I need some opinions. See inside.....

I am purchasing a 74 351 windsor from a good trusted friend for 125 only missing the carb (he bought an 03 mach 1 and no longer has a use for it). I have done a ton of searching here and other sites that were linked to in my seached (been reading for the past 4 or 5 nights at home and work)

My questions are:

The motor is obviously carbed right now, my 92 (virgin car) is obviously FI. My main problem is that if I build this motor they way I want it, it will take a few grand and a year to do so. What I want to know is, can I use my stock 19's with maf and throttle body and upgrade over time as money allows or should I take the cheaper route and go carbed. This is my second car, so reliability is not such an issue. (I know a well set up carb can be just as reliable as FI) But humor me. I have read as many tech as I can shake a stick at right now and am thoroughly confused right now. I was going to go carbed and switch the motor over to roller cam. But now I am thinking a nice flat tappet with fuel inj is the way to go for overall cost to get it in the car running. (I know I need some conversion parts but those are needed no matter which way I go, so we'll forget about that cost for now)

I know in the long run the fi is going to cost more but then again be ten times more reliable than even the best of carb set ups. Plus its kick arse to have a fi 351w in a fox. I am much more familar with fi than carbs but have a ton a knowledgable people a phone call away. (tons of good mustang guys around here).

What I need is opinions, I am on the line going either way right now and need some input to sell me either way.

What I need is ruff guestimates on which one is the cheapest to get going.
Keep in mind the bottom end will be rebuilt either way, so that is not part of my concern. I need to know which is more realistic. I am pretty good with a wrench and more than capable of the swap and build on my own (never done my own yet but have helped put together and 11 sec 351 not so long ago) So I have knowledge but need opinions. Please no flaming, as I have searched the chit out of this and other forums trying to find the persuasion to go either way.


I want to get this motor in the car for 1500, that will have to include the swap parts, most can be found in local bone yards and we have a Mustang only yard here as well, (missouri mustang, free plug) I know fi, I will have to buy upper and lower intakes and a new dizzy for the 351. Can the stock 5.0 fi stuff work for now? I know its going to need bigger injectors, maf and such. But for now I will just port the e7's off of my 5.0 (unless the 74 heads are better ).

But with carbed, I just need a carb, lower and dizzy. Buy those right the first time and they are bought. but there is the whole switching fuel pumps, lines and all that junk, not to mention hacking up the factory harness.

Sorry this is long but any input is needed plz.

(I'm kinda tired so sorry if this reads out of order or funny, tried to proof read it but, well, I'm tired)

I have also been told by a trusted friend that I dont have to buy the conversion roller lifters (that are like 450 or so) but can instead take the spyder valley (or what ever its called) out of my 302 and drill and tap it into my 351. I would assume this is true but how relaible is it and is it something for the average joe who knows how to use tools? Too many questions too little time.

Anyone have some suggestions on cam choices or brands..... I'm not to familar with tappet cams.


Also, is there any cars other than carb'd mustangs that I can sourse extra parts like the fuel tank pu and other small chit that seems to nickel and dime u to death?

opinions please, not too much first hand info doing a seach for carb'd 351w's.

Got the block # its d4ae605

That means its a 74 correct?? D meaning 70's, 4 obviously for 74.

What does that mean for the heads? Good, bad or just ok??

Did you replace the valves or leave them stock to keep the velocity up?

What type of rockers do u run? I'm a newbie to 351's but assuming most of the 5.0 stuff will bolt even to the old heads. Only question is do I run different type of rockers with at flat tappet compared to a roller cam? (keep the motor a flat tappet instead of converting)

That was my line of thinking as well.

On a side note, I finally got the motor on my engine stand at the shop and damn, those exhaust ports are BUMPY!!! Needs a lot of porting to flow well, but can already tell that there is a ton of material to work with.

The more I think about it, the more I know I made the correct choice!

(after all, $125 for everything minus the carb is a great deal)

As far as I know, 69 and up 351's have the same firing order as HO 5.0's. Its the non HO 5.0 blocks that are different.

Might want someone else to back that up though.

Plan only a shot of the funny stuff later on down the road once n/a gets old. Don't really want to put a blower on and get into driveablility problems. The main reason that I'm switching to carb is most of my sensors are shot, the wiring has been hacked by others in the past and its cheaper overall anyway. trying to see the 11's all motor as cheap as possible.