Vote 428 or aluminum 427FE??

[Excaliber]

Jamo makes a good point, and it's fundamental as to how difficult it is to compare prices, features, extra's etc.

Take the Shelby heads for instance, in general, they will only fit a 427 size bore (BIG valves). To equal that in an Edelbrock head your at "top of the line", the more expensive e-brock heads with the big valves. Compared to off the shelf E-brock heads, that means more money. Either way, you then have several options from the base heads. Port/polish for instance, a lot of variables to consider. Rocker arm, camshaft, lifter selection can also make a big difference in cost. Your basic hydraulic roller vs the high rpm roller for instance. That's where the 5 to $7,000 price spread comes in for a street vs more race engine. Forged or low cost hyper pistons? Off the shelf or custom?

KC is offering a nice package for a decent price, not bad, room for improvement with more dollars to spend. Like a mass flow induction system...

The Dove iron block is actually heavier than an original block! Well, it's stronger, more beefy. Extra strength that may not even be required for a street build, nice to have for an all out race motor application. I need a 427 bore for my high riser heads, but a center oiler would be suitably strong enough for my intended use as opposed to a side oiler.

Rumor has it a Shelby block is stronger than an original block. So if your planning a 1,000 to 1,500 horse blown or hair dryer powered motor it's a good call. For a street motor, naturally aspirated with a low rpm hydraulic roller cam, it's WAY over kill. Heck a 40 year old center oiler iron block would be just as acceptable. Superior strength, by itself, does not justify the additional expense. There are other factors that can justify the expense, the "cool" factor for instance. Like I said, for some of us, that leans more toward an original block as opposed to a modern one (and potentially a big savings on the wallet).

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Rumor has it a Shelby block is stronger than an original block. So if your planning a 1,000 to 1,500 horse blown or hair dryer powered motor it's a good call.

Uh, more than a rumor. Come on Ernie, you appear to be purposely underselling the Shelby and the Pond aluminum blocks.

The Shelby block has a revised priority-main oiling system like a Dart/Chevy block. Both blocks (CSX and Pond) are stronger than the original cast iron 1960's and 1970's sideoiler.

What do guys like Rick Lake and Jay Brown and whole bunch of other FE guys use in their race builds? That's rhetorical, of course. These guys are producing 600-1,000 documented HP with their aluminum blocks. You can't do that with an original sideoiler, nor would you want to.

Ernie just recently changed from a Toploader to a Tremec TKO600. He moves slowly, but I know he wants one, he needs one. A CSX or Pond block that is.