What should I do for the engine?

jsquier91 · May 16, 2011

Currently i am restoring my 71 mustang fastback, it has a 302 in it now which needs complete rebuild, but i found a 351 online for sale which was a great deal. My question is do you guys think i should rebuild and/or stroke my 302 to possibly a 331? or should i rebuild the 351 and/or stroke that to possibly a 383 or something. This will be a fun car to drive around in, not looking for a showpiece and winning trophies. Im only 19, and this is my first restoration so i need some advice. thanks everyone

2+2GT · May 16, 2011

Just how much fun you planning to have? You could easily and inexpensively build the 302 to over 300 hp.

gregski · May 16, 2011

though both engines are from the same Windsor family, considered Ford small blocks, parts for the 351 are a bit more expensive and a bit more harder to find, though at some point in time the heads were very similar, the intake is wider on the 351, as well as the water pump, and it took different exhaust manifolds, if you are considering an upgrade to EFI sometime in the future, the 5.0 components would bolt right up to the 302 but not the 351, the 351 may end up a bit more torquier but you could get similar horse power out of both, now for the real monkey wrench, for the price of a full on rebuild, including machining to accept the stroker kits in either block (ie new crank and cam bearings), you could pick up a crate short block and call it a day

347 - short block $1695

jsquier91 · May 16, 2011

Enough fun i guess? haha idk but im thinking the 351 because they cost about the same to rebuild them. and i found a deal for a 351 complete engine for $150. Now i am wondering will i need to do any cutting or anything to my engine bay for the 351 to fit? If it seems like it will be a mother @$@#$ to swap motors than i will most likely stick with the 302.

jsquier91 · May 16, 2011

hmm thats even a possibility too, what website would you recommend to buy a crate motor from so i could check into that? im honestly up for some options and i would like to get the motor and tranny complete. and at least from there i can tinker with some other BS while i drive her around.

gregski · May 16, 2011

jsquier91 said:
Now i am wondering will i need to do any cutting or anything to my engine bay for the 351 to fit?

351 Cleveland motors were a factory option in 1971, (you may want to decipher your VIN to see if yours wasn't one of them to begin with originally, just a thought) not sure if there is a difference between the Cleveland and the Windows 351 in terms of engine mounting points. But room wise you should be golden.

jsquier91 · May 16, 2011

i actually already decoded my vin and it was originally a 289 in it. and i thought it wouldnt be a problem with having the room of a 351, but with sroking the 302 i wouldn't want to put to much pressure on it with like a 347. the most i would go would be a 331 and for a 351 either a 383 or 393. so im really stuck between these.

woodsnake · May 16, 2011

I do not believe a 289 in 1971. 302, yes, 351 W/C, 429 yes.

Keep in mind, that as you build the engine, you also need to modify the transmission, rear end gears and brakes/suspension to keep up.

StangDreamin' · May 16, 2011

As far as factory EFI on the 351W goes, yes it can. The Ford "5.8L EFI" engines in the early 90's were 351W's. True, they were mostly in trucks and vans, and many of them were speed-density systems; but the intakes were very much the same whether SD or Mass-Air. One instance that comes to mind is the '95 F150 that used to belong to my son-in-law (SVTCobra306 here, or SVTCobra347 on Mustang/Cobra/racing boards around the country). "The Grape Ape" ran Mass-Air on a 351W - factory.

If you believe that the truck upper intake will be too tall to fit under your hood, and you have the coin; Trick-Flow sells their "5.0 EFI" upper intakes in a package with a lower-half that is built for the 351W.

You can go for the 347; but know that you are pretty much at the upper limits of displacement for a factory 302/5.0 block. If you can find a 351W with very clean bores that won't need more than a quick run-through with a 4" dingle-ball hone; you get an engine stroked to 4 more cubes than a 347 practically for free. If you've got to go .030 over to clean the bores, bummer! You went 10 cubes more.
As somebody already said, your '71 has an engine bay that would fit a 351 Cleveland or Lima (429/460) engine.... how hard can a Windsor be???

72 fastback · May 17, 2011

A 351w will fit in there with no problems. I haven't found long tube headers to fit with a 4spd yet but try-ys will work with slight modifications.

2+2GT · May 17, 2011

jsquier91 said:
Enough fun i guess? haha idk but im thinking the 351 because they cost about the same to rebuild them. and i found a deal for a 351 complete engine for $150. Now i am wondering will i need to do any cutting or anything to my engine bay for the 351 to fit? If it seems like it will be a mother @$@#$ to swap motors than i will most likely stick with the 302.

351? The 71-73 was designed to fit the 429, so a 460 will fit in there easily, with stone-stock parts. A 351 looks kinda lonely in there, and a 302 looks dinky.

rbohm · May 17, 2011

jsquier91 said:
Currently i am restoring my 71 mustang fastback, it has a 302 in it now which needs complete rebuild, but i found a 351 online for sale which was a great deal. My question is do you guys think i should rebuild and/or stroke my 302 to possibly a 331? or should i rebuild the 351 and/or stroke that to possibly a 383 or something. This will be a fun car to drive around in, not looking for a showpiece and winning trophies. Im only 19, and this is my first restoration so i need some advice. thanks everyone

jsquier91 said:
i actually already decoded my vin and it was originally a 289 in it. and i thought it wouldnt be a problem with having the room of a 351, but with sroking the 302 i wouldn't want to put to much pressure on it with like a 347. the most i would go would be a 331 and for a 351 either a 383 or 393. so im really stuck between these.

buy the 351 and build it as a 393. it will bolt in place of the 302 that is currently in the car with minor mods to the linkage and wiring.

as for your car originally having a 289 in it, not possible as 289 production ended in early 1968.

jsquier91 · May 17, 2011

okay sorry for that than, thats what this one website said when i decoded it so oh well, but yes you are right the 302 looks very dinky in the engine bay and just doesnt feel right. so i think i will go with what you guys are saying and buy the 351. thanks everyone for your inputs.

horseballz · May 17, 2011

The biggest obstacle to the swap, although not really hard, will be brackets and pulleys which will be different for the 351W vs 302.
HTH,
Gene

What should I do for the engine?

jsquier91

New Member

2+2GT

gregski

Active Member

jsquier91

New Member

jsquier91

New Member

gregski

Active Member

jsquier91

New Member

woodsnake

StangDreamin'

72 fastback

Member

2+2GT

rbohm

jsquier91

New Member

horseballz

Similar threads

What should I do for the engine?

New Member

Active Member

New Member

New Member

Active Member

New Member

Member

New Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency