Ford Kent Engine to resume production...

[swift6]

Read an article this morning that is indicating that Ford will be using 'knowledge of modern techniques to re-manufacture the Kent block and improve its durability.' Ford Racing Engineering Supervisor, Andy Slankard says, "Our aim is not to make performance gains but to strengthen it and to make the unit more reliable."

 

[eddyramrod]

I think it says a lot for the design of the Kent engine that it's still used in racing! Not to mention in my Capri, of course...

 

[DrEntropy]

YAY!!! Great bit of info!

 

[TRDejaVu]

Ford Racing Engineering Supervisor, Andy Slankard says, "Our aim is not to make performance gains but to strengthen it and to make the unit more reliable."

If they succeed they will be known as FORM - Fix or Repair Monthly.

 

[DrEntropy]

feh.

That block is fine, been peddalin' 'em for decades. If this newest incarnation is even stronger it'll be Resurrection for a TON of folk! :thumbsup:

 

[Greasy Thumb]

---Make it MORE reliable?? Facrissake they bolt the FVA, BDA etc heads and crank 2-300 Hp out of it reliably--WHAT's the intent? Now if they include a better STEEL, fully counterweighted crank that'd help.
The line of engines from the 105-E on has to be the most successfullly raced production engne ever being used in a BUNCH of BRITS and F3/c,F2/B and a number of modified classes from 1959 on.

 

[vagt6]

I wonder if "modern" means making it a OHC engine without rockers and pushrods? Now that would be a real improvement!

Is there a link to this story? Most interesting. I cannot imagine how many folks have raced that great engine. Thousands and thousands.

What's best, there's obviously a strong base of potential buyers for this engine. Nice to see in the classic and resto world we live in.

 

[DrEntropy]

I have nearly half a dozen old Kent blocks around here, Mark. They ALL have heads with TWO cams. :smirk:

It is good to know the things are gonna be available. In the early Elan days Chapman had Ford "qualify" the blocks for the Lotus engines. They looked for the ones with a bit more meat around the cylinder bore and stamped 'em with an "L" designation. Seen some BDA's come apart in dramatic fashion, too. :shocked:

 

[swift6]

Is there a link to this story?

It was a press release that I read, in all places, Hot Rod magazine, in their current "Dare to be Different" issue.

 

[vagt6]

Thanks, Doc. Had my engines mixed! :thumbsup:

 

[TRDejaVu]

I seem to remember that back in the day people considered that those engines were only good for about 60K before wear problems started.

 

[swift6]

Don't let him confuse you even more Mark, plenty of Kent engines out there with pushrods and rockers. As he said though, his are just Kent <span style="font-style: italic">BLOCKS</span> that have twin cam head on them. There was the pre-crossflow, crossflow, twin-cam and a few other variations over a nearly 44 year span of production. Including a switch to transverse operation for fwd vehicles.

 

[DrEntropy]

meh. Not my intent to confuse anyone, Shawn. The Kent were a series of Ford units, variants of which as you point out were all OVER th' place. Just sayin' both Lotus and Cosworth did some astounding things with the cast iron bottom ends.

 

[Roger]

meh. Not my intent to confuse anyone, Shawn. The Kent were a series of Ford units, variants of which as you point out were all OVER th' place. Just sayin' both Lotus and Cosworth did some astounding things with the cast iron bottom ends.

Having said which, of course, remember that real horsepower was only generated with steel main bearing caps and line-boring of 5-bearing blocks. The early 3-bearing 105E and 109E blocks ran bearings faster than you can count as soon as they were tuned much.

 

[swift6]

meh. Not my intent to confuse anyone, Shawn.

Sorry Doc, forgot to put the Jester in there. I knew it wern't your intent. Just wanted to clarify that all YOUR engines were twin cams but not all Kents were.

 

[swift6]

Having said which, of course, remember that real horsepower was only generated with steel main bearing caps and line-boring of 5-bearing blocks. The early 3-bearing 105E and 109E blocks ran bearings faster than you can count as soon as they were tuned much.

Seeing that the engines to be re-manufactured are for the Formula Ford racing crowd (primarily), were talking about 5 main bearing blocks, 1600cc, to begin with.

 

[DrEntropy]

I ~want~ one fer Christmas!!! :laugh:

 

[AngliaGT]

The big question will be - How much?I have 3 1500's,
& 4 1600's.If I got enough for them,I'd part with most of
them.All are rebuilable,except for one 1600 with 41,000 on
it.

- Doug

 

[Monark192]

Was this in response to this announcement by Honda

 

[RobT]

There are already "New" Kent blocks available - all alloy repos (Burton in the U.K. perhaps). The guy that rebuilt my Europa engine was making a racing engine from the ground up using one of these. Turbo-ed, new twin-cam head (also available new - compmany in New Jersy I think) and capable of over 300HP. Quite a piece of engineering, but lots of $.

Rob.