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Original Message
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| All FE rods use the same steel. |
| By Dave Shoe - 12/01/2001 12:33:16 PM; IP 216.243.158.142 |
All FE rods use SAE 1041 steel, but the LeMans rod uses more of it on the big-end, and the H-beam is slightly beefier, as well.
You are correct in noting the Lemans rod is quite similar to the plain 390 rod. It's main benefit is in the higher clamping forces allowed by the larger diameter bolt. This allows higher RPMS before inertial forces can override the clamping force of the bolt and allow the big-end to distort. The LeMans rod does handle extreme RPMs better than the excellent 390 rod.
As for the ones on ebay - I haven't looked at the auction, but these are most likely the 1980 repops which Ford commissioned. They are exact copies if the '66-'70 forging, and are still commonly available NOS for around $550.00 from a motivated seller, $800.00 for a motivated buyer. The price drops considerably for used versions, hanging in the $200.00 to $400.00 range.
LeMans rods are considered a bit heavy by today's standards. With lightweight Eagle rods selling for $700.00 a set, and lightweight performance pistons readily available to match these rods (Ford, TRW, and Sealed Power pistons are NOT lightweight pistons), the LeMans rods are not as seriously sought by racers as they were 10-20 years ago.
If you wish to buy these rods right now because they are hard to find, you might as well hold off on the purchase. They are almost always available on ebay - frequently new. If you want to buy that set because you just gotta have LeMans rods for your next build, then that's a good enough reason to buy. They definitely are the best looking rod ever made for the FE, and are probably as durable as any racing rod you'll ever find.
Shoe. |
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