JBA PERFORMANCE ENGINES - FORD

Ford Racing Engines have been the staple of J. Bittle American since J. started the company in 1979. Applying our continuing track tested knowledge and experience to thousands of street driven performance engines has been one of the most significant ingredients to building the many engines operating across America today.

During the early 60’s many a 409 owner and high revving small block GM racer had to squint, because identifying tail lights requires glasses. The mighty FE High Performance 390 Galaxy with its machined combustion chambers and revving Holley’s, rolled forward into the bad to the bone cross-bolted 406 and early design 427’s which dominated the drag strips and late night boulevards across America. High revving solid lifter HiPo289 Comets and Falcons opened the door for the new Shelby GT350 and many road-racing Cobra successes from coast to coast. The High Riser, Medium Riser and Tunnel Port 427 Fords were answers for all questions and, if not, the 427 SOHC Cammer and Boss 429 closed the chapter on purpose built race engines. In the Ford/Shelby Daytona Coupe, GT40, MkII and MKIV the unstoppable Ferraris and Porsches were stopped and repeatedly stunned with good old American pushrods at tracks around the world from Daytona to LeMans from 1964-1970!

When it comes to muscle cars a 351 Cleveland four barrel Mach 1 held its own with the best brand X small blocks a Ford guy could compete against. The big cubic inches combined with giant ports of the Boss 302 cylinder head also meant trouble for any Windsor based 351 in the school parking lot in 1972. As the 351W stayed in production the 351 Boss Cleveland dominated Nascar evolving into hybrid Australian block versions with offshore thicker blocks and raised exhaust ports via plated (Pro-Stock style) modified heads. Bob Glidden and Bill Elliott waved the Ford Flag for record setting small block victories.

At JBA we have built them all and won with them all. If you need to figure out how to get the big Cleveland ports to flow or build oil pressure in a non-side-oiler FE, our expert machinists and engine assemblers have the combination for you.

Late model Modular 4.6 and 5.4 SOHC, DOHC and 3-Valve technology are our language. In the ‘80’s when the 5.0-liter was re-born in the FOX Mustang, JBA was leading at the track and in the buildups with stroker small blocks, NOS and blowers before the magazines knew there was such a thing. EFI or carburetor, JBA engines perform and our camshafts leave people wishing to see what it was that just idled by, if that is the kind of idle quality you are looking for from your Ford muscle car or late model.

JBA engines producing 400-850 rear wheel horsepower are a common occurrence ranging from restored 289 correct presentations to naturally aspirated 347 small blocks to adding mega boost to that new GT500, translating into bulletproof long blocks built for longevity and track dominance. The ultra-rare high-revving 302 Tunnel Port from 1968 also lives at JBA where J. Bittle’s Trans Am historic Mustang, as raced by Ford Special Vehicles Ed Hinchliff from 1968-1969, competes in historic Trans Am races nationwide.

Ford Engine Families:
289, 302, 331, 347, 351, 390, 427, 428, 429, 460, 482, 514, 585, 604

 

What is AntiCrate?
Engineering Team
Performance Engine Engineering Worksheet

Performance Engine Stages
Stage I
Stage II
Stage III
Stage IV (race only)
Stage Comparison

Performance Engine Families