Is a Mexican Block Worth the Trouble?

71mavlouisville · 02-09-2014, 01:41 PM

Dale, there is a B-50 “sportsman” block that Ford was making that was a “new” casting of the “mexican” block. I put about 100 passes on this type of block turning 9500 rpm around 580 hp without block fill and without a stud girdle. Just make sure and have quality machine work done and use ARP studs throughout. As soon as I could afford it I went to the “Boss Block”. There is a WORLD of difference between these blocks. The boss block is around 20 pounds heavier than the B-50 block I was using. There is a TON more material in cylinder wall, lifter bore area, cam tunnel, deck and mains. = more HP

The machining cost is the same on a production block and boss block. The Boss block is REALLY “cheap” at $1800.00 Figure a Used block, machine work and then if you are crazy enough to try and use hard block, dealing with the overheating from the block filling, ring seal etc, believe me go with the best parts first. You are going to end up buying it in the future anyway.

Whatever you do, do not bore over 0.040” in a production block, test the wall thickness with US, the production blocks are super thin.

Happy building.

02-09-2014, 01:41 PM	#22
71mavlouisville Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 68 Likes: 0 Liked 28 Times in 1 Post	Re: Is a Mexican Block Worth the Trouble? Dale, there is a B-50 “sportsman” block that Ford was making that was a “new” casting of the “mexican” block. I put about 100 passes on this type of block turning 9500 rpm around 580 hp without block fill and without a stud girdle. Just make sure and have quality machine work done and use ARP studs throughout. As soon as I could afford it I went to the “Boss Block”. There is a WORLD of difference between these blocks. The boss block is around 20 pounds heavier than the B-50 block I was using. There is a TON more material in cylinder wall, lifter bore area, cam tunnel, deck and mains. = more HP The machining cost is the same on a production block and boss block. The Boss block is REALLY “cheap” at $1800.00 Figure a Used block, machine work and then if you are crazy enough to try and use hard block, dealing with the overheating from the block filling, ring seal etc, believe me go with the best parts first. You are going to end up buying it in the future anyway. Whatever you do, do not bore over 0.040” in a production block, test the wall thickness with US, the production blocks are super thin. Happy building. __________________ Ashton Hudson SS/CS 4373