Reply to "373 engine build"

Steve,

You mentioned you have an aluminum block, your block is most likely a Fontana block or possibly a Ford SVO block. The blocks can vary in deck heights (9.2" or 9.5") and the cylinder liners will allow a certain amount of over-boring, which I don't have the particulars for. Without knowing the particulars for your block, we can't determine the maximum displacement you can achieve.

Over simplifying the subject, the deck height will limit the maximum allowable stroke & the cylinder wall (liner) thickness will limit the maximum allowable bore.

The standard 351C has a 9.2" deck height and thin cast cylinder walls, prudent overbores on the 351C are usualy limited to 0.030". With the cylinders at 0.030" over bore, the displacement for a 351C will be as follows for commonly available stoker cranks:

3.5" (stock) = 357 cubic inches
3.7" (off set ground stock crank) = 377 cubic inches
3.75" = 382 cubic inches
3.85" = 392 cubic inches
4.00" = 408 cubic inches

With a 4.00" stroke & a 6.00" center to center connecting rod, the piston in the 351C is pulled quite a distance out of the bore, and the wrist pin intersects the oil ring groove, which will cause the engine to burn oil.

The 351W has a 9.5" deck height, which allows a bit more stroke, which in turn is how a 427 cubic inch motor is achievable with that block. A 9.5" deck Fontana block can definitly be bored & stroked to 427 cubic inches.

The maximum allowable compression will be determined by the camshaft you are running. Your cam grinder will determine what compression ratio your motor should be set at.

George