351W Block Q's

Maxamil

Founding Member
Feb 14, 2001
479
0
16
Fresno, Cali
I just bought a 1969 351W shortblock from a junkyard and have determined with a mic that my cylendar bores measure 4.025" which i think is a .030 overbore?? Correct me if I am wrong. If it is a 30 overbore is the block worth anything?? Or does it have a chance?
 
if the cylinders are in good shape then yes the it is a good block, if it needs to be bored i would be leary. .060 is the max you can on a small ford without sonic checking the block and even then it is recommended at that overbore. however the 69 blocks are a little thicker and have a higher nickel content than later blocks so if the cylinders will clean up at .060 you should be ok. most companies still make .040 pistons for the 351w as well and if you can i'd go that route and save the .060 for later on down the road. after .060 though that block is pretty much useless unless you fill the bottom of the water passages with concrete and use it as a drag race motor only, provided you don't want to pay the expense of sonic checking the block or it doesn't look good after the sonic check.
 
I recently had a 69 351W put in my 67 fastback. It is bored 0.060" over with a 4.1" stroke. I have about 350 miles on it and it hauls @SS. :D

If the cylinders are good upto to 0.060" over, you got a good block.