Thinking about buying a 351 block

[CManT1914]

My friend has a 351 block that he was going to buildup. He's getting married now though, so I'm gonna buy it from him. He had it bored (he said .060" over if he remembers right), decked, new cam bearings put it, and a few other things. He paid $250 just for the machine work, but he's gonna sell it to me for $200. He has a crank for it too, but no rods, pistons, or oil pan. His neighbor is always selling 5.0 parts though, he's gonna ask him if he has some things I'll need.

Basically, if I do it, I'm gonna buy the motor, and build it up over time, and put it in the mustang whenever I'm finished. I was thinking about putting my TW heads and Stage 1 cam on it, to build a real torquey motor. But that would involve me either tearing my 5.0 back apart, or finding a stock 5.0 to drop in the mustang so I can part out my current motor. So I don't think I'm gonna go that route. I'll probably just buy a new setup for the 351 and once it's in, part out my current 302 to offset some of the cost.

This is of course if I can afford it along with my payments on my Gixxer! lol

 

[95whitevenom]

Sounds great Chris! Smeels like a deal to me the price is right. I'd go for it if i was you. I think a 351W based motor on a SN95 would be a torque monster.

 

[Joes95GT]

Chris, one thing I didn't mention over on SN is the cost....

The cost of doing up a standard 351 (i.e. 3.500" crank + any overbore) is the cost-to-performance ratio between a 35x and a 347. I'd bet that a 35x would be at a serious disadvantage when compared to the 347. The bigger motor may produce 10-15 more horsepower, but at a serious loss of cash (between finding all the necessary items for a 351 swap.

If I wanted to do a 351, it'd do it the cool way (at least I think it's cool).

4.050" x 3.400" in a 302 block. Custom pistons may cost a good bit though. :'(

Joe

 

[CManT1914]

Joe, you're saying that the 351 would cost a bit more huh? Yea I'd expected that. The main thing I like about building a 351, is it's a whole different motor, and I could still drive the mustang while building it. If I were to build a 347, the mustang would be down and out for while I am building the motor.

The more and more research I do, the more and more it looks like I might not be able to afford my 351 project and my gixxer.

 

[ryclef331]

Chris, one thing I didn't mention over on SN is the cost....

The cost of doing up a standard 351 (i.e. 3.500" crank + any overbore) is the cost-to-performance ratio between a 35x and a 347. I'd bet that a 35x would be at a serious disadvantage when compared to the 347. The bigger motor may produce 10-15 more horsepower, but at a serious loss of cash (between finding all the necessary items for a 351 swap.

If I wanted to do a 351, it'd do it the cool way (at least I think it's cool).

4.050" x 3.400" in a 302 block. Custom pistons may cost a good bit though. :'(

Joe

I'm gonna disagree with you there totally. Follow me here...build your 351 shortblock to whatever cubic inches you want (stroker kit wise) and it will only cost slightly more than building a 347 (short block alone I'm talking here.)

Now, I have not done 100% research on this but if you think about it, its MUCH easier in our cars than fox bodies....the number one reason is being able to retain our accessories with out modifying them...all of them. Our brackets only bolt on to the heads where as the fox body guys have to bolt to their timing covers as well as the heads. SO, build the short block with the correct balance flywheel/flexplate and balancer combo. Bolt on your stock timing cover, install the appropriate balancer that will space out your crank pulley to the correct distance (search one of the big forums like corral.net for small stuff like this), slap on your heads, slap on your new 351 based lower intake, YOUR STOCK ACCESSORIES (you gotta find a longer belt that is the correct length but thats easy with a piece of string and the local parts store), the appropriate dizzy (stocker won't work as its too short and the firing order is diff), and thats the hard stuff. Obviously, you need new headers. Literally, the hardest part about doing this swap in our cars would be making sure you have the right balancer, flywheel/flexplate set up, and the distributor. Everything else, like the lower intake, your probably going to replace anyways. Other reason to do this instead of a stroked 302 is the 351 block is stronger...plus you can go to 408. If I had to do my motor over again, I'd be rocking a 408 instead of a 331 any day of the week. Do the research on it man...its easier and cheaper than you'd think.

Oh, also fuel rails....the crossover tube that goes to the two sides of the fuel rail has to be extended...again though...easy fab for someone with half a mechanical ablilty