There was a few post that mentioned Ford's Weird engine-the 400. I am in the process of looking for a engine right now. I have passed over several good buys on the 400. Should I go back and look at them again? My cobra is a B&B with a C6 transmission and a 8.8 rear end with 3.55 gears.

Thanks for the input.

Procrastinator

400 INFO
 

I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY ARE A GOOD ENGINE FOR A COBRA, BUT TO STAY AWAY IF IT HAS BEEN USED IN A HEAVY LOAD OR TOW VEHICLE AS THEY HAVE SOME HISTORY OF OVERHEATING UNDER LOAD. THESE LOADS PROBABLY WOULDN'T OCCUR IN A LIGHT CAR LIKE A COBRA.

B. SMITH

Has anyone noticed that one of the top finishers in the Primedia "Engine Masters" was a Windsor block with Cleveland heads? Very compelling combo.

The winner was Joe Sherman with a SBC, but his entry was suspect as far as a real "streetable" example due to exotic rings etc.

The Cleveland in the Butler
 

I read this whole thread---it's as if I willed it to happen. Great info, just in time. I for one, had fallen for the anti-Cleveland talk-talk---until three things happened. I bought Ron's little red Butler with a Cleveland, I watched Jerry Goddard (who has the near-identical car [red early Butler with Cleveland]) get his Cleveland rebuilt and beefed up by Ron Shaver in Torrance, and I took a lonely, early-Spring ramble out to the eastern end of the Cape.
Jerry now SWEARS by the engine, and believes with 393(?) cubes he's pulling 430-450 hp. From the times he's reporting to me, he's getting all that.

I therefore began rethinking my prospective switch to a 406 Windsor build. I then called Bill Parham and was told to stick to the Cleveleand ("bah ole means!"), move to 2 venturi heads and go with his stroker and beef-up (lower end?) kit---get as much hp as I wanted in a real "turbahn" for revving! Sold. Aside from the little incident en route to the California coast mere hours after taking ownership of Ron's Red Rocket, I have now had the car just buzzing up to 6900 etc. I am contemplating a little "inspection build" on her next winter---but Cleveland it is and it's gonna stay.

Here's the THIRD thing wh/ won me over---as I said, I ran out to the other end of the 'Cape yesterday (Sunday). There's a long stretch from Truro north to Provincetown. Welfleet's a speed trap, but north of that---you're on your own. Foggy, very few cars and a 4-lane all to myself. Tried some rolling accelleration drills 15-85+. By the Jesus, Chummie, that Cleveland shrieks! I do believe, though I'm over-carbed and jetted...like some advice on that. On one of my visits to a gas-station, I ran into a real old-timer. He said---"got a Cleveland in her, I heah!" I asked him if the noise was that distinct, and he said "shuah". He then said "don'cha EVAH get rid of that mill, sonny". Nuf said. He stated quite a few reasons, and thanks to you guys, they're restated here! Bravo and thanks to yuz all.:D :D

they call that a CLEVER
 

the combination of the Winsor bottom end and the Cleveland heads makes for a pretty powerful little ford...do a search on CLEVOR and you will find the sites that show the modifications that are necessary.....

Howdy,

Bill was running a Cleveland w/ alumnium 4v heads. Nascar outlawed this engine because the Chevy people (losers) complained that it made too much power! Ford racers never complained about it. Ford was forced to switch oto a hybrid engine with 351w type block with a cleveland style head. Still too much power so Chevy was allowed to use a cleveland style head in thier new sb2 engine.