For those who don’t know me, I have a 1965 Mustang Fastback, 289 V8/AT/Factory AC, sitting in my garage in need of an engine rebuild. I debated posting anything here about it, or about cars in general, because I didn’t want to muddy up the water. But as a family heirloom, handed down to me by my grandmother, it’s part of my world and ultimately this site is about me. So I think I may occasionally post about it.

That said, this has nothing to do with the car, I’m just drooling over this engine block. I’m sure it’s several thousand dollars. While my mustang is in decent original condition, it’s probably worth less than this block.


Aluminum Ford 351 V8 block

Much lighter than the cast-iron version, the Shelby 351W block was designed to be the strongest on the market. Each is CNC machined from A356 T6 alloy at the Carroll Shelby Engineering machining facility and comes ready for assembly. Featuring a 9.5-inch deck height and bore sizes from 4.024- to 4.125-inches, the combinations are many. The 2.750-inch steel billet main caps can accept crankshafts up to a 4.250-inch stroke.  

“This new aluminum block is an engine builder’s dream,” added Don McCain, Vice President of the Carroll Shelby Engine Company. ”It uses stock cam bearings but can be bored out for roller cam bearings. With its stock oil filter location, expanded water jackets, and four bolt mains, our block is a perfect platform for today’s high-performance engines.”

via Shelby Aluminum 351.