which engine block is best?
- Thread starter thenewguy1
- Start date
IIRC World Products also sells a set of heads with additional bolts to match added tapped holes in the area where the head mounts...suppose to be a stronger system.
At one point I was interested in the Man o' War block....until I found out how much extra expensive machining it needed.
Admittedly, that was a long time ago...things might have changed, I don't know because I gave up on the product.
Cheers!
Doug
At one point I was interested in the Man o' War block....until I found out how much extra expensive machining it needed.
Admittedly, that was a long time ago...things might have changed, I don't know because I gave up on the product.
Cheers!
Doug
It depends on expected HP levels and intended capacity , standard is fine if you are sub 400hp and can be strengthened to handle more , its also much lighter. WP is a great block but is heavy and may be overkilll for a road smoker, Ford have some decent blocks in their SVO book FORD RACING BOSS 302 CYLINDER BLOCK -- M-6010-BOSS302
Bob
A MkI or MkII car? Do you want authenticity? Carb or fuel injection? A old FE block, or a redesigned FE SHELBY all aluminum? Do you want high HP or high torque, or both? Where will you drive this car the most.... track or roadways? And finally a choice is made by how much money do you throw at this part of the car? I would also ask that you keep in mind the balance of the car as the front end is light when making an engine choice.
MK1 with a custom built chassis (space frame). Authenticity is not as important. Weekend track car with occasional use for date night. 600+ hp and torque if possible being naturally aspirated. Aluminum Shelby block is sweet though, but a little more than I'd like to spend. This block, however, would make the weight distribution issues easier to deal with considering the power I want from it. Might just have to save a little more and go that route. Thanks again guys.
I would suggest looking at some of the older blocks. Take a look at the 351 Windsor. It is a strong block to build off of. You can bore it .060 over without a problem and plenty of room to stroke it. I held my limit to 408 ci. Put some nice breathing heads like the AFR 205's(or similar), a hydraulic roller cam and rocker setup will work well with either a carb or EFI. Port match the intake to the heads and you will have one great breathing machine. Any good engine builder can put this combo together for you. If you keep the compression ratio below 11:1, you can run on regular gas all day long. I would venture to say that the cost would be about the same, maybe cheaper as that shiny new block will have a considerable markup! BTW, I personally think that 600 HP is almost too much for this light of a car. Mine is less than that and It is almost too much for me.
Bill
Bill
I get that a lot, but after my experiences with nearly double that, I have the itch for the "scared shit less" feeling every time I hit the gas. The plan is to keep it under 2500 lbs. The only thing I am really worried about is never getting traction or when it does, having the front end lift off. Either way, I really appreciate everyone's help! Thank you to all who have added their input.
I suppose that best we can hope for then is that your ' itch' does not get you into a situation where you lose the ability to ever 'shit' again then, good luck in your endeavours and please try not to kill or harm any innocent bystanders in the process.
Steve Wood (PANAVIA)
Lifetime Supporter
+1 for the new boss 302 engine blocks - but if you want a real kicker , how about an LS7 slightly smaller than a 351w and 427 cubes , titanium connecting rods,valves aluminum block and heads - forged steel crank - less than 15k$
Howard Jones
Supporter
Here's a way to tell if you need more power. Get behind a top spec Maida driver in a front row car and try to keep up. If you can run consistently faster lap times than him then you can use more power, if not then you lack grip. Always fix braking, grip and balance first. After those are spot on go for gear ratios and lastly more power.
The idea is to make a fast car easy to drive not make a hard car to drive faster.
The idea is to make a fast car easy to drive not make a hard car to drive faster.
Ian Anderson
Lifetime Supporter
Very knowledgable and wise words
Also at 600hp and tq what transaxle are you planning to use - most will just grenade themselves!
Ian
Best advice I have seen on this forum was something to the effect of "...350 RWHP is enough...build for light weight and get the biggest brakes you can find....they'll never catch you."
Hoping to build my next project according to that recommendation.
Doug
Hoping to build my next project according to that recommendation.
Doug
James, I hope you don't think the lads are ganging up on you......they're not. Build what you want mate. But they do speak from experience (a HUGE amount of experience!) and personally I've got @ 430hp and I'm more then thrilled when behind the wheel. 600 ponies in a 40 is massive.....just my .02. Good fortune in your build.
Jim Rosenthal
Supporter
John Wyer and Co won LeMans with 289 cubic inches and about four hundred hp. Of course, they had long gear ratios- AND they had drivers like Ickx, Bianchi, Oliver, and Rodriguez. And they won it twice.
James,
While many of the vastly more experienced voices here use their cars hard and frequently on the track, my usage probably mirrors your stated goals more closely: occasional weekend runs and track outings, with a few "scary (in safe places) demonstration" rides. My car has a HiPo 289 racing block bored and stroked. It puts out 410 HP and has NEVER left me wanting more power in the way some of my other cars do. Lightness, control and balance are, IMHO, key to having an enjoyable GT40. I have seen GT40s with silly amounts of power and ask myself why? With what I have I can smoke tires all day long and if I understand correctly, the most significant benefit you'd realize with very high HP would be increased top speed. I've had mine up to almost 140 MPH (alone and on a runway) and that was plenty fast enough for me! I am certain I would have less "fun" with a less balanced, over-powered car than what I have now. just MY $.02.
As others have posted, it's your ride and your goals so your decisions. Enjoy the ride!
Mark
While many of the vastly more experienced voices here use their cars hard and frequently on the track, my usage probably mirrors your stated goals more closely: occasional weekend runs and track outings, with a few "scary (in safe places) demonstration" rides. My car has a HiPo 289 racing block bored and stroked. It puts out 410 HP and has NEVER left me wanting more power in the way some of my other cars do. Lightness, control and balance are, IMHO, key to having an enjoyable GT40. I have seen GT40s with silly amounts of power and ask myself why? With what I have I can smoke tires all day long and if I understand correctly, the most significant benefit you'd realize with very high HP would be increased top speed. I've had mine up to almost 140 MPH (alone and on a runway) and that was plenty fast enough for me! I am certain I would have less "fun" with a less balanced, over-powered car than what I have now. just MY $.02.
As others have posted, it's your ride and your goals so your decisions. Enjoy the ride!
Mark
Well this is about blocks and I don't want to hijack that but I see a lot of people doing that so I'll give my humble opinion, then go with an alternative.
If I didn't care how much I was spending, I'd go with a Ford Racing cylinder block. M-6010-BOSS302
To me though, unless I wanted to go period specific and build either a 289 or 427 I'd go with something modern. This will require a chassis tweak of course as the modular engines are wide.
Here is a dyno of the Aluminator XS like the one I'm putting in. It makes about 460-480 RWHP (530 or so at the crank), revs around 8,000, idles great (no vacuum issues), burns clean and gets great mileage with a warranty. Hard to beat that for 13K or so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLyo9wUsUGE#t=50
If I didn't care how much I was spending, I'd go with a Ford Racing cylinder block. M-6010-BOSS302
To me though, unless I wanted to go period specific and build either a 289 or 427 I'd go with something modern. This will require a chassis tweak of course as the modular engines are wide.
Here is a dyno of the Aluminator XS like the one I'm putting in. It makes about 460-480 RWHP (530 or so at the crank), revs around 8,000, idles great (no vacuum issues), burns clean and gets great mileage with a warranty. Hard to beat that for 13K or so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLyo9wUsUGE#t=50
Back to the original question...
I went the route of a 351W. They are fairly cheap, easy to get parts for, and can be made to reach your horsepower goal by any competant builder. I went with a '69 block because they have a reputation for being the strongest.
I'm not going to be drawn into any horsepower arguments, I have 600 bhp, and think its fine. Outrunning a miata on the track is not the question.
I went the route of a 351W. They are fairly cheap, easy to get parts for, and can be made to reach your horsepower goal by any competant builder. I went with a '69 block because they have a reputation for being the strongest.
I'm not going to be drawn into any horsepower arguments, I have 600 bhp, and think its fine. Outrunning a miata on the track is not the question.
