345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

My 95 GT has 130,000 km on it and in place of just bolting on heads etc, I was thinking about a new engine altogether. I priced out the 345HP crate engine from Ford. By the time I add intake manifold, fuel system, etc I'm at $7,500 in parts (keep in mind these are Canadian dollars and I'm in Canada).

Has anyone got any experience with this 345HP crate engine? There are not really any speed shops around me, but I could try to find a shop in Vancouver BC. Shipping up from the USA would cost a lot in freight and duty. Thoughts on a custome engine?

I'm only looking for modest HP. The 350 point will work. I just don't want a blower, only NA.

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

I think you could build your own cheaper. Get your block machined, stick new heads/cam/intake on there and you'd be set. Perhaps some forged pistons too. I guess I dont know how much injectors run, but I'd assume you would have to upgrade to some larger units over stock. Lots of info on the board, search around. The head sticky has lots of good info in that too. Im sure some of the more late-model knowledgable guys will chime in.

note: 7500 cnd=6470 us according to yahoo.

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

I think the Edelbrock crate street 302 CI engine has 367 hp. I also think my own 302 CI street engine has 350-375 hp (see user's rides). Somewhere in that 350-375 range is a reasonable range for a a street engine. Check Coast High Performance, Roush, Schmidt, and others to see what you might expect for the $$$.

Rev

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

Ya, I'm hurt by the exchange rate and then I have to watch duty. While I haven't priced out the heads yet, I was told to expect almost $2500 for a set.

I didn't know Edelbrock had a crate engine. 367 HP would be lots. I'll have to look into it. Thanks!

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

Ah, I got ya, I was thinking a couple hundred at the machine shop, around 1300 for heads, 150 for the cam and 300-400 for an intake (im not real familiar with efi intake prices though) Perhaps a crate engine is the best way to go, I think that would kick-ass just ordering 350hp. Best of luck.

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

It may just be just a heads/cam/intake kit that I'm thinking of rather than an actual long block crate engine.

Rev

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

Yup, I could only find Chev crate engines, just the Ford kits.

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

Is is cheaper for you to have someone buy the stuff for you in the US then have it shipped to you? Perhaps if you have a buddy down here he/she could do it for you, or maybe there is even a business or something that does just that. Any ways around the Duty tax? I cant say im real knowledgable about international shipping...I do know though that alot of Canadians come down to where I live and buy their things here, cheaper I guess than up there. Some of them are awfully strange...

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

LOL, when I lived in Dallas I put 3.73's and ASP underdrives in my car, they were almost half price!

I'm still on the fence about which way to go. My job requires a hell of a lot of time, so I'm a little concerned that if I start to tear everything apart and replace peices, it's going to take forever. With a crate engine, I could just pull the old engine out, swap things over and put it in.

130,000 km is getting up there. I had a bunch of detonation issues when my MAF went, and I've been getting coolant in my oil. I don't know if my bearings and bottom end are OK.

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

I'll sell you my 331 shortblock.

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

If you didn't live in California...I would scream SOLD

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

I want atleast a long block. With my job I don't have too much time to install everything myself. That's why I was hoping for a crate engine, then all I would have to do is drop it in and install a few minor items like starter etc.

I'm getting a local auto parts store to look into a crate engine. This shop deals with a lot of hot rods, especially Fords. I'll see what he comes up with.

Re: 345HP Ford Crate Engine
 

one thing you might want to think about ,since you mentioned your job takes up alot of time is to buy another block and start building it.It can be cheaper than a crate and when done you can just drop it in as you would a crate,but without the down time of pulling your current engine,also you can build at the pace of your schedule and your wallet.