that we might need other individuals who would be willing to "...jump on the band wagon." I personally feel that there are a large number of individuals who would be interested in acquiring a set. It would help, however, if different Lincoln, Mercury, and so forth forums were also aware of the offer. That is if anything ever comes of this? Let's all keep our fingers crossed!

Brian Estrada's email address: bestrada11@hotmail.com

 

This isn't totally dead, it's just sleeping. Ed has been busy and so have I but I do have a new 430 in the works for me and I agree that it will need valve covers too. What I was actually looking at doing was making a bigger set of the awesome 368 Mark valve covers. The only problem with those is the great Lincoln logo on them and the fact that Ford is insanely protective of that logo. I could make some but I wouldn't be allowed to sell them without getting my ass sued off. I'll probably still make a set for me at least and a couple back ups but I'll have to do something else for the sale units. I'm all for valley covers and timing covers too. I was talking to Schneider who is grinding my cam and he said they do several performance MEL cams each month. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that.

 

Im still looking for a blower manifold, saw a few on Ebay that went for about 800.00. Valve covers and a Valley cover would be nice. Cool engines but hard to find go fast parts for. Oh well being different comes at a cost. Im driving the distributor off the cam gear. Anyone had experience with that?