351 to 427

[RACER X #99]

Originally Posted by Jim Kellogg

Back to part of his original question...
(I am thinking of upgrading also. I have driven almost 35,000 miles on my SPF with a Ford Motorsports 351/385 with 3.27 diff and 5speed)

Anyone that has moved from 351w (380-400hp) to 427w (500+hp) and want to share the experience? Did the extra hp make a big difference in actual performance (say up to 100mph). Traction is a bit of an issue now, so I would think that would limit the actual performance gain of the 100hp or so...

No doubt there would be a big performance gain above 100mph.

How about some "seat of the pants feel" and actual numbers from those here who have upgraded their cars?

thanks in advance,
Jim

Jim, I went from a 427FE to a 351 385 HP Ford crate engine. Handled better, no noticable performance difference.
Then from the 385 HP to a 408 CI Dart 600+ hp (leaded race gas)...big difference especially on the track with open headers and slicks. could pass almost everybody with ease.
I had the misfortune to drop a valve in the 408 and was forced to overbore to 4.125 and now I have a 427. I also detuned with less compression,a smaller cam and unported heads.... picked up bottom end torque but lost some top end power. I have not been on the dyno with this combo but based and seat of the pants feel I am guessing around 500HP ( I can now run pump gas but still use 100octane on the track)

You will notice the power over 100MPH

385 HP = run with the stock FE's
600HP= run past the FE's and just about everybody else.
500HP= run with most everybody on the track pass most on the street.

The one thing I have learned is that race engines belong in race cars and a fun track car does not need a race engine.