351W Question

[95_red_gt]

In the future I plan on stroking a 351 and throwing it in my 1995 GT. My question is; do I need to buy a good Dart block and work off that, or can I find another shortblock out of a car or truck and work with that? Was there a good, strong 351W that was in a production car or truck? Iron? Aluminum? If I can pick up a cheap block and have a machine shop go through it really well, I see that as a better option than spending $2500 on a dart block. Oh if I only won the lottery.

 

[revhead347]

The stock blocks are good. All depends on what you want to do with it.

Kurt

 

[95_red_gt]

My plan was to stroke one out to a 428. Keep the EFI, put some strong heads on it and supercharge it.

 

[BlackVert]

terrible idea. you should get a prius instead.



you are good to about 750 at the wheels on a stock 351 block.

 

[1slow95]

69-74 blocks are the strongest, but you'll need link bar lifters which cost just over $400 for a set. The main problem with the 351w block is the 2-bolt mains. High rpm's cause the caps to walk. Keep it under 6500 rpm and you should be fine.

I'm rebuilding mine right now with a 74 block. I'm hoping to have a turbo on it next year and 600+ rwhp.

 

[95_red_gt]

Were any of the 351's roller motors?

 

[95Vert383AOD]

Were any of the 351's roller motors?

I use a 351 based roller motor. But then again my Max HP goal is a 650hp street car. I wouldn't personally go bigger than 400ci on a stock 351 of any year. Some guys do 408-410 with little issues. Ill stay with my happy revving 383.

If youre boosting a Stock block it really doesnt matter the CI because the boost will get you where you want to be regardless of CI until BOOM. So you would be better off not honing the crap out the cyl. walls on a stock block.

 

[BlackVert]

roller 351s started being made in the early to mid 1990s.

they were only made for a few years, so there are much fewer roller 351s out there than there are non-rollers

 

[1slow95]

F4TE is the casting number for roller 351's. Lightning's had roller blocks even though they did not use roller cams.

 

[BlackVert]

I use a 351 based roller motor. But then again my Max HP goal is a 650hp street car. I wouldn't personally go bigger than 400ci on a stock 351 of any year. Some guys do 408-410 with little issues. Ill stay with my happy revving 383.

If youre boosting a Stock block it really doesnt matter the CI because the boost will get you where you want to be regardless of CI until BOOM. So you would be better off not honing the crap out the cyl. walls on a stock block.

the main difference between a 383 and a 408 is the throw of the crank, not the diameter of the cylinders, so i'm not sure i'm following you here.

 

[revhead347]

F4TE is the casting number for roller 351's. Lightning's had roller blocks even though they did not use roller cams.

+1. It's odd, they didn't actually make roller 351 engines. The engines came with flat tappet lifters, even though you can put roller lifters right in. Not sure what year they started this. Mid 90s sometime. I know 94' Lightnings had roller blocks. I wouldn't worry too much about the power. I think the differences in block strengths are overated.

Kurt