quote:
Originally posted by PanteraDoug:
... There is a question also as to whether or not you can run this hard for long with the stock production block ...
... It was Poppa Toppe that was responsible for the "competition" Cleveland block creation and casting through the Ford foundry ...
... the first Australian blocks still had the D2AE-CA
... (CA for Canada) ...
... As far as suggesting that Bud Moore being incompetent in building race engines, you are joking right ...
The production 351C was never intended for high rpm racing (8000+ rpm) but that didn't stop people from doing so. When the production engine (excepting the connecting rods) is set-up for racing it will withstand those sort of engine speeds (and higher) for a while before something breaks. The 351C was duty-cycle-tested up to 7000 rpm which was a high rpm duty cycle for an engine intended for mass production circa 1968. Based on my experience, and being conservative, I'd say the production block, crank, connecting rods and cylinder heads are good for many years of racing if engine speed is limited to about 7000 rpm; even the 2 bolt main caps resist "walking" at 7000 rpm! However, I don't recommend spending money to prepare the production connecting rods for racing. There are two caveats regarding the production engine block: the lubrication system and the thin cylinder walls require steps taken to amend their shortcomings. In the end, the durability of a 351C racing motor shall hinge upon the supporting parts that are selected and the time, money and detail invested in preparing it. If you scroll all the way down to part 4 of Sticky #3 I believe I've covered the subject fairly well there.
To clarify, Don Tope was responsible for having the first production run of racing blocks cast in Australia (1974 - 1975). He was not responsible for the earlier racing blocks known as the 366 blocks. Ford rejected a proposal to cast more 366 blocks in 1973. Bud Moore was working with Don & Warren Tope, helping them with their Trans Am Mustang circa 1973 or 1974. He mentioned to Don Tope that his supply of 366 blocks was almost exhausted and wondered if there was anything Don Tope could do to get some more blocks cast. US Ford ceased manufacturing the 351C in mid-1974. So Don Tope approached Australian Ford for help which they gladly provided. The 351C was already being manufactured in Australia, production there had begun in March 1972.
I have been under the assumption that ALL Australian blocks have the American D2AE-CA casting number!
CA does not indicate the blocks were cast in Canada. It simply means revision level "CA".
If that comment about Bud Moore's incompetency was directed at me, I didn't write that, I wrote the Group 4 motors were Bud Moore's guinea pigs. He was on the steep part of the learning curve in regards to building 351C racing motors, in fact the Group 4 Pantera motors may have been his FIRST 351C racing motors! He also had no idea what the tracks in Europe were like.