AFR185's or 205's???

[BIGBOYSNOISE]

Please help me finally make up my mind, as I have read every post on this subject and talked to AFR as well. I want to make just over 500RWHP with a 393/408stroker. I DONT want to rev past 6000rpm. The car will rarely see the track (once or twice a summer) and will see two or three days a week of street driving. But I dont mind an aggresive street car. I like that! I will run 10.5 - 11.0 comp. and i only ever put Sunoco94 in the car. I am getting a TFS Track Heat intake for it. Have 1 3/4 headers. Willinstall a fuel system to accomodate the final power output. I want to know if I'm dreaming of making that kind of HP with AFR185's (as ive already purchased them and their sitting on my kitchen table-where else of course). Or should I be returning them and going with 205's?
Dave, at AFR said to check out their website for an article call "75HP bolt on", where they put a set of AFR185's on a FMS 393 crate motor and it put out 537HP! So i figure, if they can do it.....can I??

 

[Tonys96Cobra]

Hard to argue with the ones you have on the table right now! If I was doing a 408 for my car, I would go 225's and a TFS R intake. But Im sure youll have no problem melting your tires with your track heat and 185's. You just wont get the full potential of your motor, imho.

 

[thegabrielles]

If you are planning on making 500RWHP, thats a lot more than AFR made with 537 FWHP, depending on drivetrain, you would need to make 575fwhp to make 500RWHP or more with an Auto. Talk with AFR again, they certainily should be able to give the best advice on their product. It seems liek you may need to jump up to the 205's, but again they ARE the experts on thier product. Ask to speak to an engineer and get his/ her opinion on how to make that power.

Good LUCK!!!

 

[Grn92LX]

205's minimum. Big inches = big heads. Not that 205 is a huge head but you still got to feed it right. I would jump straight to the 225 head for the 408 since its not much more than a 205. 185's are for 302 based engines.

 

[86bluecobra]

i would say you need atleast the 205's for your hp. 575 hp on the 408's is about what every engine builder makes with the 205 afr's.

 

[bluevenom867]

Depends mostly on cam,the intake (and/or carb),headers,and of course how agressive you tune-up is.

The 205 would deffenitly make the hp you want easier,and with a smaller cam,and is the way I would go

The 185's will need a larger cam with more duration and fast ramp rate to open the valve to peak lift faster (basicly over camming to make up for the heads).

 

[BIGBOYSNOISE]

Thanks for everybodys opinions. Believe me I'm taking it all in and using everybody's experiences to make my finall decision. (which I hope is soon cause I keep flipping sides on the matter like a ping pong ball). I would love to go with the 205's, I just don't want to have to rev the motor to 6500rpm to get my best quarter mile time out of the it. I want an engine that is going to last. Allthough I won't be seeing the track a whole lot with it, what I really want is the bragging rights to be able to say I have a ten second car (even if its 10.90's), and be able to prove it to anyone who questions it. So that will be about the extent of my track time. But I don't mind giving up streetability (to an extent of course) in order to acheive this. And after reading what you guys have said, along with many other post, I'm thinking I might have to returns these 185's and step up to the 205's. I think I underrated just how much more air a stroked 351 draws in.

 

[Rick 91GT]

Depends mostly on cam,the intake (and/or carb),headers,and of course how agressive you tune-up is.

The 205 would deffenitly make the hp you want easier,and with a smaller cam,and is the way I would go

The 185's will need a larger cam with more duration and fast ramp rate to open the valve to peak lift faster (basicly over camming to make up for the heads).

I agree with this, although the 185's would be able to do it, the 205's would make it much easier.