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March 11, 1998

351W SVO "Sportsman" Shortblock
Unfortunately this engine has been discontinued, but it's still a good story.

We knew the 351W "Sportsman" Shortblock was coming out sometime this Spring and we've been anxiously awaiting to get our first one. Well, we just unloaded it off the truck and it's not at all what we expected. It's much better.

The SVO "Sportsman" block was supposed to be based on early castings, which have more meat in the main webbing area. This "Sportsman" block is not at all an early casting. It is nothing short of the 9.500" Deck SVO 351W NASCAR block without the additional machining for the 4-bolt splayed main caps. The block is absolutely incredible and should prove to be the strongest block available next to the A4 and 4-Bolt SVO 351.

Anyone contemplating a 351W conversion needs to look no further than this short block, which we will be selling for an affordable $1895. It comes completely assembled using the usual 351W rods and late model crank. The pistons are the same as those used in the 351W Lightning and are Hyperutetic. Before you breath a sigh of disappointment, let us say that Ford's Hyperutetic pistons are much stronger than aftermarket hyperutetic pistons and are very durable. We've subjected them to as much as 18 psi of boost and moderate detonation did not break them. We also know people who have used them with a substantial amount of nitrous and they have only failed in the same way a forged piston would have. Don't be overly concerned about the pistons, they'll hold up to more abuse than the average enthusiast dishes out.

Stroker 302 assemblies have gotten very affordable lately. But the main problem with a high horsepower 302 hasn't changed. The late model production block is extremely weak and flexes under load. This causes premature head gasket failure and the blocks are even prone to splitting down the middle when enough hp is thrown at them. The "Sportsman" block is a very attractive alternative to any 302 stroker, even with the necessary additional items (lower intake, oil pan, headers) it's still an economical option considering it is several times stronger. In our mind, a 302 stroker shouldn't even be a consideration with the affordability and strength of this shortblock.

Below are several pictures with more information and details. The pictures are rather large if you have a slow connection, but be patient, they're worth seeing.

$1895 gets you a fully assembled shortblock minus cam and timing chain. The block is machined to accept hydraulic roller cams and lifters. So any of the popular 5.0 cams will fit. And as with all 351W's, they're tapped for 1/2" head bolts or studs.

The block is a revised casting that features many strength improvements over production blocks. Notice the additional reinforcement for the motor mount. These blocks are designed to handle a lot of power and abuse. This block can also be purchased bare and then be stroked to 427 cid if that's your goal. With so much more strength than a production 351W block, it's the ideal choice.

The pistons are Ford's Hyperutetic models and are notched to accommodate all common 5.0 Windsor cylinder heads. No additional fly-cutting is necessary except with high lift/duration cams and specific heads. Although these pistons are Hyperutetic and not forged, don't let that scare you. We have had extremely positive results with them and they have proven to be very durable. Lower quality aftermarket hyperutetic pistons have given the process a bad name. With a 64cc chamber, these pistons will make 8.8:1 compression, perfect for boosted applications. Higher compression can easily be achieved by milling the cylinder head deck.

Here's the real story with the strength of these blocks. The arrow is pointing to the main webbing, which normally is cast with contours to save iron, weight and consequently money. This is the only real weak point of the late model production block. As you can see in this picture, the Sportsman block has a solid main web that is machined down just enough to make room for the crankshaft. If you've never seen an A4 or SVO 351 block, this is exactly what their main webbing looks like.

Here's another shot showing the shear girth of the main webbing. It's safe to say that you'll need more than 1300 hp before you have to worry about the main webbing letting go. Of course the rest of the shortblock isn't capable of enduring that power level and you can't do it with 2-bolt main caps, but the block itself is extremely strong. The only weak link (and it's not really a weak leak) is that the main caps are 2-bolt, but a steel main-girdle will help alleviate that problem.

Here's the backside of the main journal webbing. Again, you can see that it is machined just enough to make room for the cylinder wall, crank, piston and rod. When it comes to durability, this block makes no compromises. With nothing more than a main girdle to keep the caps from walking, this block is capable of handling every bit of 950+ hp without any worries. The pistons can't take that much pressure, but 800+ should be no problem for them providing they don't encounter serious detonation.