DeTomaso Mailing List: May 99, Message #155

I picked up the current issue of Mustang Illustrated last night to 
check out their "Cleveland Rocks" article, the first in a series that 
will detail a 351C engine build up.  Their stated goal is to build a 
400 hp engine that will run on 92 octane, with a mild enough camshaft 
for daily driving in Los Angeles traffic jams.  The engine will 
reside in a '65 or '66 Mustang fastback.  Sounds interesting right?
Wrong.

They decide the best approach is to use open chamber 2V heads, a
Torker intake (which they erroneously refer to as a Torker II and
mention they will be extrude honing the 4V passages even larger),
a Speed Demon 750 cfm carb, and a custom Isky hydraulic flat tappet 
cam with specs of 256/265 degrees duration @ 0.050", 0.620"/0.629" 
lift, and 108 degrees of lobe separation.  They plan to use 2V 2.05"
diameter intake valves but extrude hone the port to match the Torker 
intake.  4V 1.71" diameter exhaust valves will be used.  They expect
9.7 to 10:1 compression with flat top pistons and open chamber heads.

Wow, you'd have to work hard to come up with a more mismatched 
collection of parts.  Bet that cam will be fun drive in traffic.
A huge cam aand Torker cam aren't going to give them the "low rpm
grunt" and "positive throttle response around town" they're seeking.
Why open up the intake port to 4V size if you're retaining 2V
intake valves.  Why not just use a 2V single plane intake?  Damn 
magazines.  Don't they have someone on staff that wasn't a journalism 
major?

Dan Jones