351W or stay with my 302

Hey gang

So i was searching my local newspaper and I came across an add that a gentleman was selling a 1979 351W from an Econoline. It is all stock and has about 150,000km on it. He is asking 400$ for it. It is missing the starter and alternator. My question to you is this. Is this a good deal? What are the advantages / disadvantages of installing a 351W over the 302 HO (1984)...

I need some good feedback in order to make my decision, as you all know I am a newbie to all of this....all feedback is good!

thanks Guys

Rick

Reply to
Rick
Loading thread data ...

First question are you in an area with smog checks? If so that could put you in a world of hurt depending on the local smog laws.

It really all comes down to what you want out of your car. A 351w swap is about the easiest you'll find, but you will still have to get oil pan headers front brackets etc. If your looking for power then its a good choice. Take a long in the dyno sim thread for a mild 351 build up. If you want to go nuts you can stroke it out to as much as 427 cid. The 393 option is a pretty good choice since it uses 351w rods and 302 pistons with a custom crank. This is what I'm doing for my 95 GT. If you want to make big power you will need really good heads. I personally wouldn't put it stock as you will trade low end torque for upper end power being a truck motor. At the very least I'd do a performance cam, pump the compression to around 10:1 and look for some GT40 iron or used aluminum heads. When it comes to performance engines you can never go wrong with good heads.

As for the price I wouldn't pay but I'm a cheap skate. The price is not to out of the park, but I'd would wheel and deal with him for sure. You can reuse your starter and alternator so that's not a big deal.

MadDAWG

Reply to
MadDAWG

With that many miles on it, it's going to need a complete rebuild. About the only things you'll be able to use will be the block, crank, heads, rods (?), valve covers, oil pan, and front cover. If the alternator and P/S brackets are there it will be helpfull. And those parts will need machine work and cleaning to be usable. For performance use, the heads are useless. It's a low performance smog motor, and the heads make decent door stops. So by the time you spend all that money on parts and machine work, you'll have spent more than you would on a good crate motor. Personally, I wouldn't bother.

Reply to
.boB

So basically what you are saying is that I should keep the motor I have now

302 HO 1984, get the heads done or find some better ones. swap out my cam, put on a better intake and carb....change my gears and diff......and all should be good. I am not looking for a 10 sec car.....(yet)...but I want something fun to drive.

Thanks

Rick

Reply to
Rick

Being new to newsgroups, would someone please explain how to ..... "take a look in the dyno sim thread for a mild 351 build up"..

Greatly appreciate it.....

V'ger

1965 Fastback 2+2 Burgundy w/ Black A Code 4 spd 1966 Fastback 2+2 White w/Red C Code Auto
Reply to
V'ger

No, I'm just saying that the used engine you're looking at isn't worth a whole lot for a performance car. My current project uses a 351W based engine. But there isn't too much that's stock and I expect it to make nearly 600hp - for a price that's more than your car books for. So if you want to make power from a truck motor, you're going to have to make changes and spend money. Swapping in a different motor is not as easy as it sounds. You'll be surprised at how many things don't fit any more. You'll need a new exhaust and a new hood for starters. Also think about brackets and the cooling system. It's not an overly difficult job - it's certainly not rocket science. But it's not like pulling the 302 and dropping in the

351 in one afternoon. Nothing is ever that simple. OTOH, that 302 you have now is an excellent base for a fun performance car. A few simple changes and 350hp is well within your grasp. Some expensive changes and you can see 425hp without too much difficulty.
Reply to
.boB

Since you've got Agent, easiest would probably be to do Ctrl+F (or Edit

-> Find) and enter "DynoSim" with no quotes.

Or, you *could* just click on the link below for the thread on Google Groups:

formatting link
;)

Reply to
Garth Almgren

He's nuts! A run out smog dog core like that is worth $75.00 tops.

C8oe

Reply to
W3tac8oe

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.