Most Ford "Chop Rods" Use Chevy Drivetrains--Why?

If you don't care about looks, E36s have a better rear suspension design and are similarly cheap to purchase. Parts aren't too bad price wise if you're capable of doing your own work. They're money pits if you have to pay someone to do the work.

True....

But if you do a complete rebuild and change everything out for new...to include engine harness, relays, ECM and sensors you would have a reliable automobile. I built one while staitioned in Germany...
 
dont use that chart (reprinted from many places.) its misleading and in many cases: wrong.

the motor in question - tall or short valve covers (it uses edge to edge) which manifolds? for they chevy it uses the 'no exhaust manifold' dimension, for the ford, it uses the 'factory iron' dimension. the ford 50 block is 18.75 wide and the W is 21 wide. with manifolds on, we all know that the chevy is CLEARLY between the two.

it was a noble effort, whomever compiled that, but they did not have apples/apples info to compare from. Ford, god love em, used to publish it in the back of every performance catalog.

hell just knowing the deck height over the crank centerline gets you part way there. at 8.2", the little windsor is the winner. the ford M and 400 fool some into thinkining they are weird big blocks
 
The only E-type that weighed even close to a '61 vettte is the much later V12 pig. The '61 weighs around 400lbs less.
Check your arithmetic. Wikipedia lists the curb weight of a '61 Jaguar as being 2900 lb. and the curb weight of a '61 Corvette as 2985 lb.
 
1961 Jaguar E-type with 3.8 engine 2725 lbs curb weight

1961 Corvette 3035 lbs curb weight.

My choice would be the Vette any day, all day. ;)
 
It'd be fun to put one of those Offenhauser engines into something like a vintage Ford Escort. :D
I think Ford got it exactly right with the Group B RS200. One Saturday morning one showed up at the donut shop. Few knew what it was. Those that did were gobstoppered. Too bad Group B was neutered before it and the 959 got their shots at the Quattro. That would have been awesome.
 
That's only because you live in BC,55! E-type just won't work; Pissin' rain all the time,the damned thing would never start:rflmao:
Ain't hardly any rain where I live, now the coast is another story and I did my time there. If the rain won't stop a Jag, the Lucas electronics will. :p I worked for a company called AutoMarine Electric in the late 70's and british cars with major electrical problems were our bread and butter. I'm sure the owner got VERY rich from British Leyland cars before he sold his chain to Napa in the 80's. ;)
 
Ain't hardly any rain where I live, now the coast is another story and I did my time there. If the rain won't stop a Jag, the Lucas electronics will. :p I worked for a company called AutoMarine Electric in the late 70's and british cars with major electrical problems were our bread and butter. I'm sure the owner got VERY rich from British Leyland cars before he sold his chain to Napa in the 80's. ;)

I hear that. Apparently they haven't gotten any better either,remember those submarines we bought? Still sitting in drydock,afaik.Including the one that shorted out and caught fire due to water ingress on the way over. Lucas again,maybe?
 
Well....

Your lucky to have the hookup with such a great friend, makes the sport so much more fun. That’s the way it was back in the seventies with so many people as there was so many people building just to support their racing habits. A hot summer night in the seventies at the Fremont Raceway with a tight clan of racers and beautiful girls wearing tight black racing t-shirts.......that was the heyday of muscle car racing. There are all kinds of hidden gems in the racing world, like finding a 409 in an early sixties Chevy or GMC commercial short tanker truck that hauled oil products or a county water truck that could be found in Arizona....just look in the back of all the wrecking yards and you’ll find one. Its just knowing what engine was used in which application. It’s a stronger version of the 409 HP motor with heavy forged rods and balancing an engine with heavier rods with a heavier harmonic balancer seems to come off the line quicker. But the real surprise is the 1973 Lincoln 460 engine and the head design for that year engine is unique for some reason, had a guy that had a machine shop porting heads built a ‘74 Mustang with that engine that blew away a 427 SOHC Mercury Comet in complete disbelief....you could not have anyone even believe that someone blew away a 427 with a boat anchor 460 engine. Also, the SD455 Pontiac engine block that was used for one year is a full fledged high strength 4-bolt main racing block that can be supercharged beyond any other 4-bolt main block....saw one in a ‘70 GTO that dusted off a Hemi Cuba badly. Me, I was the junkyard dog with skills, a 409 in an early seventies Nova at the Raceway.....is the last night with Mary Jane.
Great stories all! I love hot rodding!!
 
Okay, let's hear about your source.
I like how this is actually "lighter" at more than 3100lbs than its predecessor lol. And at almost 400 lbs lighter with a 50/50 weight distribution I think the Jag had the right to call the Vette a pig. And with a rated top end of 150 mph with a six as compared to the Vette rated top end with its straight six of 109 mph, forgetaboutit.
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1961 Corvette Specifications
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Small changes gave the 1961 Corvette a cleaner look and reduced weight. It was quick and powerful, with an official top speed of 109 mph (though many could reach in excess of 130 mph). Here are the specifications for the 1961 Corvette:





1961-corvette-4.jpg

The three-speed manual gearbox was standard on the 1961 Corvette,
but was offered with a wider choice of axle ratios.






Vehicle Specifications
Convertible
Wheelbase, inches 102.0
Length, inches
176.7
Width, inches
70.4
Track, inches
front: 57.0 rear: 59.0
Height, inches
52.9
Curb Weight, pounds
3,108
Mechanical Specifications (2-door convertible)



Jaguar E-Type G.T. Fixed Head Coupe (man. 4 speed)
as offered for the year 1961 since mid-year 1961 in Europe


Production/sales period of cars with this particular specs:

mid-year 1961 - mid-year 1964

Modelyears:

-



Country of origin:

GB United Kingdom




GB.jpg

Make:

Jaguar

Model:

E-Type (XK-E) Series I


1961-1968

Submodel:

E-Type Series I Fixed Head Coupe


1961-1968


Weight distribution f/r (%):

50 / 50

Dry weight:

1143 kg / 2520 lbs

Size, Dimensions, Aerodynamics and Weight
BODY Coupé
NUM. OF DOORS 2
WHEELBASE 243.8 cm ( 95.98 inches )
LENGTH 437.5 cm ( 172.24 inches )
WIDTH 165.7 cm ( 65.24 inches )
HEIGHT 122.5 cm ( 48.23 inches )
FRONT AXLE 1270 cm ( 500 inches )
REAR AXLE 1270 cm ( 500 inches )
FRONT BRAKES - DISC DIMENSIONS Discs (279 mm)
REAR BRAKES - DICS DIMENSIONS Discs (254 mm)
FRONT TYRES - RIMS DIMENSIONS -/- R-
REAR TYRES - RIMS DIMENSIONS -/- R-
CURB WEIGHT 1234 kg ( 2721 lbs )


 
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500 inch axles ? Oh we believe this.

Is this better for you? If you look at the Wikipedia site quoted it has similar numbers only they confused the drop top with the fixed head coupe reversing the weight specs. Convertibles are always heavier than their fixed head siblings.

Screenshot_2018-03-14-11-25-04.png


Below is a screen shot of the specs from Wikipedia, as you can see the numbers are correct but not for the indicated model.

Screenshot_2018-03-14-11-38-26.png

So in conclusion, the Jag is better looking, similar power from its six as the Vettes V8, is better balanced, weighs less, more sophisticated motor with triple carbs, dual over head cam, hemi head, better more sophisticated suspension, four wheel disc brakes, etc etc.

Yes a dodgy electrical system, but once that's worked out its definitely the better car. The engine won Le Mans five times proving it's reliability and endurance. In classic car racing the E-type is king even with its six competing against 427 Vettes, V12 Ferraris, AC Cobras etc.
 
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