Reply to "B. Goyaniuk's motor questions"

Thanks for the advice George. I will look at the Cleveland forum more regularly.

I saw the Wisconsin Block a few days ago and put it on my Watch List. I have sent the seller some questions about it.

To be honest, there are quite a few blocks I have followed. I want a block that will need to go 10 to 15 thou over max to clean it up. Some of the prices are a little much. For example, there was an engine (4bolt) on EBay in MD where the seller wanted $750 US plus $50 to take it to a shipper (ie. $800). He initially claimed the block was the best, almost new, and was better than NOS. After I pressed him for the bore measures he pulled the block off Ebay. The block is reposted with the bore measures but he is asking the same $$$.

You take your chances on EBay. If I do not get a block locally, or one that I can trust to be good, I think I will go with AusFordParts. Philip Newell says they have Blocks available that would meet my needs. When I buy the AFD 2V heads I may go with the block at that time.

Which leads me to the next discussion item....

There is a local Ford rebuilder, Larry Aflagsen, West Carleton Automotive. He knows Fords and has quite a good reputation here in Canada and in the States. He builds the full spectrum, including race engines. He has been at it for 42 years. His engines are successful and he turns work away. (He is not hungry). He therefore, can afford to be very particular about the engines he wants to put his name to. I bounced your specs off him. Everything you recommended was followed with - "wise choice". After our discussion, he invited me to look at his shop.

There were 2 comments he did make that I would like to bounce off you. Here they are:

1) Larry did not recommend reusing or reinvesting in the stock 4V heads. He said that they were 35 to 40 year old technology and for about the same money he said to buy the latest technology with one of the three aluminum heads on the market (Edelbrock, AFD or CHI). He strongly advised me to go this route - for all the reasons that have been already talked about on this forum. Quite apart from flow, weight et al. he also mentioned the higher CRs and lower operating temps offered by aluminum heads. When buying Aluminum heads, one can buy them bare or built up. On the built up side you get Edelbrock/AFD standing behind their build. On the other hand, if you buy a bare head you can build it to suit the Cam and taylor it for the engine. What is your recommendation? Also, the AFD 2V and Edelbrock 2V heads are initially sized for 2.05 and 1.65 valves. Do you recommend going for 2.19 and 1.71 (ie. 4V valve sizes) for my engine? AFD says that their 2V heads are sized to accomodate this.

2) Larry also mentioned that a truely reliable/durable 351C block should have its cylinder bores indexed. The block, also built/cast during the older technology days, may not have the same square spacing between the cylinders. After accoustically checking the block for bore and block thicknessess(he has the machinery) then line boring, decking, guide plates, 90/90 ing the block etc.etc., he recommended truing up and indexing the cylinders. In his experience you need to go 30 or 40 over to get this with a "honable" low wear standard bore block. This made sense but was the first time I heard of such a thing - Your comments please. Do I really need to do this and why/why not.

Gratefully Standing by ....

Bohdan