The SpecsDisplacement: 365 ciCompression: 10:1Cam type/specs: Crane hydraulic flat-tappet 242/252-degrees duration @ 0.050-inch valve lift, 0.528/0.552-inch liftCylinder heads: Aerohead reconditioned "587" iron castings, 2.02/1.60 valvesInduction: Edelbrock Performer RPM Air Gap intake, 750-cfm Speed Demon carbHeaders: Hooker Competition 151/48-inchCost: $2,522.11
ConclusionsStreet manners are largely a matter of what a person is willing to tolerate, which is largely subjective. Even though the relatively long duration of the cam in the Titan 360 does not pull enough vacuum for power brakes or daily driving, we have found that its characteristics are far from objectionable in this particular application. Obviously this engine will also need a deeper rear gear and a 3,000-stall converter to make the most of this combination, which adds up to an engine that may not be everyone's first choice. When the results were tallied up, we came in a little short of McGean's Chevy, and significantly ahead of Henry's Ford in peak horsepower and torque output. Considering the liberal use of factory stock parts, we are immensely pleased with the results of the Mopar Clash of the Titans buildup.
The DynoOn the morning of our dyno test, we still had no headers that would fit the tight confines of Johnson Machine's DTS dyno. We located another set of Hooker headers that featured shorter head pipes that would clear the dyno. In addition, we discovered the intake needed a great deal of milling to properly fit our 360. This was because we milled the block a full 0.040-inch to achieve a zero deck and our targeted 10.0:1 compression.
So, dyno day arrives and we're still jacking with the exhaust and induction. By noon we were ready to light it off and break in the cam. The engine started without a fuss, showed good oil pressure (75 psi), and didn't leak-much. After breaking in the cam for 20 minutes, we made a partial pull to check the air/fuel ratio. By the third pull, we took the little motor up to 6,000 rpm. On this pull, it broke the magic 400hp mark with 403 hp at 5,800 and 413 lb-ft of torque at 4,000. The engine idled with more than a little lump, pulling a mere 3.5 inches of vacuum at 850 rpm, so we won't be using power brakes with this combination! By the eighth pull, we added a 1-inch open spacer to the combo, which made the idle choppier. The first pull with the spacer netted an unremarkable 403 hp, but it added torque up to 427 lb-ft at a slightly higher 4,300. Test number 15 was the "martini run." We swapped the Road Demon Jr. for a more appropriate 750-cfm Speed Demon mechanical-secondary carb. This was worth 418 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque! Were we happy? You bet.
More TestingSince the little Mopar was the first to be completed, it consequently was the first engine to find its way into an engine compartment. With a set of borrowed and used-up slicks and running 4.88 gears, the best the Barracuda could muster to the 60-foot mark was a 1.66. The good news is that our times were all in the 7.58-second range at 90.5 mph, which equates to roughly 11.90s on a quarter-mile track. A subsequent trip to the track with more appropriate 4.10 gears netted a best of 7.49 (in the 11.70s) at 90 mph with a best short-time of 1.61. That's cookin'!
Ford 351 WindsorThe MissionOur goal was to build an entry-level engine that would produce good power with basic parts on a penny-pinching budget without sacrificing reliability or quality with a $2,500 spending cap. And to be perfectly honest, we did exceed our budget by $44.83, which is close but still over. Regardless, this 351W buildup is very real world, and we think this is a good engine for such a small amount of green.
Prepping the CoreIf you recall from the buildup story in the September issue ("Battle of the Titans" pg. 40), we procured a typical stock used block that had been languishing in the corner of our friend's shop. This was the foundation for our 351W engine with JMS doing all the machine work.