DeTomaso Mailing List: October 99, Message #85

Gentlemen, what I think I know of the Cleveland heads is, they were 
originally a design for the Boss 302 for Trans-Am racing. The stagger-valve 
design was swiped from the mid '60s Chev big-block engine, and is essential 
to cramming giant valves into a too-small bore. The dia of Boss 302/351C 
valves is larger than a 4" bore, even if the valve heads touch in the middle. 
GM's head of engineering Bunky Knudsen had left GM and was made head of Ford 
engineering at that time..... When Knudsen was fired for 'disrespect' to 
Henry the Deuce (after 18 months) in '69, the infamous Smog Laws were on the 
horizon as was the Insurance people's crackdown on power. Ford tried to 
salvage something out of the 351C (supposed to be the Ford race/hy-po motor 
of the '70s, replacing the 302) by converting it to hydraulic lifters from 
its OEM solids. It was a hurry-up job & we're still paying the price..... but 
at least they didn't go to the 351-M right away! FYI, the 351C was officially 
placed into the "335" family by Ford, implying that there were to be more 
engines than just one, but not necessarily 335 cubic inches. Ironically, the 
only thing remotely close to 335 c.i that Ford ever produced is the Ford 
5.3-liter SOHC V8 truck engine from Canada. 
Cheers- J deRyke, history buff