Dislike for mulching mowers!

[JDgreen]

Hate to get this thing going off topic but a Boss 351. Rare. I had a 351 Cleveland in a 70 Mach 1 & I agree with you 100% on the little 4 cyl. motors. They can put out some serious HP / displacement numbers. Oh well back to mowing!

I owned a '70 Mach 1, 351 4V Cleveland, Hurst shifted 4 speed, 3.50 Traction-Lok, Shaker hood, Rim-Blow steering wheel, it was Grabber Blue with white vinyl seats. While not a serious muscle car it was plenty fast for a 19 year old, probably TOO fast...

Sometimes I wonder, my 40 year old Ford developed 300 hp from 351 cubic inches. well, given today's advancements in engines, I sometimes wonder how much hp such a large, free breathing V8 could develop if modern technology was applied....fuel injection, computer controls, etc.

 

[twall]

I owned a '70 Mach 1, 351 4V Cleveland, Hurst shifted 4 speed, 3.50 Traction-Lok, Shaker hood, Rim-Blow steering wheel, it was Grabber Blue with white vinyl seats. While not a serious muscle car it was plenty fast for a 19 year old, probably TOO fast...

Sometimes I wonder, my 40 year old Ford developed 300 hp from 351 cubic inches. well, given today's advancements in engines, I sometimes wonder how much hp such a large, free breathing V8 could develop if modern technology was applied....fuel injection, computer controls, etc.

It's been said, (I'm not sure how true)....that it wasn't until the Hemi came back in SEFI form, that modern engines could produce 1 HP per cubic inch again (from the factory)......

 

[bones66]

............Rim-Blow steering wheel, .......
.........

OH-MY remember that one well, I wonder if you're are restoring a Mustang with one of those rascals if you could still find one of them lying around???

 

[JDgreen]

OH-MY remember that one well, I wonder if you're are restoring a Mustang with one of those rascals if you could still find one of them lying around???

They were also an option on the Cougar, Torino, and Montego cars back then...I am sure you can find one if you want to pay the money. Lying around, not much chance. If I recall right that was about a $34 option back in 1970. I never really got used to it, it was so much a habit to hit the center of the wheel to blow the horn.

 

[JDgreen]

It's been said, (I'm not sure how true)....that it wasn't until the Hemi came back in SEFI form, that modern engines could produce 1 HP per cubic inch again (from the factory)......

Not sure if today's engines are rated by the same scale the automakers began using back in either '72 or '73...used to be engine hp was rated gross hp, then they changed it to net hp, a more realistic figure. My '73 Nova had a 350 2-V, was rated at 145 hp net. The gross hp rating was 250 prior to that.

 

[JDgreen]

OH-MY remember that one well, I wonder if you're are restoring a Mustang with one of those rascals if you could still find one of them lying around???

Just checked Ebay...selling from $110 to $375......

 

[bones66]

Just checked Ebay...selling from $110 to $375......

Well I'm glad I don't need one.......but I guess actually I wish I did. Hope that make sense! I would love to have the skill level to rebuild an old car. I don't think it would matter too much what yr, manufacture, etc. Now actually I might have to skill level for one of those Rat Rods! I live about an hour from Louisville, Ky. They have held the National Street Rod Association Convention for several years running. NSRA home Last yr. they allowed the newer autos. Wife and I go each year and just take a chair, sit and watch the endless parade of cars at the fairgrounds. Unbelievable to say the least.:biggrin:

 

[sean'sengines]

I had a 2009 Poulan Pro with the 550 series Briggs and Stratton engine on it. I bought it brand new when I started my lawn mowing business. I used it for about 1 month, then hit the edge of a cinder block in a customers yard. Bent the shaft and sheared the key.

I have hit worse than that on my rider, and my other various push mowers, just needed to sharpen the blade after to get the nick out. I totally agree with you. If you want good quality, you have to go with a huge name brand that is trusted, or a commercial/industrial strength mower.