[DeTomaso] the great debate

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/20/08 1:35:42 PM, michael at michaelshortt.com writes:

> My Mustang friend wants to get one and see if a 427 SOHC side oiler would 
> fit.
> 
Thats a troubled engine that has more peculiarities than the 351C. Its 
enormously heavy and tremendously wide for an aluminum-headed engine, and unless you 
convert the cams to gear drive (even more weight), there's so much stretch 
and chain-lash on the cam drive chain that the left head takes 4 degrees more 
cam timing than the right head, just to run balanced. Once you get the top end 
sorted out at great expense, it still has the FE bottom end to deal with- rods, 
rod bolts etc. If you really want to play around with something no one else 
has in their Ford (or Pantera), how about an early '80s Mercedes 6.6-liter 
all-aluminum V-8? These were SOHC engines, quite light w/aluminum oil pans and 
very torquey. I guarantee you won't see many even in Mercedes these days. If I 
ever find one in a wrecking yard, I'll start on it myself- Isky will grind cams 
for "anything", he says......J DeRyke


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