Otherwise, the 347-E swings the same cast-steel crankshaft and forged connecting rods in a factory new block as other Coast High Performance 347s. This gives the 347-E the same durability and muscle as Coast's other stroker-replacement short-blocks.
Of course, a short-block is just that--it's not a complete engine. What we're detailing here is Mark's idea of how a 347-E could be dressed with emissions-legal cylinder heads and induction to produce a completely emissions-legal engine. Think of it as a pile of CARB Exemption Orders stacked atop each other. Specifically, Mark is using a set of World Products Windsor Jr. castings he had on hand to top his short-block. Wanting to build as powerful an emissions-legal engine as is reasonably possible, any of the higher-achieving street-legal cylinder heads (Edelbrock Performer RPM, AFR 185s, and so on) would have worked. The World Products castings are certainly capable of supporting all the power the E-legal camshaft can dish out.
In an interesting twist, this engine will also wear the new Edelbrock Performer RPM II intake manifold (see "Biting Back," May '03, p. 52). Again, this top-end happy EFI intake ought to support all the power the cam can make.
The other point is cost. While engine building is never inexpensive, today's replacement short-blocks, with their high offshore parts content and bene- fiting from many automated machining steps, offer impressive power and durability for their price. Mark was aiming roughly in the $6,000 ballpark for this engine in its completed state (the 347-E short-block is $2,899.99, leaving $3,100.01 for the rest), and it is an entirely obtainable goal. Installing such an engine in an older Fox Mustang, and applying some wheels, tires, and sup-porting exhaust and replacement parts such as engine mounts, could get a guy into definitely entertaining V-8 power on a budget and timeline. It might require you getting a second job or other effort, but it is actually obtainable. That's a sight better than pining away for an '03 Cobra with a killer stereo that never materializes.
This month we're showing what goes into the 347-E, and how Mark dressed his example. In a future issue, we'll show you the finished car (we'll warn you now that Mark spent considerably more than moonlighting money on making the paint and other cosmetics magazine- presentable) and how the power and emission outputs turned out. Stay tuned.