[TPR] FW: 351 Cleveland heads good going Dennis.

[DENNIS ANTENUCCI]

Asa, Lee, All,

My engine specs also came from Dan Jones. My goal was 500RWHP at 6,000 RPM….The engine machine work and final assembly was done by Russ Fulps (now deceased) in 2007. This engine was and still is a full roller that was and  /still is a 381ci stroker with a .20 over block (thanks JB)

Even with a Hyd roller and 11:1 compression and the comp cams cam (613 lift @245 duration) we got 503 RWHP @6,200 r’s which was  where  RWHP dropped off sharply at 6,200.   This was with 180 headers, 302B high port heads and a flowed 830 Holly.  Loved this engine!!

Never had a problem with this engine either  but I did end up with a bad rear main seal which led to a decision to do an “engine overhaul” in 2017 since we needed to repair/replace the rear main seal. My FUBAR thinking at the time was fuel quality sucks and  I  am gonna retire from ORR racing (yea sure I was) hahaha……

So lowering compression to 10:1 with a milder cam made allot of sense in MD’s mind…BTW .never listen to the voices in your head. While we did not complete an  engine or chassis dyno on the OVERHAUL in 2017 I immediately noticed soon as I got the Pantera back with the overhauled engine I  l had lost 100 HP…yes streetability was better but NOT that much better and definitely not worth loosing HP… I could feel HP loss on R’s above 3,000. It was then I realized I should have listened to Dan .on that 1st build and forget I had a better idea. I have to also credit Russ Fulps who asked “Why do you want to do this?” Meaning lower compression and go to a milder cam.

When it comes time to rebuild the next engine for the Pantera I will go to Asa and go back to Dan’s orginal specs with the same/similar Holly carb. 

The best I can say in support of Dan Jones and Russ Fulps was I had  NO engine failures on road or open track or open road races since 2007.

Lessons learned

Dennis & Mad Dawg


To: Lee Pedersent 
Cc: Dennis Antenucci; DENNIS ANTENUCCI via TPR
Subject: Re: [TPR] 351 Cleveland heads good going Dennis.

Lee,
When it comes to things 351C, I tend to trust the actual, factual testing done by Dan Jones.  He is excellent at knowing and explaining the pros and cons of many 351C influential factors including heads.

Yes, the stock cast iron heads (4V) flow awesome at the top end but so do some of the new aluminum.  However, the stock cast iron heads don’t do so well at the low end and can affect streetability.

The thing most folks will ask is “how will you use the car?”  Based on that answer, the parts you need to build will vary.  I think in your case Lee you could go with either option, but I’d go with aluminum to help the all around drivability while also spec’ing a cam and other components that will give you a good reliable top end.

I’ve leaned on recommendations by Dan Jones in the Past.  He helped spec Mark Skwarek’s engine as well as other Pantera owner engines.  He is the person who recommended the heads I then recommended to you.

Asa  Jay
Sent via radio waves

On Jun 29, 2022, at 08:45, Lee Pedersen via TPR <tpr at teampanteraracing.com> wrote:

I agree with what you guys are saying about the close chamber stock iron heads. The Boss heads I ran were amonst the best I ever ran.
I tend to disagree a little with the aluminum head comment. I was fortunate enough to get a pair of the "old" (1982) Ford Motorsport A3 headss for my engine.
They are a good compromise between decent low end torque and out and out Bonzi flat out power.

My suggestion is that don't pass up a pair that is available. The highport exhausts tend to work pretty well in a Pantera with 180 degree headers. Buy them if you can especially if you can get a matching intake with them. You won't be disappointed in them.

If you want to build an 8,500rpm street/track Pantera they are the way to go in my opinion. Don't even look for the C302 heads.


Best Regards, Lee Pedersen, Pres. Salem Motorsports Inc. 503-371-4200 3650 Portland Rd NE Salem, OR 97301   
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