[DeTomaso] windsor motivation?

[Will Kooiman]

Windsor
+ 5.0 Mustang development means cheap alum W heads have been around for
years
+ race 5.0 heads flow plenty to make serious HP
+ fewer issues with valvetrain than 351C
+ easier to do EFI, since you can basically just install a 5.0 Mustang setup
+ will make more HP than you can use

- boring - everyone has one

351C
+ if you ever sell, it should be worth more than a similar 351W car
+ It has "the look" - i.e. it looks cooler in an engine bay
+ Stock 351C heads flow more than race 5.0 heads
+ Alum heads are available now - check out CHI 3V.

- Parts are slightly more expensive than 351W.
- 351C blocks are getting hard to find.

o The weights are about the same.
o The block strength is about the same.
o You shouldn't have problems with parts.  Enough people have done 351W that
you should be able to find whatever you need.
o Bellhousing is the same.
o Use a 351W oil pan, but use a Pantera specific pan.

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of Cullen McCann
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 8:26 AM
To: detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: [DeTomaso] windsor motivation?

Good Morning,

 

I have no doubts this has been discussed repeatedly for decades, but
remember I'm new and you never know when opinions change or information
becomes more current. While im straightening out the metal on the car I have
plenty of time to think about the future, and I'm starting so far from
scratch on my car I have the opportunity to do just about anything without
"backing up". I have no concerns about Cleveland's, but when I was looking
at precision proformance's site I noticed the 180 degree systems on
special.for a Windsor.and it says..."More and more people are putting
Windsor motors in their Panteras these days, and the demand for 180 degree
headers for this application was so large that we had to make some.."

 

So, indulge me, lets pretend for a moment that I had to build a motor from
scratch, I have no loyalty to Cleveland's in particular, but no problem with
them either..so what is the motivation for the Windsor swap? I assume the
obvious,  that the motor is similar displacement, lighter because the block
itself is smaller..(?) ...does the ZF bolt right up to the same bellhousing
pattern? The aftermarket support SEEMS to me to be larger for the
Windsor..heads, cam selections..etc.

 

I will say that I have had several 351 Windsor's in various projects in
years past. The most current of which is in my Cobra replica and it's a
beast. It was a cakewalk to get 500 reliable horsepower.no effort required,
wasn't even that expensive and you still get an eagle crank, forged rods,
predictable block integrity, less apt for core shift stuff.forged pistons
and tough as nails. There is dozens of readily available induction
solutions.natural aspiration or otherwise.so what's the pros and cons?

 

Thanks as always for your thoughts and perspectives.

 

Cullen

 

 

_______________________________________________

Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA

Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/

DeTomaso mailing list
DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso