Video: The Hot Rod 400 Ford on the Dyno
A few years ago Hot Rod magazine published an engine build story trying to see if it could build a 500-horsepower motor from scratch for five thousand dollars. So of course, it started with a Chevy small block and was successful. But that’s kind of like trying to predict whether a kid is going to prefer candy or broccoli–too easy.
As a sort of follow-up, the magazine allowed me to take up the same 500-for-5,000 challenge with a bit of a twist. Instead of going for the safe bet, I started with a 400 Ford. The idea was that since nobody gives the old 400 any respect, you can find a block and crankshaft dirt cheap. That gives you more cubes for less money compared to a SBC, and hopefully a leg up right out of the gate. (more…)
