Guys,
I just saw the addition of Edlebrock electronic fuel inj. kits for AMC 304/360 V-8s to the Edelbrock line; what a great complement to the AMC Edelbrock Performer heads. Now all those Gremlin drivers and Javelin fans and the occasional CJ-5 guy can have great aftermarket performance options... What??? You mean you don't see Pacers and AMC muscle cars every day?
NEITHER DO I!!!!
It is criminal in my opinion to offer PONTIAC(!) and AMC aluminum heads while ignoring the popular Cleveland/351M/400 engine family.
Below is the letter I sent to Edelbrock; if you feel as I do, feel free to copy or modify my letter and send them your own; maybe we can get them to provide us a good Performer head and....Electronic EFI!!!!
4byford
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Attn. Smitty Smith, tech dept;
New Products Manager
To:
Edelbrock@edelbrock.com
Dear Edelbrock,
I am writing to encourage consideration of a new product, specifically an aluminum cylinder head for Ford 351 Cleveland/351M/400 engines. I am a loyal customer and have used many of your products and enjoyed their quality and value for years. What I have seen recently is your innovative release of niche products to fill voids in the performance parts world. For example, the Pontiac aluminum Performer heads and the AMC Performer heads are a nice addition to your line and certainly well received by the fans of those marques. However, those releases emphasize a gap in the market that I and many others would like you to consider: the scarcity of good aftermarket heads for the Ford canted valve Cleveland/400 engine. Currently, the performance choices are a rebuilt stock cast iron low compression 2V head; a rare and costly 4V head- good for racing but almost too much breathing for the street; a few Ford Motorsports Nascar type Cleveland heads- again way too much head for a street performance engine; or recently some very expensive aluminum heads from Australia.
While this engine has been out of production since 1983 in the U.S., consider the following facts:
-Production of these engines spanned 14 years in the US-1969 (351C) to 1983 (351M/400)
- Millions of these engines were produced, powering everything from Mustangs to Country Squire station wagons to 1 ton trucks.
-Many performance cars were powered by these engines: Mustangs, Cougars, Panteras, Torino GTs, Gran Torinos, etc. With minor modifications, these heads were used on the Boss 302 as well.
-These engines are very popular swaps in a variety of platforms: Cobra kit cars, Classic pickups, street rods, classic early Broncos, etc.
-Performance and racing enthusiasts made the 351c very popular in the 70s and 80s, and it still retains its popularity even though the small block 351w now has a healthy aftermarket following.
-Stroker kits for these engines are available and affordable.
-Trucks and Broncos used these engines for over 7 model years, and they remain very popular: reference websites such as Ford Truck Enthusiasts, ProjectBronco.com, Full Size Bronco.com, Fordmuscle.com, etc.
-From the factory, the later versions of these engines were low compression and choked by the early smog equipment. Many of these engines are smog exempt now, and a higher compression, aluminum head would address one of the biggest impediments to increased performance in these engines.
-In relation to the Pontiac and AMC offering, these engines are more common and have equal or greater aftermarket and performance following. Do a search for 351 Cleveland on the internet!
-International sales, specifically in Australia, would be an another profitable market. The canted valve heads on 302s were produced for a longer period 'down under' and there is an even stronger enthusiast following (and market) for performance parts for these engines in Australia.
For the above reasons, I urge you to consider adding a Performer aluminum head, with modern flow technology, a closed chamber for higher compression, and 2V sized valves (2.08/1.65) for good midrange performance. If available and competitively priced, it would have sales volume potential greater than your Pontiac and AMC offerings, and could challenge some of your Big Block offerings as well. I will put my money where my mouth is: I will buy TWO sets for myself!
For many of the same reasons, an Edelbrock electronic EFI would also be a welcome addition- after all, you make a kit for the American Motors V-8s!
Finally, thank you for your time and your excellent products; I appreciate your efforts to support the automotive enthusiast.
Sincerely,
Alan B. Rowe
Today
