[Fred Douglass]

767,

Couldn't extrapolate your e-mail address from this site. Mine's "douglassf@aol.com".

I like the idea of the aluminum 460-potential Cleveland---who's making it? World Products offers a 460 in both Fe AND aluminum---but right now, I have to stick with my cast-iron four bolter. I'm going out to (only) 393ci, via a Scat stroker kit, but Dave Storlein of Porting Dynamics says that the CHI (Aussie) 3V aluminum heads he sent me will: a) allow a 11.25 compression ratio WITHOUT detonation (!?) and b) absolutely ensure that I'll get c. 575 hp and bushels of low-end torque.

Basically, that's all I need or want. A friend has an oldish FFR (which I wouldn't take for free) and he's stuffed a 509 (!?!) cubic inch stroked 427 into it with all kinds of trick stuff on it. He gets 700+ "tractable" hp and equally lofty torque numbers. He can't even drive it on the Cape Cod twisties unless he "raw eggs" the throttle pedal. I have driven his car----you watch the Tach at ALL times, look for tire smoke in the mirrors and drive like it's just rained on an oily road. Not my idea of a fun drive. Of course he's only got 275s on the back but I don't think even 295s would help.

I think (and hope) I'll be happy with my engine. If I'm tired with it after a few years, I'll definitely opt for the big Cleveland--just hope to buy it all complete!

Hang onto that Contemporary! They're about as rare as Butlers around here!



Right now, I'm taking things slow, but will be hummin' by