-Heavy duty rebuild kit, bushing kit, filter, modulator, rated for 500+HP
-New clutch pack with 2 additional frictions (1 forward/1 reverse)
-FM105 (High Stall) torque converter, set for 2000 RPM
-Raybestos intermediate band, ex wide kevlar
-Performance shift kit, valve body, springs, etc
My machinist recommended against porting/valve work on the stock heads. Basically his deal was it's good money after bad. Why spend hundreds to tweak stock heads for marginal flow...just skip it and get new aluminum heads with modern chambers, bigger valves, etc, and a huge difference in flow. But I felt like new heads would cross some imaginary line, where my FE wouldn't really be an FE anymore. Probably stupid, but thats just me, I'm sure many on this forum would disagree. And I also wanted to invest in a rotating assembly built to last.
So instead he mounted the stock heads in a FE block jig, torqued to spec, and leveled. Worst corner was left rear interior approx .0004 high, not shabby for a 1970 stock casting (I gather). Bored from 020 over to 030, rebuilt top end to match new cam...new rockers, springs, clips, etc. Valve seats had been hardened on a previous rebuild, valves good, so no other machine cost except reassembly. I got to stay purist, and invested the difference in the 428 crank, timing gear, block hone, bearings, bushings, and so on. Also line honed the Eagle crank 0001 for better journal fit.
BTW the previous rebuild had the same NP pistons on the 390 stroke, and a .031 gasket, so SCR was no better than 8.0 to start (maybe less). Can't wait to get back on the road at 9.7:1 with the 3.98 stroke!!
-Jack