that's not bad at all, should be around 310hp or so at the flywheel, maybe as much as 325hp, so definitely not bad for an off the shelf short block with only a cam and ported iron heads. i think you're probably still giving up a little compression with the stock late model pistons too, i'd guess you're right around 9.5:1 or less, probably less, so you have more there with a piston change later down the road if you need it.
I'm going to run to the local distributor for them, they sell the roller 5.0 short block for $430 here. I wasn't aware they had the roller 351's yet. I'll pick one up and hang onto it for a future build. I've used the roller 5.0 in a budget build already. Only thing I changed was the rod bolts, cam and timing set.
Me?
sorry i misread your sentence, where you said run TO the local distributor, i thought you said "run THE local local distributor" .........my bad, i thought if you were going to be running their local office, you could hook a brutha up, apparently it was just my wishful thinking. i actually have an uncle that works for AER in Dallas but they frown on employees getting their family discounts on stuff, so after the last seat of heads i got from him i decided it was best if i didn't ask again, don't want him to get in trouble, even though he's been working there for over 20 years, closer to 30 now i think.
It is a torque-cam but the heads are the weak link compared to yours.
I think his torque figures are great, a little short on HP but 351Ws are know to be that way.
Just the opposite is true for the 289. They make HP all day but lack the grunt.
I used to have it in my favorites list, but do a search for "City Motor Supply" Dallas Tx. and you'll find their website. These reman shortblocks aren't perfect, but you can't beat the prices. The Roller 5.0 I used needed the rod bolts changed and had the wrong roller for the application I spec'd plus an el-cheapo timing set, but the rest was "A-OK" Silvolite hypereutectic flat tops (might have been the 1.585 pin ones though, I don't recall) and the workmanship was OK too. I swapped the rod bolts for ARP's and the cam for a B303, topped it with ported E7's, a Ford A321 intake and beat on it for over a year (daily freeway blasts to 6500 rpms) Then swapped the heads and intake for Canfield's and a Vic Jr. Beat on it to 7500 rpms daily for four months till it split the #4 wall (1/2" long midway in the bore) The rotating assembly held up fine. Sold the pistons and rods to another. I've got the crank in a new budget junkyard build now. (don't know when this one will be finished though)