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Re: Classic Cars- Pantera? Ford (NO LBC)

To: gardner7@pilot.infi.net, gofastmg@juno.com
Subject: Re: Classic Cars- Pantera? Ford (NO LBC)
From: DANMAS <DANMAS@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 1997 20:46:59 EST
In a message dated 97-12-28 01:52:44 EST, gardner7@pilot.infi.net writes:

> As for the true comment that Ford-powered Chevy rods are rare, I've 
>  always thought that didn't have as much to do with an inherent 
>  "badness" in Ford engines or any inherent "goodness" in Chevy 
>  engines.  I thought it had to do with the placement of things like 
>  the distributor and the shape/location of the oil pan on the Chevy 
>  engines being more favorable when it came to putting them in places 
>  they weren't meant to go (Like 30's hot rods.)  On Ford cars where a 
>  big V-8 was a factory option, you're less likely to see a Chevy 
>  engine used in a restoration or hop-up.

Scott:

As an OF with a long history of interest in hot rods, perhaps I can shed a
little light on this. In 1955, when Chevy introduced its small block V8, it
was a revelation. For most hot rodders of the time, there was nothing that
could compare. It was small, lightweight, and had incredible performance
potential. Being a Chevy, they were produced in massive quantities, making
them inexpensive as well. Luckily, the size of the engine, and placement of
the distributor, etc, made it a perfect fit for the '30s era Fords that made
up most of the hot rods of the time. It soon replaced the Ford flathead that
up till then had been the overwhelming favorite. The Ford OHV V8, introduced
in '54, could not compete, either from a performance or physical size
standpoint. 

Hot rodders took to the Chevy in droves, creating a tremendous demand for
after market performance parts. As a result, there was, and still is, an
almost limitless selection of parts for it, and the prices of these parts is
quite low compared to parts for less popular engines. This price differential
still holds true today - you can build a Chevy with the same performance as a
Ford for a lot less dollars.

A few years later, when Ford introduced the engine that became the current
302, it was too late. Even though the Ford performance potential was on a
parity with the Chevy, the Chevy had such a head start that Ford just could
not catch up. In the '80s, though, with the introduction of the Fox chassis
Mustangs, Ford began to makes gains on the Chevy, as a result of the Mustang
popularity. Parts availablity is increasing, and costs are coming down. A
stock Camaro with a Chevy 350 will still blow the doors off a stock Mustang
with a 302, but in a contest between a prepared Chevy 350 and a prepared Ford
351, the trophy goes to the man who knows best how to build an engine.

In the near future, if trends continue, the choice of engines will be based on
real criteria, just as it was in '55, rather than brand loyalty. In another 10
years, the differences in numbers between Chevy powered and Ford powered rods
will be dramatically reduced. If you want to put a V8 in a '32 Ford low-boy,
the best choice was and probably still is a Chevy. In a '46 Ford, the choice
is probably a toss-up. In cars of the '50s and later, probably the best choice
is a Ford in a Ford, a Chevy in a Chevy, and a Mopar in a Mopar. In an MGB,
the best choice is a BOP/Rover. In a TR6, the clear winner is the Ford. There
is no contest, as I see it. The Ford is 2 inches narrower, about 2 inches
longer, and 100 pounds lighter. Those three parameters just about sum up the
important factors to consider when selecting between the two.

There have been Chevy 350 engines put into TR6s, and done very well, but the
weight and width parameters make them less acceptable in my mind. In my own
installation, the 2 inches of extra length were definately a problem, but much
easier solved than trying to solve the width and weight problems of the Chevy.
The fact that the Ford engine weighs less than the stock TR6 makes it an ideal
choice for me. 

I wouldn't give a dime for the performance potential or reliability
differences between the two brands. My ideal wouldn't be either one. My idea
of the perfect hot rod would be a back-halved Bug-eye Sprite with a
supercharged Chrysler hemi! (just kidding - don't shoot!)

Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN

'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
                    http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/Masters/
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74

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