Reply to "Scratch 351 Cleveland Build - What Specs and Parts?"

There are also a few obvious things that I intend to do / have done, but in each case there are questions too.

I thought that it makes sense to start defining the basic specs of the engine first, so here are the main questions that I’m wrestling with:

Block and Bottom End Knowns

1) Have the oiling issues of the standard 351 Cleveland block sorted through bushing the tappet bores.
2) Use a windage tray, fit a high flow /pressure oil pump, fit an external oil cooler, use a high volume sump
3) Use a new steel crank and race spec con-rods, etc.

Block and Bottom End Questions

1) What windage trays are best?
2) What oil pumps should be considered?
3) What sumps do people recommend?
4) What steel crank, con rod and bearings set is going to withstand spinning up to 7000rpm and delivering 500-550hp?

Top End Knowns

1) Use aftermarket aluminium heads with closed combustion chamber, and stuffed 4V or 3V currently preferred based on what I have read so far
2) Heads need to fit one of the currently available Weber IDA based inlet manifold
3) Use flat top, round skirted pistons
4) Target compression ratio of 10.5:1
5) Camshaft to work with Weber-based set-up, but perhaps to be more aggressive than a traditional “Weber cam” as that seems to give away too much hp
6) New valves and upgraded spirings to be used

Top End Questions

1) What heads should be used: 2V, 3V or 4V? and what brand?
2) Should fully built-up heads be purchased from the head supplier, or should I put it together – and if they build up the head (i.e. install valves, rockers, etc.) should I specify what parts they use?
3) What valves are best – stainless, titanium, etc. and what springs?
4) What brand / source of pistons?
5) What cam profile and source of cam shaft – and how about rockers and pushrod type and source?

I’m sure that I have omitted many critical elements of optimally specifying the engine, but hopefully this is more than enough to start a good discussion…