[bittentoo]

I've run clevelands for 25 years now and IMO it is the best small block for making real go fast horsepower for less money than any other engine around. The 1970 & 1971 closed chamber 4v engines came with 10.5 compression, the big valves, strong rods and even the cast iron intake flowed good. The only thing you needed to do to them was change cams and valve springs. The stock cam was very conservative. A high lift .500"+ and narrow split duration 265 intake, 275 exhaust cam, and headers is all that is needed for a 375-400 hp street engine. What you have to be careful of is too much cam duration. This will kill any bottom end power you had and the engine won't start to pull until 3000+ rpm's. If you are running the 72-73 open chambered low compression motor, this problem is magnified. (been there-done that)
OK, now I'm new to this forum though I've been visiting it for a good while and think that it is great, there are some misnomers about clevelands that I would like to address:

1. The oiling problems that you have heard about on this and other forums is not accurate. For a street motor the oiling system is fine. If you are building a race motor (high substained rpm) then oiling mods are required, but would be on any other motor also.

2. 351c's do have some bottom end torque. As stated earlier, as long as you don't over cam them they do just fine.

3. For a street motor, you have to run 2v heads. BULL! Refer to #2.

4. The 351c bottom end is plenty strong enough for a street motor. As long as you limit your rpm's 6500 with new rod bolts they do just fine. How many other "stock" motors are you winding this far? Because the 4v heads can make so much hp, you will reach the point where you have overcome the blocks capabilities and this is why they have a bad reputation.

OK, now for some observations and opinions that I have formed from the various forums that I read concerning clevelands. Let it be said ahead of time that I might step on some toes and make some generalizations that are not accurate, but here goes:

The statements that; 2v heads are better than 4v heads for the street, aussie heads are better than 4v heads, clevelands have oiling problems, clevelands have weak blocks, you can build a 351 windsor cheeper than a cleveland are made by the younger generation forum members that are responding to 351c questions with information that they have read but not experienced themselves. They are a product of the windsor marketing tools. This is the engine that they are familiar with due to the popularity of the fox bodied mustang.

And when you get positive replys concerning 4v clevelands, it is from the older gear heads that where around in the muscle car era or, engine builders that are currently building clevelands.

So now that I have painted a bulls eye on my butt, let the arrows fly! I hope that I don't bleed too much!

I feel better now.....

BTW, does anyone know when the big Austin meet is?