You can’t beat a good old-fashioned Ford versus Chevy engine build-off. It’s even more fun when you can get in on the action, even if it’s just digitally.
Here’s the story. PowerNation TV Engine Power’s Mike Galley and Pat Topolinski traveled to the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) campus in Lyle, IL to judge the UTI Engine Builder’s Challenge. The contest pitted two teams of three–two students and one advisor—to a Chevy versus Ford duel.
The rules were simple: the engines had to be carbureted, run on 93 octane pump gas, use 0W-40 motor oil, and built on a $7,000 budget using off-the-shelf parts from Summit Racing.
Team Chevy—students Lance Stanfield and Dustin Ulrich plus instructor Stephan Liss—went with a classic 383-cubic-inch small block that made 490.5 peak horsepower and 459.3 ft.-lbs. of peak torque. Here is the parts list.
Team Ford—students Samuel Edwards III and Kent Evans with instructor Mike Pair—built a 347 cubic inch small block that made 459 peak horsepower and 408.1 ft.-lbs. of peak torque. Find the parts list here.
The winner was chosen based on horsepower per cubic inch.
You can watch the episode at PowerNationTV.com
This is where you get in on the fun. We’d like to know what you would do differently if you were building these engines using the same set of rules as the Builder’s Challenge. Would you do more cubic inches? More compression? Swap cams or cylinder heads? Or would you build something different from the block up? Tell us why you think your combination is better. Including part numbers would be a plus.
Since we have no way of calculating how much horsepower and torque your engine combo would make, this is pretty much an exercise in bench racing. If you want to take a guess at what your engine would do, go ahead—but be prepared to hear about it from your friendly rivals.
So, who’s ready build (virtual) engines?
I don’t know why you magazine guys do this “weird comparisons” all the time; standard heads on the SBC and the “twisted wedge” heads and the solid roller cam and lifters for the Ford, (kind of like comparing the standard wedge Ford 460 to the BBC 454 but backwards don’t ya think??),, but things should be more even when you do these tests.
Try a small port Edelbrock LS-R or the Mast Mozez (?) welded up for the smaller engine and the Twisted Wedge heads on this same Ford, (I know, this exceeds the $$ amount), or how about a stock L92 TRUCK engine to the 347 Ford with a stroker and stock heads! Make them both about the same size, or custom pistons and de-stroke the Chevy and I think the Chevy would still come out on top, don’t you?
Sorry to be the Chevy Lover here, but this comparison is a little unfair.
The 460 ford is a canted valve engine just like the 454 Chevrolet
Raymond, sorry your bow tie lost but facts are facts. Do you want some cheese with – oh never mind.
Like to see molar small block included
let see more close cubic inch motors still a Ford guy
Why didn’t they compare a Windsor 393 stroker to the 383 chevy would have been more fair but the ford kicked the chevies tail while giving up 46 cubic inches
Also I don’t believe your test with fair! A small cubic inch engine Will be more volumetrically efficient therefore it will always make more horsepower per cubic inch then a bigger engine not more ultimate horse power but more horsepower per inch! That’s a lesson I learned in the old days racing modified production
As a professional engine builder of over 20 years….and as much as I usually love reading your articles…..this one is just ludicrous!! Seriously how stupid do u think real Motorhead’s are!!??!! Show a real build of ford vs Chevy with exact same cam, exact same heads, exact same compression, exact same induction and exhaust. And have the cubic inches within 5! That’s what readers want! I’m s long time Chevy man myself but my business is built on ford cause I have to rebuild them all the time but I can still appreciate power and torque no mater what manufacturer they are from!! Better yet do this build with dodge included!!
With a comment like that , I would hesitate to bring any engine to you , and fyi the ford would still win due to a better port layout .