Reply to "What is your opinion of the Coast Performance"

> What is your opinion of the Coast Performance

Run away! A local guy recently ordered a Coast 408C stroker kit,
along with a solid roller cam, heads, intake, damper, rocker arms,
and other bits. I wouldn't have believed a Ford shop could have gotten
so many things wrong had I not seen it with my own eyes. The intake
they sent was for a Windsor block, not a Cleveland. The solid roller
cam was around 0.620" lift but the heads coil bound at 0.550". The
valves were cheap SSI street valves not at all sutiable for a solid
roller cam. The springs were completely wrong for the lobe. The
balancer was on terminal back order because they said the 28.2 oz-in
version was special order (it's not, it's the factory balance) even
though they claimed the crank was internally balanced. The Probe
pistons were repackaged JE/SRP if I recall correctly (nothing wrong
with them, though). To their credit, they were good about making it
right but we caught so many things that were wrong, the owner is
spooked about what else might be wrong that we missed.

> stroker kit for the Cleveland. Their web sit says it results in a 392 cubic
> inch engine. Has anyone here used it? I briefly considered getting one if
> my block had been salvageable. It wasn't so I didn't. But most Cleveland
> strokers I see are 370 or 380 cubic inch. How do they do a 392 when no one
> else can?

Did you see my earlier post on stroking? Lots of options for stroking
from 3.7" to 4.1" strokes. Lost of people do 393's as well as 408's.

> http://www.coasthigh.com/Assemblies/Ford/ford_393c.htm
>
> Is it a good value?

No.

> Does it use good parts?

No. It's a bottom of the line kit with cast crank and 5140 rods (4340 are
better). The pistons are forged but since it's an off-the-shelf deal, they
are usually made to be down the hole enough to ruin quench unless you deck
the block.

> Is it well designed or will it burn oil because the wrist pin is too high?

They don't show the piston but 3.85" stroke should not intersect the wrist
pin.

> I was really looking hard at this specific kit.
> 393 Cleveland Street Fighter
> Kit-Flat top 11417
> $1,599.99
> Kit-Dish top 13937
> $1,699.99

There are better options for the price. This "kit" is why I think it's better
to piece together a kit one your own. The SCAT cast steel crank is $449 at
Flatlander (there may be better prices, that was just the first one I checked.
SCAT I-beam rods are $239. Custom pistons and pins for a flat top will run
from $620 to $800. For the same price, I can put together a kit with a 4340
forged steel crankshaft, 4340 forged rods and pistons that are full custom
(fit your particular block, heads, and desired compression ratio). Done right,
it'll likely cost less to balance as well.

Dan Jones
St. Louis, Missouri