Another canted valve Ford design!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brent
I have built and raced a 385 series engine that made 1056hp with a single carburator!! It is NOT hard to do. Bill Parham has forgotten more than I will ever know.
Heck, a Ford 514 factory crate motor makes over 620hp with cheap parts.
No argument there, Brent. The key is the canted valve arrangement, which the big block 385 series of engines shares with the small/mid block 335 series.
The Engine Masters competition changes the "challenge" every year, moving around displacement limits, etc. This past year I think (!) the limit was in the 425 CID range (I'm sure that's not exact, but in the range). I've often wondered why nobody enters a 385 series motor, but in all truthfulness I do not recall seeing one run this year. There was even a Chrysler hemi in there if my memory serves me correctly (definitely questionable).
Myself, I would like to see them open the displacement limit up a bit. I would like to see the 385 series guys enter--I think they would kick some serious A$$!
As far as the 385 being a good choice for a roadster replica, I'm not sure. I live in the Houston area and there is one party here who has been trying to sell a 385 powered replica FFR for about a year. Obviously there have been no takers, and the price is below $50K. Perhaps it is too nose heavy, I don't know--perhaps it is just that originals were never built with a 385 motor. That doesn't seem to stop people down here from selling roadster replicas with SBC motors, though (as distasteful as I find that!!).
Doug