Whats differnt, an apple, or an apple?

Its the same casting. The 69 will be seasoned and all shift taken up already. The new one might have a little better metalurgy..

Otherwise its the same mold, differnt year.

 

Grrrrrr,
Kim beat me to it.

 

Thanks alot guys ......

 

Kim,

I have a 69 and a guy I know has the sportsman. There are some noticeable differences, also a weight difference.

I'm going from memory here. I seem to remember the cyllinder sleeves where shorter on the sportsman ( more block ). Something about the pan rails being thicker.

Was noticeable diff on scale 10 lbs in favour of sportsman.

The 69 is noticeably thicker in critical areas than the roller blocks, that is for sure.

 

I don't know which is stronger, but looking at both the sportsman (A351) looks thicker. If you ever get a chance to see them side by side you will know what I mean. MIKE

 

Kim,

I have a 69 and a guy I know has the sportsman. There are some noticeable differences, also a weight difference.

I'm going from memory here. I seem to remember the cyllinder sleeves where shorter on the sportsman ( more block ). Something about the pan rails being thicker.

Was noticeable diff on scale 10 lbs in favour of sportsman.

The 69 is noticeably thicker in critical areas than the roller blocks, that is for sure.

A few differneces, the pan rail and skirt are a little better on the sportsman block, the down side is the cylinder sleave is not as deep in the case, so stroke can be limited on the sportsman, and or more clearancing needed on the 69. For the differnces in the two the HP limits arent that far apart. If you cant find a good seasond old block, the the sportsman is a 750HP capable alternative. Above that better still look at a Dart, or R351 or something in that neighborhood.

 

I must be thinking of different sportman blocks.

I know people making close to, if not more than, 900rwhp on the A351. Of course they switched to 4-bolt steel caps for he center mains.

 

FRPP has caused the confusion. THe A351 is (was) a 4 bolt main block, much like the A4 block for the 302, similar time frame.

The current "SPORTSMAN" block is a 2 bolt main block offured for "sportsman" class roundy dound racers. Its a 69 type block, stronger than the fragile lightweight roller blocks, but NO-where near the strength of the A blocks. The A block is good to about a 1000HP, give or take, then the R blocks, and then,,,, lots o luck.

 

thanks

 

I hope that '69 is as good as people claim it is. Otherwise this 7000 rpm 408 I'm about to build will end up like the rest of the post 1970 351W production blocks I've seen, including the last 393 I was using.

 

Must be something in the gas down there......

 

Must be something in the gas down there......

Interesting concept.....


Wonder why it only affects certain types of production Ford blocks and not others? :idunno:

 

Dunno, could be the assembler? Could be the machine shop? Could be the use/abuse?

Deja vue? Wasn't this argument of the month last month?

 

Dunno, could be the assembler? Could be the machine shop? Could be the use/abuse?

Still, none those would explain why the problems are ONLY isolated to a certain type of Ford production block family. Hmmm....

 

And only in your neighborhood? You got a windsor sabatore local?

 

And only in your neighborhood?

No, just read around in these forums and you'll see how many other windsor and 302 blocks have ended up in pieces due to cracked blocks.

If you like, you could start a poll and you'll see how "local" the problem really is.

 

302s we all know about. You can only beat on something soooooooo hard and it’ll fail. You have people in here spinning an engine designed around a 225hp output and 4800 RPM peak HP to upwards of 7000 RPM and in excess of 600hp. When force exceeds cohesive strength it fails…

Same thing for the stock 351 blocks. If your below 7000 RPM and or below a sustained 750hp your golden. If you want more than that from a package then you had better step up to a block with the strength and mass to support it. They don’t offer all those stronger blocks just because new engine paint looks pretty. They realize that there are combinations available within the designs of the block confines that require more mass, more strength, and more capability. That is why Dart offers a 302 based block that will hold 1500hp. That is why FRPP and Dart offer 351-based engines that will hold 1500 hp.

That is why manufactures offer big block “blocks” capable of 2500 to 5000 hp.

 

302s we all know about. You can only beat on something soooooooo hard and it’ll fail. You have people in here spinning an engine designed around a 225hp output and 4800 RPM peak HP to upwards of 7000 RPM and in excess of 600hp. When force exceeds cohesive strength it fails…

Same thing for the stock 351 blocks. If your below 7000 RPM and or below a sustained 750hp your golden. If you want more than that from a package then you had better step up to a block with the strength and mass to support it. They don’t offer all those stronger blocks just because new engine paint looks pretty. They realize that there are combinations available within the designs of the block confines that require more mass, more strength, and more capability. That is why Dart offers a 302 based block that will hold 1500hp. That is why FRPP and Dart offer 351-based engines that will hold 1500 hp.

That is why manufactures offer big block “blocks” capable of 2500 to 5000 hp.

I'm not arguing with any of that.

But its not hard at all to aquire 600hp with a stroked 351W. Then, unless everything is glued together and tuned just perfect, the block won't last long. I like production blocks that offer a little more "forgiveness" and the 351W production ain't it.

 

:crying: i guess you should just sell your mustang and go get a chevy (oh wait you can split them too) maybe get a honda and go B***h about the price of rice