BGordon

Interesting comparison on a TV show.
The comparison was actually two episodes back to back.
The premise was to take an LS based cast iron block truck engine (LQ4) and compare it to a similar Ford Winsor based truck engine.
Do baseline engine dyno runs and add similar performance parts to both and see where they end up.

https://www.powernationtv.com/episod...ead-horsepower

It feels like the same discussion that happens on here with respect to potential V8 Miata powerplants.

In case you don't want to watch the episodes bottom line was that the truck camshaft is far and away the limiting performance factor for both engines.
Both were set up for old school carburetors and similar headers and intakes.
Probably the biggest difference was the compression ratio as the Ford was way down there at around 8:1

They did not specifically equate dollars to dollars but it appeared to me that building both engines would be around the same money as the same parts are switched out for both applications.

When the dust cleared the Ford gained more HP from the add-on's but the Chevy engine made almost as much horsepower stock as the Ford engine made with all the changes.
Dollar for dollar there did not appear to be any real comparison with the Chevy being around 130 HP ahead at the start and still 100 ahead after it was all over.

fitz

...the truck camshaft is far and away the limiting performance factor for both engines...

If you didn't know that you shouldn't be allowed near a car while holding tools.

engineer

I have seen this episode before. There is a solid 30+ year development gap between the Windsor and the LS engine formats. It goes without say that the LS would be a superior platform to build off if one had the choice.

However, the Windsor platform can be made to perform with the right parts. A 9.5 in deck Windsor (351 block) can be stretched to 427 cubes (or more with (aftermarket block) and with a decent head (AFR or TW 205 or 225) camshaft (240+@50 deg duration and 0.6 lift), and intake it can make 550-600 hp NA, as found in many crate engine packages.

The little 8.2 in deck can go to 347 in a stock block or a 363 in an aftermarket block and make 450-550hp withthe same kind of head intake setup.

Obviously the LS is better in std form, but both engine formats can be made to perform very well and can generate not too dissimilar horsepower levels too. The aftermarket has kept the old ford engines alive and competitive for a long time.

I didn't think the episode was really comparing apples to apples, but it was interesting nonetheless