clutchdust
Millionaire Playboy
I have a friend who knows about cars, but doesn't know engines really well. Last week he bought a '70 Mustang rolling chassis and he wants me to help him put a drivetrain in it. He wants a car that he can take to the track and will be fast and "tossable". He is all hot to trot for a big block because he wants the torque, I get that. But I have a guy who's willing to swap a late model 302 roller block, complete with heads and Edelbrock 4bbl intake for a little AC work.
I'm trying to convince him that I can get him everything he wants with the 302 and some good heads without the weight penalty of a 390 or 460 engine. My thinking is a decent set of aluminum heads and a cam somewhere in the 280-295 range, headers and good carb, and he'll be pushing close to 400hp. Throw that in a light weight Mustang body and he's going to have pretty much everything he wants.
Of course he's stuck on a big block but I just don't think he gets the disadvantage of all that weight. Even if we end up going with all aluminum top end, that's just going to weigh a ton (well, figuratively anyway). Sure, if we go all out, ultimately we can make more power with a 460. But I'm arguing that for anything under 450hp, he's just better off with a small block.
What thinks you?
I'm trying to convince him that I can get him everything he wants with the 302 and some good heads without the weight penalty of a 390 or 460 engine. My thinking is a decent set of aluminum heads and a cam somewhere in the 280-295 range, headers and good carb, and he'll be pushing close to 400hp. Throw that in a light weight Mustang body and he's going to have pretty much everything he wants.
Of course he's stuck on a big block but I just don't think he gets the disadvantage of all that weight. Even if we end up going with all aluminum top end, that's just going to weigh a ton (well, figuratively anyway). Sure, if we go all out, ultimately we can make more power with a 460. But I'm arguing that for anything under 450hp, he's just better off with a small block.
What thinks you?