Splatoni

I recently bought an xy with a cleveland 302, with a shaker and toploader manual transmission.i am doing it up for racing and am contemplating putting a 351 in it. i am wondering if anyone could tell me what make and year 351 would give me the most grunt for my xy? and if there are any other performance modifications i could give it to help get the most out of it?

brenx

Really depends on what you like/want. Your choices are the hard to come by 351 windsor or the easy to come by 351 cleveland. If you have a 302 cleveland all you need is a 351 crank and rods and use the same block. You can't do that with a windsor. For similar $ you can build a stroker

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XB Fairmont (street car) 11.07@123.02mph.

xdclevo

This is my thoughts.
Any block, then 351c crank/rods. Any year will do.
Fit a 351 crank and forged pistons and balance the whole deal.
Use atleast a Weiand 2v manifold, or better if the bucks are there.
Use the 302 heads, with good valves/springs ect, and maybe some porting??
750 double pumper and good fuel supply.
Steel flywheel, good shifter and clutch.
An lsd or spooled 9 inch, 3.9 or 4.11's and good tailshaft if using a manual.
I spose it all depends on what sort of racing.
What times you looking for?

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10.70 @ 125.00 on the black fun top
408 Cube Cleveland.

Splatoni

i want to get the absolute fastest out of it, i didnt know you could just replace the crak/rods to make the 351, does it need to be re bored? would it be cheaper/better performing if i replace the rods or buy a whole new engine and sell the old one? will the windsor or cleveland perform better??

Splatoni

would it be worth putting 4v heads on it? anyone know how much extra power would i get and at what price???

brenx

You would be able to use your block but it may need some machine work for the 351 crank and rods if a clevo block. 4V heads with tongues work well. Power will be dependant on your wallet. They make alloy heads for clevelands and windsors now.

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XB Fairmont (street car) 11.07@123.02mph.

TruBlu351

Keep your current cleveland engine and build that up into a 351 (393 stroker if $$ permit).

How deep is your back pocket Rough guess to nearest thousand $ you're going to throw at it? What are your desired 1/4 mile times and/or horsepower figures?

Anyway........yes, best to do a full strip down rebuild with that block (if it's in good nick) and hasn't already been over bored/rebuilt at some other time.

Standard practice is to rebore to 30 thou. What you can do is buy a 351 crank, keep your 302 rods and buy some new "short deck" forged or hypereutectic pistons ($$ budget) to fit the longer conrods (new bearings / quality bolts etc).

Heads can be reconditioned and/or fully ported with all the fruit (heavy duty valve train gear........again.....how much $$ ). Your 302 heads have the closed combustion chambers which are good. By the time you bought 2nd hand 4V's and rebuilt them, you'd still be up for some serious $$.

HOWEVER......by the time you price up all the head work and new valves/springs etc you'd be pushing $3000+ for a good race combo (heads alone). So my suggestion, if you haven't heared about them yet, is a set of new aluminium heads. $3500 for race ready bolt on jobs that would crap all over the factory iron ones. Fully working iron heads belongs in the 70's and 80's. Surprisingly, there's been a lot of technology and research thrown at the mightly cleveland this last few years.

Have a look at these:

http://www.chiheads.com/main.html

http://www.airflowdynamics.com.au/

Good electronic ignition.

4:1 pacemaker extractors and at least twin 2.5" system (cam/rpm dependant).

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XE Falcon
393 Tremec TKO 9"

Splatoni

well considering my back pocket im 16 and have no time limit on making this ultimate engine, no expense spared. so apart from the block what else can i put on it (and use in unison) to make this beast the greatest ever!

TruBlu351

Ultimate projects are great.........but so is driving the old girl in the mean time!

What I'd recommend is a good rebuild of the bottom end with a reasonable cam. You can always do a head swap later and put in a bigger cam. Freshen up your 2V's without sinking too much $$ into them and save up for the alloy heads.

You could take pride in being the first teenager at Ford Forums with some clevo alloy heads!! Ahh, the good old days of no house mortgage.

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XE Falcon
393 Tremec TKO 9"

lukeh

Why don't you just leave it for now and then when you get your license you will be able to drive it.I have seen people pull their Cars off the Road temporarily for a few engine mods and years later it is still off the Road either because they did'nt get around to it,or run out of Cash,or because they ended up getting further and further involved and doing much more than first planned etc. Or if you insist on Engine Mods afterall...as a beginner Driver you should consider leaving in the 302 and just put a nice Alloy 4-Barrel Manifold and Holley Carb,if it does'nt already have either,Electronic Ignition,Extractors and maybe revise your Mufflers,Twin Row Timing Chain and Performance Camshaft[Nothing to radical].With these Mod's your 302 will go alot better and if you keep it on the Road till you have enough money to do each mod as you go,it will stay practical.If you have'nt had much driving experience and V8 Experience and step straight into a worked 351...This will be very dangerous and not such a good idea IMO !!!Goodluck