69 Mustang? Not sure it will fit. Ford had to move the front shock towers to get the Boss and Super Cobra Jets (385) into the 70 Mustang. Hummmmmm. As for the engine build itself I'm reading mixed signals too.
Some general stuff though. 385's make power better than almost anything out there, when you drop the compression down to around 9 to 1. You "tune" 385's to your performance requirements with your head selection. Stock, Super Cobra Jet heads, cop car heads, Edelbrocks, Ford "A", "B", and "C" 's, Blue Thunder and Boss heads about run the gambit. As you step up to each performance head in level, the engine build usially gets a bit wilder and the result is usially a more peak power engine. Stroking 385's when all else is equal, moves the power band down and raises top end torque numbers.
Two bolt main blocks are good for about 800 horsepower when using studs and a main girdle, dependent on casting numbers. Four bolt main blocks (stock type) are only good for about 50 or 75 more horsepower than the 2 bolt blocks. After market 4 bolt caps will make a 2 bolt block stronger than a factory 4 bolt block but you should use a " DOVE " 2 bolt block for them.
SVT blocks are the strongest blocks out there, both on the mains and the cam webbing. A aluminum short deck block weighs exactly the same as a stock iron "DIVE" block with iron "DOVE" blocks weighing about 20 more pounds. The lightest iron 460 block is a late model truck block and some of the 80's truck blocks had 4 bolt mains. Tall deck aluminum SVT blocks are heavier than all stock factory iron blocks with the iron SVT blocks packing the most lead.
Keep in mind that the factory crate motors are taking stock 460 regirgitated stuff (nothing special) and getting 500+ horsepower numbers with them, and even more torque, and you can see that serious power can be make using this engine. As with all engines your parts combo weighs into the equation, so I would look up some one local with experience that has built these engines.
cobrashock:
