I am looking to buy a block for my 347 project. I found a 74 block. Is the 74 block any different than my 72. Both still considerably stronger than 75 and later blocks? (higher nickel content)
I alway's preferred those early block's but don't know if it make's any difference in reliability in most cases. Have found that using later block's, with main girdle and proper installation of rotating part's, will do just fine. Any block that is subject to extreme abuse on the street or strip, is going to be a crap shoot on how long before it breaks. Even the high dollar aftermarket one's are not exempt, if pushed to the limit as with high compression, NOS, blower's, etc. If you are going to run an "I" beam rod may not have to notch the cylinders as you do with "H" beams. A good balance job and related part's, will do wonders for longevity. You will love the little 347 but be sure to match the trans and rear gears, to the camshaft and heads you are going to use, along with intake and carb. Grab onto the 74 and if you decide not to use it, send it to me. Darn things are getting hard to come by around here.
'74's have a taller deck hight. i think they increased it in '74. so basically you'll have a slightly taller cylinder/lower compression unless you get it decked down some
Well that would suck. How much diff am I looking at. I am not wanting to pay more machine costs than I already have.
im not entierly sure. i was thinking of using a '74 302 long block with GT40 heads in my mav but with the low comp. pintons plus the taller deck hight, plus the slightly larger chambers in the GT40's i scraped that idea. if you want to search some of my old threads from around may/april you might find a few hits about that D4 block i had. though it was actually casted in '77 it was still a D4/74 casting with that same deck hight since the block had to have the threaded hole for the clutch linkage
Judging by this sites information http://www.fordcobraengines.com/Mustang Engines.htm there was not a significant change in HP from the 72 block (140hp) to the 77 block (136hp). It does not even show a 302 info for the 74 yr.
If you want a stronger block that won't cost you an arm and a leg, look for a D8VE casting. These suckers weigh in at 136 lbs, ten lbs more than most others, 16 lbs more than an 80-84 block. Bore it to .060 and stroke to 3.4 and you've got a small block 352.
Always deck all my engines to "zero" depending on pistons etc. No more than +.010 in some instance's. If nothing else, just squareing up the block surface can make a good seal on the heads and help hold gaskets from leaking and blowing out.
74 - 77 D4 blocks had an extra .023" deck height to lower compression. In 78 the D8 blocks went back to the same deck height as the earlier blocks. When I built a 347 using a D4 block I had .025" taken off to zero deck the pistons.
Mexican block for anything other than boosted applications in almost all instances. Make you such a deal on one! LOL
So how much would you recon one of them Mexican blocks are worth? Would it even make that much of a difference over a standard block? Theres a complete 71 Mexican motor in Craigslist for 600.00. Thats more than I would like to spend when all I need is the block. Are the heads and intake worth having and reselling to reduce the overall cost? http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/pts/747539701.html
I already have a roller cam using those high dollar conversion lifters. I'd be taking a loss on them if I went to something newer.
The D8VE block is as thick as the Mex block, only difference is the std block main caps. These aren't known to fail anyway.
