[DeTomaso] Cleveland Block

Will Kooiman wkooiman at earthlink.net
Sun Feb 26 13:50:26 EST 2012


That's the way I understand it too.

Tod advised the people that paid deposits to have their finish machine work
done at MME.  It wasn't really a partnership.  I don't believe Tod had any
money in the game.  Tod was recommending MME because MME did the finish
machine work on one of the early blocks.

I doubt that MME learned anything from that relationship, though.  Tod's
block is a copy of a D2AE 4-bolt block, plus priority main oiling, and some
well known problems corrected.  Other than that, it is basically a copy of a
normal 4-bolt block.  There isn't much to learn.

There were 3 recommendations on the network54 forum that Tod didn't have
planned for his block.

1.  The main webbing looked like the factory thickness, although he said it
was thicker.  I couldn't tell in the pictures.  MME says he's going to use
solid webbing.

2.  The pan webbing was the stock thickness, and not solid like in the
heavier blocks.  If you look at a stock block, upside down with the pan off,
you can see how the webbing right under the oil pan bolts necks down.  MME
says he is making that part solid.

3.  I believe Tod's latest iteration was to use his own main caps.  MME is
planning on using splayed bolt caps - probably from ProGram.

Also - MME says he's going to offer an 9.5 deck block.  That's pretty cool.

So, I don't think MME really stole any information from Tod, but he
certainly stole his thunder.  Tod did a lot of work strumming up interest in
an aftermarket 351C block, and now MME will likely reap the rewards.  It all
depends on who makes the best block and/or who hits the market first.

Is that fair?  I don't know.  If Tod had finished his block 2 years ago, MME
probably wouldn't have had a market to make one.  It sucks for Tod, but the
351C community will benefit from having 2 vendors.  Competition helps
consumers.

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of Julian Kift
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2012 11:49 AM
To: wkooiman at earthlink.net; larry at ohiotimecorp.com; De Tomaso List
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Cleveland Block


Tod was sending his blocks to MME for finish work and advocating his
customers do the same at a preferential $$ rate. I have it from a reliable
source that MME is now independently producing their own block in direct
competition to Tod, probably with much of Tod's experience/advances built in
from the blocks they handled for him.

Julian

> From: wkooiman at earthlink.net
> To: larry at ohiotimecorp.com; detomaso at realbig.com
> Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:00:13 -0600
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Cleveland Block
> 
> It looks like it might be a different block.
> 
> Tod Buttermore is the other guy.  He is slowly making progress.
> 
> This is a side project for him.  Don't believe any dates.  That's the way
> these things go.
> 
> But, once it is ready, it will be very nice.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]
On
> Behalf Of Larry - Ohio Time Corp
> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 9:25 AM
> To: 'DeTomaso Forum'
> Subject: [DeTomaso] Cleveland Block
> 
> Is this the same guy we have been talking about for years?
> 
>  
> 
> Larry - Cleveland
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> 
> MME to Launch Brand New 460-plus Cleveland Block in May
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> With tooling and foundry work now in progress, McKeown Motorsport
> Engineering (MME) will soon be reproducing the industry's first
aftermarket
> Cleveland engine blocks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> Named Titus, deliveries are expected in May 2012 and the first new
Cleveland
> blocks will be available in aluminum and then in cast iron.
> 
> These newly designed blocks with deck heights of 9.2-in. and 9.5-in. to
> accommodate more than 460 cid, feature stronger webbing, splayed mains and
a
> host of other improvements.
> 
> MME, a consistent top finisher in the annual Engine Master's Challenge,
will
> contest this year's event entering two new Titus engines in the
competition.
> Company head Mark McKeown has an accomplished record as a high-performance
> Ford engine builder for almost 30 years. The company says they are now
> accepting advance orders of the new block.
> 
> For more information about McKeown Motorsport Engineering, visit
> www.MMERacing.com.
> 
>  
> 
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