Help! Tranny and Engine Swap?

[djuhnke]

I own a 71 Mach 1, with a 9" rear end, FMX tranny, and a 351C engine. I want to begin restoring this car and need to make a major decision and am looking for some expert advice.

This car would be used as a weekend cruiser and maybe an occasional trip to the track. Looking at getting bewteen 350 - 400 RWHP

Should I

A) Rebuild the 351 and FMX transmission.

B) Replace the 351C and FMX with some other engine and transmission package? And what would that package be? Would there need to be a lot of modification/fabrication?

I do not plan on doing these myself and would need to have a shop do them for me. Can someone please help me make the decision?

 

[Gud T.B. Blown]

I own a 71 Mach 1, with a 9" rear end, FMX tranny, and a 351C engine. I want to begin restoring this car and need to make a major decision and am looking for some expert advice.

This car would be used as a weekend cruiser and maybe an occasional trip to the track. Looking at getting bewteen 350 - 400 RWHP

Should I

A) Rebuild the 351 and FMX transmission.

B) Replace the 351C and FMX with some other engine and transmission package? And what would that package be? Would there need to be a lot of modification/fabrication?

I do not plan on doing these myself and would need to have a shop do them for me. Can someone please help me make the decision?

are you starting with 2V or 4v heads?

 

[djuhnke]

Starting with 2V but definetly want to change that to 4v if possible. Engine is bine stock. So if I end up rebuilding the engine I am going to make mods to get my HP out of it. I would like to end up somewhere in the neighborhood of 350-400 RWHP which means approx 487 HP assuming for 18% loss of HP through the drivetrain

 

[Gud T.B. Blown]

if you want 400 RWHP from the 2V heads be prepared to spend a little more money than if you went with 4V heads. here are some suggestions:
heads wish list: CHI 3V heads. they are a combo of 2V intakes and exhaust with 4V valves and combustion chamber.
practical: 4V heads

intake: Blue Thunder dual plane. the best. period. 2nd choice is either a weiand X-celarator or an edelbrock torker. or a holley strip dominator (out of production) if you can find one.
carb: 750 doesn't really matter who makes it. edelbrock is perfomance out of the box, holley requires a little tuning, demon requires a LOT of tuning. obviously the more you can tune the greater your absolute performance.
cam: either comp cams 280H or 270H or similiar.
headers: hooker or FRP long tube headers. FRP produce better #'s than the hooker and are a little cheaper. i wish i would have found those before i installed the hookers.
exhaust: 2.5" with an x-pipe.

if you are having this built i'm sure the builder will have his own recommendations. i'm not sure what your budget is but i know you can but a windsor motor that produces those numbers for 5 to 7k ready to install from a number of sources.

i hope this helps

 

[Gud T.B. Blown]

B) Replace the 351C and FMX with some other engine and transmission package? And what would that package be? Would there need to be a lot of modification/fabrication?

QUOTE]


i would also swap the FMX for a toploader or Tremec, IMO the T-5 can't handle the torque unless you baby it. the toploader is a very straightforward swap. the hardest part is FINDING the parts.