Rebuilding an 8BA, Need Help With Parts Selection

I just dropped my block and crank off at the machine shop to have them hot tanked and magnafluxed. I am looking at what I need to make my 8BA a reliable long running engine. The shop has told me that the block needs to be bored. I was hoping to avoid that. Unfortunately it is what it is. Do I go with 3 ring or 4 ring pistons? What brand? I am planing on Offy heads and regular dual carb intake as well as an isky Max-1 cam I am planing to reuse the stock rods and crank. The crank just needs polished. What should I do about the rest of the valve train? I was thinking of using Speedway motors as my source for most all of this but recently heard some despairing remarks about their products.

Hope you all can help!

Thanks!

Mike

 

Don't worry about the bore...It should have plenty of meat. Lots of discussion of whether or not to go with 3 or 4 rings, but 3 seems to be fine-don't overthink it. Egge is great for pistons if you've got the cash, but I haven't heard of a ton of issues with Speedway or other brand pistons (though I might've missed a thread or two on that issue-if so, sorry). Max-1 is a good low-midrange/good all around cam. Not lots of rumpity-rump in the idle if that's what you're looking for, but "dependable and efficient" (i.e. reliable...). If you're getting off with just a crank polish, consider yourself lucky. I used stainless Chevy (gasp) valves in mine on the advice of my (very experienced) machinist along with the Speedway valve guides, seals, etc. It all seems good so far, so...
Just my .02 for whatever it's worth. Just like, "Take my advice, I'm not using it"... ;-)

 

I have heard some things about speedway products, so I use H&H flathead and reds headers for parts and have never been disappointed.

 

Have those basic same parts in my 49 and could not be happier with the whole set up...97's on a Tommy Thicksten, Offy .425 heads, Isky Max 1 cam, 7:1 .100 over pistons, Chevy stainless steel adjustable valves, Sanderson lake pipes with 24" Smithy's out the rear for a very cool sounding rumble.

 

Speedway is a ****shoot, sometimes it's GREAT and sometimes ****, ya just gotta know what to get

 

"8BA" is a fairly generic term. If you would happen to have a '52 or '53 (or maybe even a Merc), lots of folks consider the stock cams to be equal to the milder aftermarket cams. I have a couple of late flatheads I'm going to build, a '50 Ford and a '51 Merc. At the present time, the plans are to build the Merc with an 1/8 overbore and an Isky cam, plus the usual speed goodies, and the '50 Ford close to stock, using the Merc cam and lifters, if they're good.