Ford or Chevy V8s?

[wilf leek]

Originally posted by RallySnake


Wilf,

I have to take exception to one thing you wrote: "There are no significant differences in weight, size, or performance characteristics between a Ford and a Chevy sb." The Ford small block (289/302) is about 2 inches narrower than the Chevy small block and the header pipes angle downwards at a much lower angle. This makes it much easier to fit in a Cobra's engine bay and gives much more room for maintenance. The forward distributor is also much easier to work on. Ford V8's also are designed with longer connecting rods (6.125" VS 5.7") which have a positive effect on power. If the cylinder heads, displacement and compression are the same, the Ford engine will theoretically make more power.

Those are the best reasons to use the Ford engine. If my "replica" Ford engine ever breaks, I will build one.

Paul

Ah Rallysnake - apples to apples means that you have to compare the 351w with the Chevy 350. Then the lower deck height/smaller width of the Ford 289/302 doesn't come into it. But I will give you the rest of your points!

[MidOHasp]

I think that the people who argue for the Chevy due to the fact that the Windsor SB V8's were never in the car...and due to the fact that many of our replicas have square tube frames...and due to the fact that many of our replicas are fiberglass...

ARE MISSING THE POINT.

Forever, the Cobra will have ties to Ford. There are no ties to Chevy unless you count Carroll Shelby kicking the $hit out of the chevys in the 60's.

There's really not much more to it than this:

90+% of the time, a Chevy motor is used (whether in a Cobra replica, in a 32 Ford replica, in a street rod) because it is cheaper and easier. There's nothing wrong with that, but it is true. The remaining <10% may use them because they truly find them to be a superior motor or have something truly unique.

Some Chevy guys don't like it, but the analogy of "would you ever see someone put a 351W in a Corvette? A 427 S/O in a '70 Chevelle? No.

The point was made that the Corvette was a GM car designed by GM to have a GM powerplant. And that the Cobra was never really a Ford, it just happened to have a Ford in it (as a second choice).

Whatever. How it got to be what it is ... immaterial. It is what it is and it should remain what it is. Beyond that, do whatever the hell you want. That applies to everyone! Because at the end of the day it is YOUR car.

I look at it like this... if you have to ask, then for God's sake put a FORD in it. Because if you care what other people think, you'll not want to spend precious time at every show or cruise answering why you put a sb chebby in. And while you're at it, put in a 427 S/O and buy a CSX, too. Because if you care what everyone else thinks, you may as well just have the real thing.

But if you don't care one bit, then put whatever you want in it. Put a Grand National turbo 3.8 in it. The guy that has that car is COOL. He didn't do it because it was cheaper or easier or more convenient (I don't imagine he did, at least). That car is BAD and it's *different* !!

At the end of the day, a 351W is a more exotic motor than a Chebby 350. And at the end of the same day, a Cobra (whether it's fiberglass, aluminum, or cotton/rayon mix dry clean only) is more exotic than all but the most exotic early 60's Corvettes. And even then it's up to personal taste.

I think 90% of the time the chevy engine is a copout. Of course I think everyone on Club Cobra falls into the other 10% so don't go casting stones at me.

[flipper35]

One other thing you have in the Ford over the Chevy is the lifter bore size. Ford .875" or GM .842", and since a flat tappet camshaft's design is based on lifter diameter. The larger the lifter diameter the faster the rate-of-lift that can be designed into the cam lobe. This doesn't really apply to roller cams though. On a side note, the Mopar bore is .904".

[rdorman]

Any one notice that Adam has not come back?

I could give a $hit what any one puts in there Cobra. For me it is a Ford and preferably one of the correct size and type.

As for which is better engine period, I think at this point it is pretty much a mute point.

Rick

[Dennis Kelley]

My take on the chevy v. ford thing is that they are both great engines. Usually most engines retain very little of their corporate heritage once I get done with them. I usually install aftermarket heads, cam, intake, ignition, valve covers, canton pan, rotating assembly. when I get done the block is the only ford part to speak of. If I had the money I'd go aftermarket block to.

Just my .02

[NASSTY]

Adam,

You should post this thread in the Aussie forum. Everything is upside down in the land of down under

Cheers

[Ad-the-Lad]

Hi everyone. I just wanted to say a very big thank you to all those who posted a reply to my question about Chevy and Ford V8s. Sorry I didn't post replies earlier but it was fun to read all of your comments. If I need to ask you guys anything for research purposes again, I will do.

Adam

[bremillard]

My turn at the whipping post. I have an all aluminum 760 dyno'ed horsepower 540 c.i. big block Chevy that cost me less than $12 g to screw together. I have had this car to exactly one neighborhood cruise since it was finished and had two serious offers from other idiots like me who could care less if the power comes from Ford or Chevy. I am absolutely positive that I could sell this car for more than a lot of cars with Ford engines in them. I am not in the least worried about resale value. When I was deciding on the engine make I initially thought Ford-then after pricing both Ford and Chevy apples to apples and finding the Ford about $6k more to build-I decided to go with the "Chevy". I bracket "Chevy" because it really isn't a Chevy but rather a World Merlin lite block and Ray Franks profiler heads using a Comp Cams valve train. There are no Chevy parts on my engine. One side note to the poster who thinks longer rods are an advantage over shorter rods-this notion is a popular misnomer. The theory is that longer rods afford more dwell time and this may be true, but the power difference in a real engine is nonexistent. I am an old stock eliminator drag racer and I have investigated every posible way to make a stock-type engine more powerful. Rod length matters zero(I know I will get an arguement but probably not from someone with a lot of real practical knowledge). WHIP AWAY!!!

[RallySnake]

Bre,

Everything that I have read in the last few years about building engines expounds the theory that longer rods are better to produce power. A number of my friends have built Chevy engines with the 6" rods and rave about the performance. I am really curious about your test method to disprove these theories.

Paul

[flipper35]

I too have heard that the longer rods will help produce more torque. I heard the dwell and piston accelleration were key. Mr. Fixit I am sure can explain the difference in piston speed and acceleration with different rods better than I can.

[bremillard]

Let me rephrase. There are a lot of things you can do more easily and cheaply to make more power than changing rod ratio- where if there is any gain at all it is marginal. You must also change cam size,timing.ect to see any gains. Longer rods are heavier rods which is also very important if your crank is marginal. You limit your ability to "stroke" the motor for more cubes (you will gain significant torque and h.p. from stroking) before piston pin is too high up on piston(and ring pack).-Bob