5.0 (Ford) builders rejoice!

[Jonathan]

Ford is releasing new crate engines/engine blocks in early 2007. The new 302 block will have:

4-bolt mains for lower-end stability at high power outputs
High-tin 41,000 PSI tensile strength iron alloy for ultimate strength
Nodular iron main caps for additional strength
Screw-in freeze plugs for additional more strength and stability
Front cross-over lifter oiling for high RPM valvetrain capability
Siamese bores with specifically engineered drillings between cylinders for maximum wall stability and gasket sealing with street capable cooling performance

This will be the great equalizer :D Everything we wanted the 5.0 to be. You can now enjoy the cheaper aftermarket parts/huge performance potential of the 5.0 market, with the incredible block strength that you'd get from a racing block without the side effects in cooling in a street engine. And you don't have to deal with the limited aftermarket support of the modular engine. The best of both worlds, I'm giddy :happy055:

[smoker]

thats pretty cool.....is it going to be affordable? i always went to mikes ford parts or besslers out here in ky and got a roller motor for like 250 complete......tear it down and start over......

[Darthness]

i'm gonna put one in my saturn!

[cargodz]

Anybody got an Escort that you wanna Frankenstein :p

Although I'm not much on Fords... It is nice to hear that the option will now be available:)

[Jonathan]

I wouldn't say affordable, the block is going to run about as much as one of the siamese bore 302 blocks would run you, but it's a production block and won't require all the machining, so that in itself saves you more money. A stock roller block will be doing good to handle about 500hp, I'd guess this one to handle something like 800-1000hp pretty safely. Not quite as much as a DART block would or something like that, but it's more streetable considering the design of the water jackets (you won't have as much trouble with coolant spewing out of the radiator due to a block that lacks water jackets). And you'd still have to shell out for the heads, bottom end, cams, etc., but you'd be doing that anyway. You've gotta pay to play.

It'll do best for somebody that's looking to stroke it out and/or possibly turbo/supercharge the crap out of it. Design a good turbo system and you'll be making 800hp at the rear wheels (possibly on pump gas), and this would be a block to do it with. The stock roller block simply isn't going to handle that kind of power safely. If you're an all motor kinda guy I wouldn't see how you could justify it.

[smoker]

im an all motor kind of guy but honestly ive found 400 hp or so to be plenty for a streetable fox body mustang

[Jonathan]

Too much power? Doesn't exist ;)

Nothing like a 9 or 10 second street car :D

[smoker]

done up right 400-450 will get you high 10's low 11's in something like an 85 fox body coupe.....gutted with the right rear and tranny....suspension setup so on and so forth....

[Jonathan]

You're going to need a lot more than 400 at the flywheel to see low 11s/high 10s, tubbed out tin can or not.