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.
The Cleveland in the Butler
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