[Excaliber]

Reliability, hmmm, a relative term. Center (top) oiler rev limit is around 6000 due to it's inherent weakness of splitting the block at the main journal area. You can spin it higher, but it becomes risky. Side oiler is good for 9000 rpm plus because it is an inherently stronger block, that's why they use it for the SOHC version.

427's and the FE's series engines in general get a bad rap as far as reliabily issues go. They ARE a 100,000 mile motor and ARE extremely reliable when built and used within reasonable parameters. The original side oilers were putting out about 475 horse from the factory and were quite reliable. Today we see many builds exceeding 500 horse, the risk factor goes up accordingly. Stroke it, put in a wild cam, build it to 600 horse and rev the heck out of it and you will eventually break it! Of course thats true for all the modern versions of a side oiler block as well.

Side Oilers powered the GT-40's to a win at Le Man's, 24 hours of pedal to the metal. The FE series engines are certainly reliable and strong enough for even a hard core racer.