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favorite bore/stroke
With all the choices available for stroked windsors nowadays, how about some explanations as to why everybody picked their combo instead of one of the other popular bore/stroke combos. 331 vs. 347 , 392 vs 418 vs 427 etc.
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Why 396?
I picked what my builder, Bill Parham, offered.
I assume he cleans up the cylinders with a slight bore and uses off the shelf high performance crank and rods. I never questioned what or why - he has forgotten more Ford stuff than I will ever know. |
I picked a stock stroke 351W.
The popular stroker when I was having the engine built ('97) was the 377W. Used offset ground stock Windsor crank, Mopar 360 rods, Chevy (283?) pistons. Machinist wasn't real keen on the combination. Machinist recommended hydraulic roller 351W would emulate 400W, and he was right. The other option was the 408W. This used Ford 400M crank that needed a lot of machining and balancing to work, and leaned toward low end torque. As a truck, van, or station wagon motor, this would be ideal. For a lightweight Cobra, it left a lot to be desired. Today, Scat (among others) make a crank and rotating assembly designed to replace the OEM Ford pieces. Even Ford Racing has picked up on this and offers a crate motor 392 with all the above good pieces. But Ford Racing, or Ford Motorspotts, shoots itself in the foot by using overly flow restrictive heads, and too much cam (to make up for the flow restriction) for street use. So, buy the short block, and talk to the guys at AR, TFS, Ede, about head and cam combinationns that work. |
You should turn this into a poll.
My vote goes to the 396! GS |
Best Small Block Combination
I don't know how to set up a poll but would like to see one.
What's the most popular size sb, most effcient, best sounding, highest reving etc. My car won't be finished until Feb so I am clueless, however I think it will be plenty quick for me. Randy |
Thought I would bring this one back to life. Certainly much has changed in a year and a half? The Cobra following is a little larger, the definition of "A LOT" of HP has changed a little bit, parts have become increasingly easier to find, etc...
SO... What's your favorite Bore/Stroke combo? Favorite motor? I guess it'd be easy enough for everyone to just say "look at my vehicle profile" because as Rick Dorman has put it so well...most people have what they think is their favorite. Although, I will start off by saying "Not So!!" I love my 408W, it is a beastly machine. It's deafeningly loud, has a 500 RPM plateau of over 540 lb-ft TQ, and makes over 500 lb-ft for I forget how long...something like 2500-2800 RPM. But for a small block, if I did it over again, I would take a 351 Cleveland, put the most bulletproof guts possible in it, leave it a stock stroke, put in a solid cam and lifters, and run the little sumb*tch to 8500 RPM. That'd be fun and different! I just imagine that as nasty and wicked as my motor sounds, this would be a BEAUTIFUL sounding thing. Symphonic.... Second choice, Winston Cup 357 turning similar revs. So let's go, folks...if you had it all to do again, be honest, you have a very large budget...how would you do it??!! |
I chose a 392/396 because I could keep the same length rods.
auto10x Bill |
I chose the 4.125" Dart block with Cleveland mains and a 4" stroke because I have owned too many big Jap bikes and I want my Cobra to rev. Also, when I put the 427 badge on the side, big or small block I want it to BE a 427.
Bill Stradtner |
I'm happy with what I have:
All aluminum Shelby 427 with a 428 Cobra Jet crank and aluminum Shelby heads: 550 hp and 600 lb-ft. What I would do differently: Port and polish the heads, a little more compression, and possibly use a billet 427 crank to turn a few more RPM; although it's quite a rocket already. However, I run a 331 in my Mustang racecar and it's faster on the track. |
There is one stroked windsor you all forgot...the 383.
351 Windsor block 3.75 stroke ( as opposed to the 393's 3.85 stroke) 6.25 Rods ( as opposed to the 5.95 or 6.2 of the 393) Not seen too much of this option maybe because for the same money one can get a 393..ie. more cubes for the $. Possibly a good selection when using a late model (read not as strong) block and the longer rods means less side load. Scat has the cranks but I wish I could find some1 with this displacement. I agree....the 393 have an excess of torque, Maybe a few more revs and a bit more HP in a smaller displacement is a better choice. |
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