(LONG) I want to start planning a 351 swap in my 95 GT. I plan on starting next winter, but I like to plan stuff ahead of time (it just makes the mission smoother).
1. I really want to go with a 351 for a couple reasons
a. I like the idea of swaping a motor myself
b. I really like the idea of more CI
c. Nice platform to go bigger if I decide
2. I want a very streetable car
a. It will probably never see a track
b. I do not want to worry about changing trannys right now (my T-5 was brand new less than 20,000 miles ago)
c. I want the setup to last as long as I am willing to keep it in the car
3. I am on a small budget
a. Wife 3 kids, just getting out of school and starting a new career and buying a house soon
b. That being said I always find some cash for the stang
4. I want to worry about getting the motor in the car before talking new AFR's and custom cams.
I have done the research on what it takes to swap and have accounted for that, that is the main reason I want to worry about getting it in the car before talking performance.
I know 302 parts make 302 power (even though I have my doubts about a gt40 302 making the same as a gt40 351w) but I have been happy with stock 302 power in the 94 ( less than 200 at the wheels) and would be more than happy with making 300+ at the wheels after the swap all while having the added torque of the 351, not to mention all that room to grow.
After searching for the last 3 days here on SN, I have read a lot of different opinions, one being if you are trying to do anything with less than $10k you are an idiot (one poster even wrote "400+rwhp gets boring real fast") it took almost 10 years to "get bored" of my stock GT which BTW I am still not bored of.
I am going to need a new intake anyway so I will have no problem shelling out the cash for that.
Question, with what I am aiming for what are the smallest heads you would put on a 351 that is going to have a off the shelf cam? I found a 351 roller motor for $400 and a set of GT40 heads with port work, valve job, and upgraded springs for $400.
Would that be a respectable start with my goals? I could try to find a set of TFS used too but what I dont want is to put the motor on a stand and try to get stuff that I cant afford, that will just lead to the motor sitting on a stand for 2-3 years. Again my main goal is just getting it in the car. My goals are for anything over 300rwhp to start, plenty room to grow with a 351 and I dont care about pulling the motor out again or doing heads/cam twice. So basicly what is the baseline HCI combo to go with when swapping? Or should I just swap the motor stock all but the intake and worry about H/C before going with a GT40 setup? Or am I just way off base with anything that makes the slightest amount of sense?
1. I really want to go with a 351 for a couple reasons
a. I like the idea of swaping a motor myself
b. I really like the idea of more CI
c. Nice platform to go bigger if I decide
2. I want a very streetable car
a. It will probably never see a track
b. I do not want to worry about changing trannys right now (my T-5 was brand new less than 20,000 miles ago)
c. I want the setup to last as long as I am willing to keep it in the car
3. I am on a small budget
a. Wife 3 kids, just getting out of school and starting a new career and buying a house soon
b. That being said I always find some cash for the stang
4. I want to worry about getting the motor in the car before talking new AFR's and custom cams.
I have done the research on what it takes to swap and have accounted for that, that is the main reason I want to worry about getting it in the car before talking performance.
I know 302 parts make 302 power (even though I have my doubts about a gt40 302 making the same as a gt40 351w) but I have been happy with stock 302 power in the 94 ( less than 200 at the wheels) and would be more than happy with making 300+ at the wheels after the swap all while having the added torque of the 351, not to mention all that room to grow.
After searching for the last 3 days here on SN, I have read a lot of different opinions, one being if you are trying to do anything with less than $10k you are an idiot (one poster even wrote "400+rwhp gets boring real fast") it took almost 10 years to "get bored" of my stock GT which BTW I am still not bored of.
I am going to need a new intake anyway so I will have no problem shelling out the cash for that.
Question, with what I am aiming for what are the smallest heads you would put on a 351 that is going to have a off the shelf cam? I found a 351 roller motor for $400 and a set of GT40 heads with port work, valve job, and upgraded springs for $400.
Would that be a respectable start with my goals? I could try to find a set of TFS used too but what I dont want is to put the motor on a stand and try to get stuff that I cant afford, that will just lead to the motor sitting on a stand for 2-3 years. Again my main goal is just getting it in the car. My goals are for anything over 300rwhp to start, plenty room to grow with a 351 and I dont care about pulling the motor out again or doing heads/cam twice. So basicly what is the baseline HCI combo to go with when swapping? Or should I just swap the motor stock all but the intake and worry about H/C before going with a GT40 setup? Or am I just way off base with anything that makes the slightest amount of sense?