Originally Posted by: HK1837 So the XA GT-HO would have gotten the 1972 R-code 351 HO. Specs below from Wiki. 275hp SAE net would be about 325hp roughly, but with a 780 Holley it would have probably been more. This engines cam was slightly lower than the 1971 R spc, which appears to be the same as the stock PhaseIII cam.
1972 R-code (351 HO
The 351C HO "R-code" had a number of changes to help meet emission standards for 1972 compared to the 1971 Boss 351 "R-Code". The camshaft had less duration, but more valve lift, while the mechanical lifters remained unchanged. The forged pistons were changed to flat-top style and the heads to open chamber heads, but retained the same large ports, valves, and adjustable valve train used in 1971. This resulted in a compression ratio decreased to 9.2:1 while the cleaner-burning open-chamber heads helped meet the new emissions regulations. The Ram Air option was no longer available. The engine otherwise remained unchanged from 1971. This engine produced 275 hp (205 kW) using the more realistic SAE net system and was only available in the 1972 Ford Mustang.
The drop to 10.7:1 will be the 1971 M-code engine being supplied to Ford Australia.
Phase 4 would be well gone by 9/73 (ADR27 didn't become mandatory until about 4/74, it was supposed to be 9/73 but Ford and Chrysler weren't ready, GMH were ready early but didn't put it on ADR plates until 4/74). The Phase 5 was not an XB, it was to be the XA coupe. The coupe wasn't ready in time to sell the 300 GT-HO vehicles required to be eligible for Bathurst 1972 so the campaign was to be a sedan as a Phase 4 and coupe as Phase 5. The original Ford documentation dated August 1971 detailing that are published in AMC magazine issue 23. They also state that the Falcon GT-HO's will not be able to be competitive with GMH's new V8 Toranas so they decide to develop a Cleveland powered Cortina. All of this got killed off less than 12 months later as we know.
My point about stockpiling was there were no M-code 351's built for US consumption after about August 1971. The 11:1 4V M-code was 9/69 to 8/70 and the 10.7:1 engine was 9/70 to 8/71. Ford Australia must have stockpiled them if they wanted to continue building PhaseIII style engines for the Phase4, which they must have as RPO83's got them. The only 351C's built for US vehicles after 9/71 were the 1972 R-code (351HO) (test above) and the Q-code Cobrajet (text below, copied off Wiki).
Q-code (351 Cobra-Jet)
The Q-code 351 "Cobra-Jet" (also called 351-CJ, 351-4V) was produced from May 1971 through the 1974 model year. It was a lower-compression design that included open-chamber 4V heads. The open-chamber heads exhibited superior emissions characteristics and were required to meet the more stringent emissions standards for 1972 and beyond. The "351 CJ" high-performance engine included a different intake manifold, high-lift, long-duration camshaft with hydraulic valve lifters, different valve springs and dampers, a 750-CFM spread-bore 4300-D Motorcraft carburetor, dual-point distributor (with four-speed manual transmissions only), and four-bolt main bearing caps. These engines also featured induction-hardened exhaust seats for use with low-lead and unleaded gasoline. This engine was different from the 1970-71 M-code 351C having a more aggressive camshaft, a spread-bore carburetor, a four-bolt block and the lower compression allowed regular fuel to be used. It was rated at 280 bhp (209 kW; 284 PS) for all 1971 applications. For the 1972 model year, the only change to the engine was a retarding the camshaft events by 4°. The engine was rated at 266 hp (198 kW) (SAE net) for 1972 when installed in the Mustang, and 248 hp (185 kW) in the Torino and Montego. An increase in the combustion chamber size and the use of smaller valves occurred in 1973, which reduced horsepower to 246 hp (183 kW) for the four-barrel for the intermediate Fords, though it still retained the higher 266 hp (198 kW) rating in the Mustang. The 351 CJ (now referred to as the "351 4V") was rated at 255 hp (190 kW) in 1974 and was only installed in the Ford Ranchero, Ford Torino, Mercury Montego, and Mercury Cougar.
The HJ 308 wasn't re-designed for ADR27. All of the HQ engines carried through into HJ except the 308 was improved, they made the 308 about 20-25hp and 5lb-ft more powerful than the HQ to overcome the loss of the 350 SBC, primarily for Caprice. The 2BBL 400 that was to replace the HQ's final 350 was less powerful by far than the HJ 308. GMH introduced ADR27 on all vehicles from 9/73 (which is why XU1 ended at that time too). ADR27 has little to do with performance, initially it was all about idle and crankcase emissions but later (1/75 on) it is in conjunction with fuel evaporation control so sealed fuel bowl, sealed fuel tank and carbon canister to capture vapours. All US automatic vehicles got the same thing from the start of 1968 model year (manuals got AIR) and it had zero effect on performance. This is why we got unique Quadrajet carbs after the first HK GTS327's and then got back Chevrolet numbered ones again on 350's past 8/73.
350HP Net for the XY GT-HO I believe.
248 is due to more restricted mufflers but one could option the mustang type freer flowing ones to bring them up to 266hp, as to using the 9.2:1 and open chamber heads I doubt it very much, such would be stupid with our fuel octane of 97 and that cam, they would not do such a thing, as far as I know it had the 4V Dot heads with modified combustion chamber to flow better and as to cam it could be anything, as we did not use the USA cams in our Phase 2 and 3.
There is no reason to add cost in pulling down a engine that has been built like the P2 and P3 were. not to mention what would they do with the stupid low comp heads, send them back.
The XA GT were as they were but the GT-HO was to get 4 mains and low volume of such a block would of been imported as is for sure.
If they were going to be 9.2:1 heads, would they use such in racing. never ! and have a GT-HO with 9.2:1 and a GT with 10.7:1 no way.
I would say that about a 280 30/70 cam would be used with a XA GT-HO as such with a diff ratio of 3.0:1 and 15in wheels, so any bigger than something like that type of cam would be just stupid.
The talk of the 400 2barrel Caprice is just crap no worthy of talking about truly, why would you bother, the 350 was crap as well due to USA Pollution Laws. and the 400 is a crap block for Australia as they had problems with dealing with our heat.
Look at the Net power ratings of a 1974-5 350 and 400 single exhaust in the states and why would we want such compression ratios here of 8.0:1 to run Standard fuel ?