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what engine for a 60's daily driver mustang

i'm new to the world of vintage mustangs so maybe you all can help me figure out what i'm really after. recently i posted a questions discussing rebuilding a junkyard 351W with somewhere around 400hp and dropping it into a daily driver mustang. however the responses were "save your time and buy a crate engine," which also seems to be the opinion of most articles i read. and now i'm realizing that to obtain

400hp the gas milage is going to be under 10 mpg which in no way constitutes a daily driver. so, not being interested in spending the money for a crate engine, can i rebuild a 351 junkyard engine with lets say 300hp and 350 torque for under $1000? or should i drop down to a 302 engine block, or is the price of rebuilding them the same? i'm not looking for an engine that will smoke the tires off the mustang in 3rd gear but i want a stronger then stock engine (with more interest on torque then hp) that will definitly push me back in my seat. if anyone has any experience with rebuilding junkyard engines for mustang any tips would be great.

thanks matthew

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matthew
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Hey matthew,

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Dude

Matthew,

Let's face it, for $1,000 your not going to do anything but a quick "assembly line" rebuild of any motor. Wanting 300+ HP is a nice goal, but to do it properly, with longevity in mind, your going to spend more than $3,000. Once again, a crate engine offers you the wisdom and benefits of others before you. Using tried and true components to offer a blend between streetability, and economy.........For the record, my

351W/385hp Ford crate engine, when coupled with a road racing spec T5 WC transmission (rebuilt by Gordon Levy in Arizona), and 3:55 rear gears would pull down an amazing 22-24mpg on the highway (even my 427 BB gets 18-20mpg at a steady 65 as long as I keep my foot out of it) at a steady 70mph.................All this through a Holley 650DP (tuned properly on a chassis dyno)...................I think for your own good, you need to worry a little more about the handling and braking systems of your vintage Mustang, and less on "finding that magic HP number" thrown around so often between bench racers on and off line..............It's not how much HP you have, but how you get it to the pavement that counts............

Bill S.

Bill S.

matthew wrote:

Reply to
Bill S.

I don't think your goals are attainable for less than $1K. About the best you can do is rings, bearings, gaskets, and a simple valve job. Add fuel pump, alternator, water pump, etc, and you're over your budget. There's really no cost difference between the 302 and 351. But the

302 is a tad lighter, the external dimensions are smaller (no hood changes), and will get better gas mileage. Around here (central CO), you can buy a complete 5.0/transmission/computer for right around $1000. That's a fairly straight foreword swap that will gain you almost everything you want. Add AFR heads and intake and you're near to 400 hp; but that's near $2K alone.
Reply to
.boB

Bill S. opined in news:wTZQa.31801$ snipped-for-privacy@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net:

What BILL S SAID!

I'd rather have a 2.3L that handled great than a 400 HP that you had to wrestle around freeway ramps.

MAybe I'm just old.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

I hear Dwight (TFROG) is older....................Then again, he drives around in a "princessmobile".Kind of makes you wonder...................

Bill S.

Backyard Mechanic wrote:

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Bill S.

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Johnny K

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