[DeTomaso] New Engine

Fri Aug 17 13:55:06 EDT 2007

There are only a handful of engine builders I'd trust w/out a personal recommendation.

In other words, personally, I'd trust Mark McKeown, Jack Rousch, or Jim Kuntz even though I've never dealt with them before.  I trust their reputation.

I'd also trust Dave Williams, Russ Phelps, Gessford Engineering, or Dennis Quella through personal experience or recommendations from people I trust.

I'd screw it together myself, even though I'd farm out the machine work.

If you do a 351C, you might want to consider a partial block fill.  I filled my block with HardBlok up to the bottom of the water pump holes.  It's about 1/3 of the way up the freeze plugs.  The oil runs a little hotter, but it isn't bad.  I don't have an oil cooler.

The biggest advantages to going 351W are more cubes possible, plus more shops that specialize in 351W.  After all, the 5.0 is about as prolific as the 350 Chevy, and a 351W is just a bigger 5.0.

The biggest advantage to 351C is it sounds and looks right.  Don't believe that a 351W will be more reliable or make more power.  You just have to build it right.

Will.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Trevor Fougere <trevor at fougere.com>
>Sent: Aug 14, 2007 3:05 AM
>To: detomaso at realbig.com
>Cc: trevor at fougere.com
>Subject: [DeTomaso] New Engine
>
>I've been lurking on here for some time...learning and enjoying.
> 
>I have a rebuilt Cleveland.  It's blown.  Smashed sparkplug in cylinder 4.
>50% compression loss.  Coolant in the oil. Coolant in the exhaust.  The same
>cylinder that necessitated a rebuild approx 3-5,000 miles and two owners
>ago.  Haven't taken the heads off yet, but I'm expecting more bad news.  I
>am 90% decided to replace the engine, and have scoured the mailing list
>archives, the net, talked to several owners...all of which has given me a
>severe case of information overload, glazed eyes, and marginal breath.
> 
>My objective is a high performance street car.  I live a mile from the wild
>and twisty's of West Marin...go out there all the time.  12mpg or more would
>exceed what I'm currently experiencing. My Cleveland has been quoted as
>anywhere from an "honest 380" to 430 HP.  No clue on the torque - it feels
>in the same range as the HP.  Hasn't been dyno'd to my knowledge. I like
>low, loud, nasty and fast.  My life has been one long escapade in keeping my
>license. Nuff said.
> 
>I am looking for feedback either here or directly via e-mail and/or phone
>regarding what to put in.  Installation should be as "plug and play" as
>possible.  Fully understanding the need for new headers, alternator,
>waterpump, carb, etc...depending upon engine choice.
> 
>At this point I am leaning towards a stroked Windsor.  392 or 427.  430 -
>500 HP, comparable ft-lbs of torque. Nornally aspirated. Marginally prettied
>up.  I wanna drive this baby, not spend my life hunched over in the engine
>bay with a toothbrush chasing some damn bit of greasy shit. No track racing
>planned, I may run over to the Wed night drags at Infineon (Sears Point)
>once a summer to see what it can do in the quarter.
>I aspire to annual treks to Vegas, and 500 mile round trips to visit my kids
>in college. Hell, it would be nice to show up in it at the occasional PCNC
>meeting as well.  Gotta earn those free dinners!
> 
>Needless to say there exists a plethora of choices out there. At this point
>I'm leaning towards:
> 
>1 - Smeding Performance - http://www.smedingperformance.com/427windsor.htm
>Windsor 427 - 460HP 480 ft-lb ($9,000)
> 
>2 - Smeding Performance - http://www.smedingperformance.com/392extreme.htm
>392 Extreme - 450 HP 460 ft-lb ($8000)
> 
>3 - Ford Racing -
>http://www.fordracingparts.com/crateengine/fiveeightliter.asp M-6007-392 -
>430 HP 450 ft-lb ($7800)
> 
>4 - World Products - http://worldcastings.com/prods_pages/102035.htm -
>102046 - 495HP - 486 ft-lb (not sure of $$$)
> 
>Operating with a budget for Engine and Parts of $10,000. Give or take a few
>thousand beers to get this done.            
> 
>Flame on.  Suggestions, better ideas, expressions of hostility and disgust
>are all welcome.
> 
>I'm particularly interested to hear if anyone has any of these engines...and
>what their experience has been with the installation, and life with the
>engine afterwards.
> 
>Keep the dirty side down...I look forward to hearing what you have to
>say....
> 
>Trevor Fougere
>#3797
>415-722-1755
>http://www.fougere.com/pantera
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