hey guys,
im gonna be getting a 71 f100 when i graduate from HS and ive got a few questions about what i want to do with it. ill give you a little info on it first.
its 2wd with a 2 barrel 351Cleveland backed by a C4 trans with 31" tires. the engine and trans came out of a 70 torino after the origional 302 got scrapped. with all of my ideas that i have for it i think im gonna have around 350hp and at least 300. the truck isnt in bad shape and was a daily driver before it got parked 17yrs ago. it still runs and drives when it gets started but thats only once every couple of years at best.

first question is, it has 2" dual exhaust coming off of the stock manifolds. i plan on adding Hooker headers for mileage and performance, and building a new dual exhaust with thrush turbo mufflers (or similar ones). i was thinking about 2-1/2" or even 3". i want it to have a really nice exhaust note, especiallly when im racing a chevy at the stop light, but i dont want it to be so big that i lose power in the low -mid range rpm.
so how big is too big on the pipe size?

2) can i wire a trailer brake controller into this truck?
im not gonna be towing constantley or more than about 10,000lbs MAX!
But im gonna want to have trailer brakes when i am pulling.

3) does anyone know of a way to lock the hood? like a kit or something?
or am i just gonna have to use the old cable and padlock trick?
i live in a bigger city and i dont want anyone in the parking lot being able to mess with my stuff

4) what are the stock power ratings for a 351C? i think its 285hp and ---lb-ft correct?

5)has anyone put electric fans on this truck? if so, was there a definite boost of power or mileage. what about just a fan clutch?

6) it will need a new windshield as this one is cracked, where can i get one?

i plan on doing pretty much a minor restoration job on this truck and building it so that i have a nice truck to drive.
im sure ill have more questions in the future but thats all for now
thanks in advance

 

Welcome to FTE

As original, 1970 Fairlane/Torino 351C 2V w/a C-4: 163 net HP @ 3,800 RPM.

The only A/T offered in 1970 Fairlane/Torino 351C 4V's, was the FMX.

Whatever you figure the costs will be to do all this jazz, double it...then add 20%.

Some people badly underestimate what things cost today, please...don't be one of them.

 

unless you plan on going with a cam and built heads and other big component stuff a 3" pipe is to big stick to 2 1/5, i have a 351w in my f100 with a performance intake and 4 bbl carb with headers and bored out and a 3" pipe is to big it will loose back pressure...if your gonna be towing alot i also recoment you upgrade your gears to 3.90's or 4.11's and as far as a hood latch im having the same problem but i been thinking about going to a junk yard and gridning one off any truck and welding it to my core supports because all it is its a latch with a cable running inside the cabin...and trailer brakes im not sure about so ill leave it for someone else to answer but e-fans are always better to have for better mileage since the pulleys not being used as hard and keeps the radiator cooler especially if you dont have a fan shrout....and check lmc trucks for a windshield they should have it bro for a about 100 bux

 

ok kid, how much cash flow do u have ? u can put it together and it would be a GAS GUSSLER !!! or, save ur money,,, look 4 a '93 up cobra drive train w/harness & puter from a mustang or lincoln markvIII ! u will start w/a combination that gave 300hp & 26mpg STOCK ! add a coldair pipe and chip, u will have a hell of a truck bud ! it will beat that 351c ANYDAY.

 

The windshields are the same: 1967/72 F100/750, 1973/79 F100/880 / 1978/79 Bronco.

Since any autoglass shop in the US/Canada can order a new windshield, why buy one in KS then pay shipping charges (in this case to AZ)?

Three different w/shields are available: Clear, tinted, tinted w/a sunband across the top.

NAGS number for the windshield #W819. (NAGS: National Auto Glass Society).

 

351 cleveland blocks aren't that great I'd get a 351 windsor work your heads over and slap the cleveland heads on the windsor. You may be able to go to the wrecking yard find a truck that ran when it rolled in and get lucky enough to score a half decent deal on a 351 hooked up to a more modern tranny, It would make a pretty nice driver at that point. Switch to a electric fan and opening the exhaust won't make as much a difference on your milage as a tranny swap would.

 

How much do you plan on spending? Do you have some where to work on your truck,can it be off the road for a week or two? What do you want from your truck and your budget,some times its cheaper to buy something done,not as much fun.Clevelands motors are great for low end torque, may split bores at high revs 6000 to 7500 does not like you. guru is right if you think or been told it will cost $2000 double it you might be lucky. have fun.

 

well ive spent a few years already thinking about and locating parts for this build. and right now i plan it to be from 4500 to 5G probably more as the years go by and 3000 of that is just going torwards a gearvendors overdrive unit. but that will pay for itself in gas after 10,000 miles. otherwise i plan this to be a fairly inexpensive build as the truck is in pretty good condition already and im doing it all myself, fabricating my own stuff when i can (im a machinist's son), and shopping around for the best deals. ive seen and heard storys where guys set out to build their trucks (or any project for that matter) and end up paying 2-3x what they expected. but the only fluctuating i plan on is the price change of parts between now and when i buy them.

as for the 351c, i think they're great engines, and believe it or not this one was gettting 22mpg on the hiway with a 1500lb payload.. i know unbeliveable right? but im not making it up. as for the idea of a newer engine and tranny, ive heard it before. but i want to keep it the way it is so that i dont have to worry about all the modern tech runaround. the way it is, if it breaks down i can fix it myself.

also what size tires did this truck come with? and what was the Dia. of them? i plan on putting 245/75R16 BFG Commercial T/A 10-ply e-rated tires on it their diameter being 30.59".. yea i know thats over kill for a 1/2ton , but i dont want to ever have to worry about the Tires when im off roading, jumping curbs, taking fast corners, or driving 80mph while hauling a load when its 120* outside. plus there the same price as 31x10.50-15's.


i see parts listings for things that will fit 73- trucks. did ford do a clean sheet re-design that year? surely some parts can interchage, so i guess my question is, what got changed and what got carried over from 72 to 73?

NumberDummy, thanks for the windsheild info. thats the kind of things i want to know, what parts, from what, will go on these trucks

 

Good luck finding headers that fit. I don't recall Clevelands being offered.. it was either a 302, 360, or 360 for V8 Bumpsides. Dual 2.25-inch exhaust is about right. An H-pipe is worth a few HP and torque down low where it counts. These aren't revvers. 3-inch is overkill.

Sure it can be wired but 10K would far exceed an F100s rating.

The chain and padlock is totally ghetto and unbefitting of good workmanship. I would look into retrofitting a cable assembly from a late model rig and altering the stock latch.

Dunno... but remember the auto industry changed the way HP was calced in the early 70s -gross vs net.. the latter considered accessories whereas the former did not.

Go over to the Dentside forum (73-79) and so a search... a few guys have swapped in a Lincoln Mark VIII electric fan. There's also a thread on "3G" alternator swaps for 130 amps of glorious power.

Call your local glass shop. LMC Truck carries windshiled but I believe you're better off with a local jobber in this case.

 

Older trucks are nice because of their simplicity and the fact that it allows you a blank canvas but theres nothing complicated about upgrading to a more modern powerhouse and transmission while using what you can. You'd still be running a non OBD system plus if your a machinists son you should be able to improve upon what is there and get the best bang for every dollar spent.

 

i understand that there many advantages in getting a newer powertrain in it, but at this point i dont have any reason to. the engine it has now runs great and gets amazing mileage.. but i suppose if i ever have major problems ill look for a newer drivetrain.

i noticed something odd when i was looking at this truck, the rear fenders in front of the wheel arent tied to the frame. (theyll wobble like heck if they get bumped) they are tied together on the newer trucks, wernt they back then? Anyway, im gonna make some brakets out of some bar stock and tie them to the frame

 

Cleveland engines are fine ,plenty of gear,heads and manifolds for them they make massive power just not that well known in US been in AUS for decades. Easy to get parts.So don't worry about parts, cleveland are like a big block and ideal for heavy f trucks.

 

I Love the cleveland engines for just that reason, you get big block power and durability out of the small block.

anyway ive got a couple more questions for you guys. they should be pretty easy to answer. id look at the truck myself but its sitting in the mountains 100 miles away.

1) what is the capacity of the gas tank behind the seat? id guess somewhere from 15 to 20 gallons right? im trying to figue out what ill have for a driving range...

2) whats better to have in the exhaust for a crossover, an H or X pipe setup.

 

to the top with a few more ??????

would a receiver hitch for a 73 fit the 71?


and would the sway bars for a 73 fit a 71?




thanks again guys, youve given me alot of useful info

 

1) About 19 gallons

2) According to what I have read, an H-pipe is better for low end torque and an X-pipe is more suited for high RPM applications.