I just have to see what you guys think about this,

A coworker and I got into a violent debate over this subject.

GM 350 1987-95 TBI

VS

Ford 351 MPI 1986-96

I drove Chevy’s with the 5.7 TBI and didn’t think too much of it, I believe that the Ford 5.8 MPI runs better. My old 91 Bronco was no Hot Rod but it had great hill power and overall good power. I did expect better MPG but I do have a heavy foot

The guy that I was arguing with said that the Chevy would run circles around the Ford he said that the Ford MPI was the biggest dog ever, he said that he drove them new and was never impressed with them. He also said that the 4.3 runs almost as good as the 5.8 and the 5.7 runs as good as the 460.


Now I know that they both have about 200 HP and 300 FT#’s or torque I never went so far to say that the Ford would run circles around the Chevy but I do think that the Ford definitely edges the Chevy out in the lower RPM torque Dept.

I also test-drove a 96 5.8 Bronco that impressed me a lot, it ran just as good as a Vortec Chevy but he didn’t believe me.

Now I know that I can be a little biased when it comes to Ford VS Chevy but I consider myself open minded when it comes to 350 VS 351.

 

Not worth argueing over it as far as I'm concerned because no matter what the arguement, the Chevy owner will ALWAYS feel they have something to prove. I don't need to argue the point much less try to prove it. Being jealous or picking an arguement over a cubic inch of displacement or feeling you just simply HAVE to pass that Ford BECAUSE its a Ford, is the infantile Chevrolet owner's mentality. The "I gotta Chevy and its better than evy'ting on da road"! line of thinking is just fine for those people with nothing higher to aspire to than whether or not they can get their truck to the next red light before me or not.

Oh and while I'm at it, the whole idea of the littel Calvin decals on the back window...you know the ones I mean...**** on Ford, **** on Chevy, Dodge or whatever flavor vehicle.....seems a waste of time, effort, and money. How "schoolyard" can you be at an age when you should be more concerned about the money you invested in the vehicle than whether or not you personally believe its better than the truck running along side you in the next lane? If you wanna show some real conviction put up a sticker that says **** on Bush or **** on the Dixie Chicks. now there is an arguement!

 

I totally agree, I don't have anything aginst GM products I just prefer Fords. I own a 71 GMC Shortbed 4x4 and I also own a 91 5.0 Mustang. The debate just kind of ****** me off because he sounded like an idiot and he didn't even know I just felt I had to vent. Its funny you mention the **** on stickers, I sware I was the first one around my town that bought one and stuck it on my truck just because I thought it was funny, too bad that was when I was in High School as soon as it started to fade out came the razor. You see alot of full grown adaults with the **** on stickers it cracks me up I just think of how old I was when I hopped on that band wagon.

 

I run a modified 460 in a Bronco and a modified 454 in a Chevy 1/2T P/U. Both engines have about the same potential, both respond to similar mods about the same and guess what? I'm sure neither engine knows whether its a Ford, Chevy or Mopar! These are mechanical assemblies and last I heard they can't think for themselves or have emotions.

Owner's pride seems to be overwhelming at times when it comes to what someone is driving. NASCAR is a good example with the only difference in cars being sheet metal and money, yet people support a particular marque. A little insecurity goes a long way.

 

a stock ford will always kick a chevy in the butt but so will any thing else. i prefer a ford any and all the time. dont bother arguing about it that takes time away from your driving pleasure. as for the **** on decals mine says **** on WORK

 

I quit Mustangs when the Chevy LS1 came out and bought one. I don't care who makes it as long as its fast. And stock Mustangs can't hold a candle to the stock LS1.

 

dont have time to argue im going out for a drive.

 

I definatly now that the ford 5.8 has more go than the chevy 5.7 . The only down side in the ford vs. chevy small block argument is that you can build a chey for far less than a ford . Believe me I am going through this fight now with my 5.8 , the cost and availability of parts is a big difference between the two . The other thing is any machine shop can build a chevy but very few can build a good ford . The guy building my truck engine is a big ford guy out here at the 1/4 track , skills cost alot of money..

 

CHEVROLET=
Can't Have Every Vehicle Running On Luck Every Time..nuff said.

 

I don't understand where people get the idea that it costs more to build a Ford than a Chevy. With the exception of a small block Chevy intake manifold costing a little less due to the volume, other parts are about the same. With machine shop costs, its the same to bore, turn a crank, file-fit rings etc. regardless of who the original manufacturer of the parts happens to be. Aftermarket heads are almost identical costs, with BBC actually costing more than Ford.

Maybe someone can tell me why people make this statement.

 

The TRUE 351 parts are hard to find, most are repackaged 302 cams which change the firing order and cause other problems for the builder. I have only seen a handful of TRUE 351 aftermarket parts, and they all were expensive.

 

georgedavila, thats a fact those LS1's run hard. GM needed to replace the TPI in the F-bodies and the LS1 was the answer. But in all fairness when you compare a LS1 to a 5.0 you're not thinking of the cubic inch advantage that the GM has. And it don't cost much for a handfull of bolt-ons to make a 5.0 competative to an LS1 car.

 

Aside from my favorie, big blocks, I've owned 5.0s, 351Ws and one LS1. For a small block, I'll take the LS1 engine hands down any day. The 5.0 takes more than a few bolt-ons to get up to the 340 (conservative) fwhp of the stock LS1. The 351W briefly available in the overpriced Mustang Cobra came close, but if you want to do an apples to apples then the 351W would have to be compared to the LS6 and the LS6 is sudden death to most all domestic small blocks.

Don't get me wrong, I like some Ford engines, especially the 385 and FE, but when it comes to small blocks, GM took 42 years of engineering development of the same engine and refined it into the LS1. That speaks for itself.

Must have been the Australian influence as Holden doesn't seem to be bound by the same bland standards we accept here. They offer the LS1 in almost their entire line.

As a side note, Cadillac is going to offer a CTS with the Corvette LS6. No hp numbers available, but the original puts out close to 400fwhp. Ford doesn't seem to be interested in anything but big number markets, and when trying to succeed in the specialty market fails in a miserable manner as evidenced by the Mercury Marauder, contemporary T-Bird and Cobra. The Lightning is the only bright star in Ford's line-up, and it ain't a car, truck or cheap.

 

all the horsepower and torque in the world means absoluely nothing if you cant get it to the ground. thats where the ford comes into play. but again this is from a ford fanatic. 42 years of development of the same engine huh must really be junk if it takes 42 years to get it right. dont mind me im just venting but i like fords after all FirstOnRaceDay.
georgedavilla you like big block then lets talk 426 hemi. the fastest car ive ever been in was a hemi gtx and the second was a 454 ls6 chevelle but i still like a ford the best something about the sound and the way they develop there torque.

 

Um, just thought I'd throw this in here, the LS1 is not an old SBC 350. It's based on the new Vortec engines. As I understand it, the old SBC is no longer in production, and is gone forever.