I have something over 80K miles on my Windsor, stroked to about 396 ci, (i have my speedo out to Nisonger now for calibration), my motor has been wrung out too many times to mention, about 1200+ road course laps, over a hundred quarter mile runs, and i hammer in all the day long. Not an exotic motor at all, it was built by Bob Olhtoff, flat tappet cam, (roller rockers), Keith Black pistons, Eagle forged H beam rods, Twisted Wedge heads, but nothing really special in my motor. But i don't get on it until it has some heat in the motor and the
oil, i shift before my 6K redline, and use Red Line
oil, changed at reasonable intervals, and just in general use it but don't abuse it.
It runs the same compression as it did when new, no leaks, no knocks, no rattles, no smoke, negligible
oil consumption, and even put on the same rear wheel HP on different dyno's 60K miles apart!
I think a properly stroked Windsor is a great realiable motor. Plus it puts out gobs of power from idle to redline, i can drive arond at 900 rpm in fifth gear, and it will accelerate without protest or shudder. Even with a race Holley carb!
I think the moderately stroked windsors are the best bang for the buck out there for a replica. The Roush motors i hear are really nice now, too. Lots of SPF guys are now using them, and RDI also makes a good motor.
I was running up near Charlotte last night, it was cool, and coming out the rest stop's I just couldn't believe how much power it has in the cool night air.