Ford’s Windsor 351 small-block V8 is far from dead despite its origins dating back to the early 1960s. Ford’s motorsports division, Ford Racing, has just released a new performance engine block based around the original Windsor 351 design.

Labeled the Boss 351, the engine block is designed for use in both race cars and high-performance street rods and can handle displacements from 351 cubic inches (5.7L) right up to 460 cubes (7.5L). The new block is created using completely new tooling and incorporates a number of technological upgrades.

These include splayed main bolts and twin bores with engineered coolant cross-drilling. The block itself is made from diesel-grade iron with 41,000-psi tensile strength and it uses a Cleveland-sized 2.75in main bearing journal. Depending on which crankshaft is used, the block's bore maximum is 4.125in and the stroke limit is 4.25in.

Two different deck heights are available - 9.2in and 9.5in – and the block also has four-bolt main caps and screw-in freeze plugs.

Pricing is set at $1,999 and it’s available now. A non-cross-drilled version with increased bore capacity will be available in the third quarter of this year, and will be joined by a complete 351-based crate engine with 427 cubic-inch (7.0L) displacement in the fourth quarter.