BB in an FIA

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by FIA-ERA

Doug,
I know for sure a FE in a FIA is too much! It can fit and it will fit but w/ mods. They engine is too over proportion. The foot boxes have to be altered and unless it's an aluminum FE it's too heavy IMO. True, the FIA and the 427 SC share the same suspension, the SC is built for a FE. Just like a 427 SC looks out of place with a small block, the same holds true to a FIA. As far as resale goes, to me it's like a Frankenstein or something. A hybrid gone wrong. The 351 W fits very nicely into the FIA engine compartment!! With all the strokers and engine combos you can get out of the 351w you can't go wrong. The 351w in a FIA just looks as if it was made for it! I tried a 289/302 block and it just didn't fit as well/ fill up the engine compartment too (with the headers I have already). A buddy of mine had a FIA with a 351w stroked to 427 and it was just way tooo much!! He couldn't take it far and there wasn't many areas to let it run free. He finally got sick of it and sold it. I can't tell you how many stories of cars w/ too much power and reliabilty issues causing them getting sold! I'm planning on a 351w with one of Edelbrock's power packages for power. I think 425 horsepower with 410 torgue all under 5200RPM is more than enough for a 2100lb car!!

How is Louisiana on titling and registration on one of these cars? Here in Ga. they have stopped registering these cars until "further legal actions" are looked into! I met a guy recently how just took delivery of a new Super performance and can't get it registered!! Nothing! I'm just glad mine is done and fully registered. Pm me if you have more questions, Thanks Matt.

I think it would depend on the manufacturer as to whether a BB would not easily fit in an FIA style body. I believe a Kirkham FIA comes standard with a 427 style coil spring 4 inch round main tube frame (the 289 style frame is an upgrade). So the BB would seem to naturally fit in there. Also I think the ERA cars probably use the same frame for both their 427 SC and FIA models.

An FIA may have never had a BB, but CSX3002 (the first 427 competion car) looks an awful lot like an FIA. So if you made you FIA into a CSX3002 replica, the BB would look natural there.