What's the appeal of an aluminum engine block?

[joyridin']

Why not just take a cast iron block, smooth out the rough edges on the outside, powder coat it aluminum, and voila! You have an aluminum engine that most people won't have a clue as to what it really is!

[fordracing65]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

Why not just take a cast iron block, smooth out the rough edges on the outside, powder coat it aluminum, and voila! You have an aluminum engine that most people won't have a clue as to what it really is!

What about the extra 150lbs. It's still there. So no.

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by fordracing65

What about the extra 150lbs. It's still there. So no.

Buy stickier tires and quit eating so many donuts. Those 2 will more than make up for the 150 lbs.

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

Buy stickier tires and quit eating so many donuts. Those 2 will more than make up for the 150 lbs.

Yeah, but what if I already have sticky tyres and don't eat doughnuts?

By the way, I cycle a little bit, I know plenty of overweight weight weenies - Banker types, with $10 legs and $10,000 bikes.
You're not suggesting they shouldn't be allowed to own and ride light bikes, are you?
The industry would go broke

[fordracing65]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

Buy stickier tires and quit eating so many donuts. Those 2 will more than make up for the 150 lbs.

I said it before. I weight 170lbs. No lbs to loose. So I'll let my block do it.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

Why not just take a cast iron block, smooth out the rough edges on the outside, powder coat it aluminum, and voila! You have an aluminum engine that most people won't have a clue as to what it really is!

So let me get this right.

First, find a good cast iron block, which ain't easy, then smooth out the rough edges on the outside, then powder coast the block in aluminum and then you have what? A silver looking anvil that you have just spent hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars on before machine work.

Sounds like a great plan. I'm sure someone out there has done it.

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by RodKnock

So let me get this right.

First, find a good cast iron block, which ain't easy, then smooth out the rough edges on the outside, then powder coast the block in aluminum and then you have what? A silver looking anvil that you have just spent hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars on before machine work.

Sounds like a great plan. I'm sure someone out there has done it.

Maybe I missed it after 14 pages of blather, but I thought the cast iron blocks were a fair amount easier to find. That being the case, if you have more than about $200 in the smoothing and powder coating, I'm thinking you might want to think twice about driving a Cobra at all.

Let's see...95% of the people can't tell an original from a replica. 99% couldn't tell you a FE engine from probably a 460. 99.5% couldn't point out a SO from a 428. How many of you race you car where the 150 lbs. will maybe make a difference?

[fordracing65]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

Maybe I missed it after 14 pages of blather, but I thought the cast iron blocks were a fair amount easier to find. That being the case, if you have more than about $200 in the smoothing and powder coating, I'm thinking you might want to think twice about driving a Cobra at all.

Let's see...95% of the people can't tell an original from a replica. 99% couldn't tell you a FE engine from probably a 460. 99.5% couldn't point out a SO from a 428. How many of you race you car where the 150 lbs. will maybe make a difference?

I do.

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by fordracing65

I do.

There is 1 valid reason so far! Good deal!