Any engine gurus? Help with decision on 351c build

[bswor 76]

Car is currently at body shop getting the battery tray sheetmetal replaced and a few other small fixes done. Thanks to KEVIN69MACH1 over at the VMF for letting me borrow his house of kolor books, i now know what paint color im going with. Kandy brandywine. Had a test panel shot and it looks great.

 

It seems that i keep saying well while im at it.... And adding more and more parts and various things i want to do to the car. Now being the best time while i have the drivetrain out and nearly all the interior out. So my plan is to add a aftermarket A/C kit. Custom interior. I already purchased and recieved my dakota digital gauges. As well as rear LED's. And now im considering a mild build on the 351c. My question is what would this cost me and far do i need to go? Anyone with some experience that has already done this? Its a 72 H.O. block with some M heads unfortunetly and its fairly stock besides the edelbrock performer intake and 1405 edelbrock carb. Engine was rebuilt right before i purchased the car by the P.O and i dont know much about it. Any input and help is much appreciated!

[bnickel 10,004]

the clevies don't need need much, but the blocks are kind of weak, ask me how i know. anyway, i would start with a good hydraulic roller cam conversion and a set aussie heads. make sure you use good rod bolts too. other than that i wouldn't do a whole lot to it. the intake and carb should work well with a mild roller cam or you can go a little hotter on the cam and get a bigger carb like a 750 or so vacuum secondary since you have an automatic. also try to keep the compression in about the 9.5-10.5:1 range, less compression with a smaller cam and more compression with a bigger cam. also a good ignition system too, like msd 6 box and either an msd or recurved stock duraspark distributor. any questions just let me know. also what gears do you have?

[bswor 76]

This is all hypothetical right now, depending on where the money falls. I would like to do it but i dont know if i CAN do it. My gears are 2.89's lol and obviously need to be changed. I still have to find me a good 9" rear, you may remember me inquirying about the one you had awhile back.

[bnickel 10,004]

yeah, i still have it if you're interested. i would say you should probably do gears before any motor work since any motor work you do won't give you that much of an increase in performance with those gears, whether you get them from me or not i'd do gears before anything else. you can always work on the motor later especially if it runs good now. i'd still recommend what i said before on the motor once you get better gears.

[bswor 76]

Yeh i agree that if i do something to the motor the gears have to be changed. Ok so how do you know the blocks are weak???

[bnickel 10,004]

cuz i've busted 2 of them, both times it was actually a rod bolt that let go but in both cases it split the cylinder in that bore into the coolant passages. actually i guess the bore could have split causing the engine to liquid lock from the coolant which in turn caused the rod bolts to let go, hmmmm, not real sure which happened first now that i think about it, but the same thing happened on 2 different engines. i've busted a couple of windsor blocks too, but that was all me on those, the cleves just kind of happened the last one that did it i was cruising along the highway at about 65 mph turning less than 2500 rpm, so that one was definitely not me.

[69mach1t5 104]

I was also told by my local speed shop,when i had mine bored quote>(good thing this is the first bore,)He mentioned the siamesed cyldenrs are thin after .030 over,

[coz 108]

I have a 73 HO 351C-4V in my 69 Mach1 with a fair build but am thinking about going to the next level. Depends on how "crazy" you want to get. Have you checked out http://www.network54.com/Forum/119419 - it is dedicated to the 351C in all cars. There are some real knowledgeable people on the forum.

 

Right now I have ceramic headers, a mild cam, 700cfm Holley on a Offenhauser intake, 6AL MSD, 4spd toploader and 3.55/posi gears. I plan on swapping the Offy for a Weiand X-cellerator intake and slap a 770cfm Holley Street Avenger "to get me through the summer". During the off season I'm going to see Mark "the expert 351C" guy...

 

http://www.mmeracing.com/

 

Luckily he is actually in my state....

[bswor 76]

Yeh i have checked out 351cleveland.net and they had some good ideas. Thinking about getting a set of ceramic headers, maybe a worked set of 2v aussies, intake, carb etc. Offseason? Do play baseball or something? :)

[coz 108]

Baseball - ha. Like 20 years ago for UCF outside Orlando.

 

I live in MD - off season is mid Oct through March. WINTER>>>>>

 

Did you hear Edelbrook is announcing aluminum 4V heads soon - as in late summer? That would be something - 4V and an 80lb decrease in weight.

 

I'm thinking a 383 stroker build, 5spd TKO and 4.11 rear gears as my choice. Not too sure about going much higher (393 or 408) and a bore is not what I want - those pistons are close enough.

[bswor 76]

Yeh i heard they were coming out soon ive been patiently waiting. When is the exact date or does anyone know?

[coz 108]

Edelbrooks are here now.... Pricing is something like $2000. You should check out CHI or AFD heads. They make some sweet heads in 2v, 3v, and 4v. I'm thinking about getting a set of AFD 4V's and a Blue Thunder intake for my 351C. That and a BIGs 650 carb..... That alone is worth 80-100 added HP with the right cam.

[bswor 76]

Well i have to pick my spots where i can spend my limited amount of cash. Plus i want the added power but i want to keep my mileage halfway liveable, since this car is supposed to be daily driver. But the way its going im not sure.

 

That said i purchased a rebuilt set of 4v o/c heads.

 

Blue thunder 4145 intake.

 

Thermal coated 4v headers.

 

Compcams: 32-224-4: HYDRAULIC: Great for mild street machines. Stock converter, 3.30-4.0 gear, headers. Mild rough idle. Magnum 270h

http://www.compcams.com/Technical/Search/CamDetails.asp?PartNumber=32-224-4

 

Still have to purchase a set of rockers and decide on what carb i should get. Compcams suggests a 650cfm, holley recommends their street avenger 670cfm. 351cleveland.net forum users suggest the holley 750 w/vaccum secondaries. But like i said this is supposed to be my daily driver.

 

Their suggestions are based on the following info:

 

All the above items plus:

 

A 9" with 3.70 posi (yet to find/purchase etc, but soon hopefully)

My PA superstreeter c4 transmission. With 2200 stall.

 

I still have a few weeks to make a decision on the carb. Any thoughts?

[bnickel 10,004]

i really like my 625 road demon. but if you want to keep your mileage at a decent level go with a carter or edelbrock carb. i would go with the 625 cfm with electric choke.

[coz 108]

If you have the $$$ check out BIGS carbs....

 

Their 650cfm rocks....

 

http://www.bigsperformance.com/

 

- J

[bswor 76]

I contacted bigs just to see. Told them my setup and they like others on the cleveland forums recommended the 750 holley w/vac sec. They said it will be the best for my setup and be ready to run for a daily driven system, plus have the power when i want to put my foot in it. But $500 is $500 so thats a tough decision.

[Armystang 0]

sup, hey I have the 351C too and I also someday plan on doing a performance rebuild...I have read this whole thread and noboby mentioned and power numbers..I know its probably common knowledge for the rest of you but could someone please humor me..thanks

[Armystang 0]

...test

[bswor 76]

Update:

 

Blue thunder #4145 purchased. http://www.stangstable.com/manifold.htm Check out the intake shootout

4v open chamber rebuilt heads purchased w/ferrera racing valves

Compcams 270H cam purchased http://www.compcams.com/Technical/Search/CamDetails.asp?PartNumber=32-224-4

Hooker ceramic coated headers purchased.

 

I'll get you some more numbers on power. Also check out the Engine build forum at 351cleveland.net i think they have some dyno numbers with some of the specs.