Dart Announces new SBF Castings
Until recently one of the major advantages of being in the "Chevy" camp has been the availability of all sorts of aftermarket engine components -namely heads and blocks. If you're building a bow-tie powered race car, there are a handful of companies, besides GM, that can sell you a brand new engine block with a variety of upgrades and engineering enhancements over stock.

The 5.0L aftermarket boom of the last decade brought the Ford crowd a step closer, by the way of a dozen or more varieties of aftermarket heads and intakes for the small block Ford.

With Dart Machinery announcing the production of brand new 302 and 351 small block Ford castings, we just may see a level playing in the near future.

Iron Eagles

Up to a 9.500" deck on the 351 block will enable strokers in the 428 cid range.

Dubbed the "Iron Eagle Ford" blocks, Dart has taken their years of Chevy block casting experience, and applied it to the small block Ford blocks. The result is a Ford small block that has all the strength and enhancements required for high-horsepower race mills.

Dart will cast both a 302 and a 351W configuration, in iron (aluminum versions are rumored.) The 302 block will be available in the standard 8.200" deck height and also a 0.500" taller (8.700") deck height, for custom stroker applications.

The 351W block will also be available in two deck heights; the 9.500" stock height (late model 351W) and the shorter 9.200" Cleveland deck height.

Four bolt mains and steel main caps are a huge strength enhancing feature for the Iron Eagle blocks.

The 302 blocks will utilize the stock 302 main bearing size (2.442" main bore size.) The 351 blocks will be available with the 302 main bore size, or the Cleveland 2.938" bore size, thus necessitating a Cleveland crank.

The cam bore will utilize a 2.083" OD bearings (stock SBF ID), and also accept up to 55mm roller bearings.

The 302 blocks will readily accept stock 302 oil pans, timing covers, and bellhousing. The 351 blocks will require a 351 Windsor oil pan.

Key Features

• Note the scalloped water jackets. This enables up a 4.185" overbore, while maintaining a 0.250" thick cylinder wall.

  Water jackets move outward to increase cylinder bore thickness. Cylinders may be bored to 4.185", still maintaining a 0.250" wall thickness!
  
  
• The blocks feature four-bolt mains, with steel main caps.
  302 blocks will use 7/16" bolts on all the mains.
  351 blocks will use 1/2" bolts on the inner mains, 7/16" outer bolts on mains #2,3,4, and 3/8" on mains #1 and #5.
  
  
• All blocks will use the larger 351W 1/2" head bolts.
  
  
• Front and Rear External oil feeds (SVO blocks only have one at the front.)
  
  
• Wet or dry sump and external oiling capability.
  
  
• 18% increase in oiling using a stock style oil pump -more if the rear feed is utilized.
  
  
• Approx. 193 lbs. total weight for the 9.500" deck height 351 block.

Cost and Production
Dart estimates retail pricing to be as low at $1995, with the blocks being ready to ship sometime in May 2002.

With a total of four block configurations being offered by Dart, it is a sure bet that you'll see quite a few racers using the Iron Eagle as a platform for anything from a blown 302 to a 428+ displacement strokers. Stay tuned for more details when we can get our hands on one! F/M