351 c in a 86 coupe.

351Clxcoupe · Sep 7, 2005

HI guys glad to be aboard..i have a question i have a 86 coupe that use to be a 4 cylinder for starters. the guy i bought it off of converted it to a 93 8 cylinder engine body interiour everything...Right now my car is in the back of my house not running...to find out i have a cracked block or a bad headgasket....so i decided to get a used engine and rebuild it..im getting a 351c and was wondering if i will have any problems size wise...i heard its a bit wider then a windsor..if theres any truth to this please let me know...i plan on just having the shortblock rebuilt and just bolt on the rest myself..i'll post pictures of my car when i get the chance...

kcp203 · Sep 8, 2005

It will fit, but you need some custom items like motor mounts, trans crossmember, oilpan, and headers. You can get a kit from D&D Automotive, but it's not cheap (~$1000)

http://www.mspmall.com/ddautospec/swapkits.html

You can also check here for a list of conversion parts, but there are no links for some of the suppliers listed.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/987/index2.html

I'm a huge fan of the 351C (I have one in my 72 Mach 1), but I don't know if it really makes sense for a Fox body if you need to save money (especially since you also have to rebuild the 351). A good 351c rebuild will set you back probably $1500-2000. It will be more if you do any extensive work on the heads, as the canted valves makes for a lot more setup work for a head shop.

You would probably be much better off just buying a 347 stroker crate engine (of 351W). At least all the mounts and accessories will swap right over.

351Clxcoupe · Sep 8, 2005

i live in philadelphia pa and i have called a few places langhorn speedshop and i have yet to call my normal speedshop precision preformance in bristol and the langhorn shop said it will cost about 1200 to rebuild the engine i asked them how much it would be to just do the shortblock and thats going to cost about 900 bucks and thats chump change im more concerned about what items i need to make it fit i know the cleveland is wider then the windsor..so i have to find the right items to make it easier to get inside the engine compartment..not only that i have to get a better fuel system...so if you have any ideas or suggestions please i would love to hear them...this will be my first engine im having done..once shortblock is rebuilt im doing the rest myself...to save cash. ohh and i bought the cleveland for 150 bucks so i couldnt pass that up..

GREYFOX4INCH · Sep 14, 2005

A guy near me put a 351c in a fox with all the goodies. heads,cam,intake,fuel system ,suspension. and it could not even break a high to mid 13. i heard that the winsor is a much better choice. but maybe this guy just sucks. and im sure there are a lot of people in here who could back up your choice of the cleavland.
(not a personal opinion just talkin out my a**)
but a windsor would be easier to do, would it not?????
i bet if you buy a cam thats made for low RPM power, and some 4.10 or 4.56 gears you could build one hell of a street machine though!! maybe not so fast in the 1/4 but at least people will think you got a 11 sec car

kcp203 · Sep 14, 2005

Your're right. That guy just sucks!

However, it is not unusual, as Clevelands are very tricky to get tuned right as far as parts choices are concerned (heads, cam, intake, carb, and headers). You can spend all the money you want on parts, but if the combo is wrong you will have some real problems with a Cleveland, aminly because of the big difference in intake and exhause flow rates. Cam selection is the most important thing, and everything else is dependent on that.

If you want something that you have to drive every day, a Windsor is definitely the way to go. You have a 30 year evolution and improvement in parts (mainly heads) that the Clevelands dont have (unless you have lots of $$$ for the few aftermarket heads that are available).

In any case, a max performance Cleveland is pretty crappy on the street mainly because it really only begins to show what it is capable of above 4000 rpm.

One final note: consider operating costs if you are going to drive it alot. I get about 8mpg in my 72 mach 1, and the Cleveland is a pretty mild build. Only 375HP

If you are really serious, ask questions on the 351C forum

http://www.network54.com/Forum/119419

351crules · Sep 14, 2005

kcp203 said:
It will fit, but you need some custom items like motor mounts, trans crossmember, oilpan, and headers. You can get a kit from D&D Automotive, but it's not cheap (~$1000)

http://www.mspmall.com/ddautospec/swapkits.html

You can also check here for a list of conversion parts, but there are no links for some of the suppliers listed.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/987/index2.html

I'm a huge fan of the 351C (I have one in my 72 Mach 1), but I don't know if it really makes sense for a Fox body if you need to save money (especially since you also have to rebuild the 351). A good 351c rebuild will set you back probably $1500-2000. It will be more if you do any extensive work on the heads, as the canted valves makes for a lot more setup work for a head shop.

You would probably be much better off just buying a 347 stroker crate engine (of 351W). At least all the mounts and accessories will swap right over.

the motor mounts are the same as a windsor, so is the bellhousing

you will need headers, so what you have to buy them anyways
you will need an oil pan, moroso has a street/strip one for 250.00

351c is the cheapest way to go fast.period

stroked8e5 · Sep 15, 2005

As was mentioned earlier in order to make use of the excellent ports of the heads you need to wind them up. We've gone 9.36 (1/4 mile) with ours with a .780" lift roller shifting at 8500 RPM's.

bluevenom867 · Sep 15, 2005

Um,the 351W has a 9.5 deck the Cleveland has a 9.2,so block for block Windsor is actualy wider.

Modular2v · Sep 15, 2005

i have a complete cleveland motor with a canton oil pan in my garage from when i abandoned my cleveland hopes im my fox....i went with a 331 stroker

Modular2v · Sep 15, 2005

bluevenom867 said:
Um,the 351W has a 9.5 deck the Cleveland has a 9.2,so block for block Windsor is actualy wider.

but the heads on the clevleand are ALOT wider !

bluevenom867 · Sep 15, 2005

Modular2v said:
but the heads on the clevleand are ALOT wider !

Yea,but I was just comparing blocks.....

Modular2v · Sep 15, 2005

bluevenom867 said:
Yea,but I was just comparing blocks.....

i see

GREYFOX4INCH · Sep 18, 2005

stroked8e5 said:
As was mentioned earlier in order to make use of the excellent ports of the heads you need to wind them up. We've gone 9.36 (1/4 mile) with ours with a .780" lift roller shifting at 8500 RPM's.

raised my eybrows

Dark Knight · Sep 19, 2005

FWIW, edelbrock makes some aluminum heads for the 351c now http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/misc/spotlight/sl-61629.shtml

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