[66rdster]

Hi turnpike boy,
Thanks for the info. I'm not sure that either of you are wrong. After Chris made his post I started doing more research on these engines. I found there are a couple of models. One, the M-6007-XB3 is like you mentioned from what I have found. Front sump pan, balancer with intergral pulley and so on. It looks like the newest model (2005?), the M-6007-XB3M, is like Chris described. I'm certainly no expert on these engines or I wouldn't have been asking about them. But I have been doing a lot of reading trying to get the scoop on the newer Ford Performance parts and that seems be be what I have found.

BTW - I'm glad to hear that you like your 302/345. I'm still undecided which way to go. I want something dependable, fairly fast, and easy to maintain. Also, my wife could maybe drive it occasionally. On the other hand I like a lot of power. Most of the hot rods and muscle cars I've owned were pretty stout, but had the normal driveability issues you sometimes have with a high HP engine. Frequent tuning, heating problems in stop and go traffic and so on. I don't know if I want to get back into that kind of thing again or not. That is why I'm concidering the crate engine. Or at least something semi-mild. From your experience it sounds like it would be great. Is it fairly fast in such a light car?

Thanks for your response.

Mike