I bought a 79 f250 with a 76 highboy frame. It's got a 351m with a 4 speed and a mated transfer case It had no drive shafts I don't know if the engine runs or not. It's in the engine bay and that's about it. The main reason I bought it was the pretty rust free body that is just sitting on the frame. If you were to build this truck would you try to adapt the mates transfer case to the axles from the highboy? It seems like the low pinion 44 in the front would make for a bad angle on the driveshaft. Or would you look for a divorced transfer case. And what engine should I be looking for A 390 or a 460 or use the 351m that is in it. Are the 351m that bad? I've never owned one.

 

Sounds like this is a messy situation. I had to read it a couple times to make sense of it although it has been a long day. A lp 44 and mated t cases do not mix. I've just got done trying that this summer with a 79 F250 I bought and my old highboy axle. The pinion angle was so bad the driveshaft wouldn't turn by hand. The 351m is probably the biggest dud ford ever produced but that's my opinion some like them. I have a 400 in my 79 and it's a dog like usual but my dad also has one and his runs really good. I would dump that motor setup and look for old highboy stuff. But I be a little FE biased. Also if you stick with divorced t case it will make driveshafts easier to find.

 

I've said it before in reference to rebuilding the 351M... "Why polish a turd?".

Go for a 400 or 460... rebuilding a 351M is just a hair less so why not spend a few more bucks for the extra cubes and commensurate HP/TQ? Mileage is gonna suck anyways unless you upgrade to an overdrive tranny.

 

For the engines, that is a pretty wide range of choices. The 351m was sort of a lower displacement workhorse. If you can get it running OK and power is OK I'd say run it. Otherwise, change it. 351M, 400 and 460 share the same bell housing. If the transmission you have mates to the 351m and you want to use it, those would be good choices. Likely the 360/390 FE was original to the truck and takes a different bell housing vs 351m/400/460.

Your 351m can be rebuilt as a 400 with crank and piston change (check Tim Meyer web site). Personally, I would go with the 400 or 460 if staying with the newer engine family.

 

It is a real hodge podge of parts. I was most interested in the low rust body we just don't find in Wisconsin very often I have been looking for another parts truck and I'm leaning towards the divorced transfer case pre 77. I'm building it to be a weekend cruiser and pulling in the stock class. I can use any gas motor as long as it appears stock so I was thinking 460. Put from previous fords I have owned I think that 390 is pretty snappy I will go see what the junk yards got for parts tomorrow

 

I vote for my name, and "this thread is useless without pictures", please post pics

 

I always say the best motor is the one you have....

Do you have the other two options also?

 

Going to do junkyard scrounging today to see what I can find.

 

if its a 76 highboy frame it was most likely a 360fe setup originally, obviously its not original so I wonder what they did to the frame engine perches to make a 351m fit, if they simply threw the 351m on the 360 mounts then a bell housing and a 390 would be most likely all you need, if you stuck with the mated T case.

 

The problem I see with the mated transfer case is the front driveshaft angle would be pretty extreme. After hitting the junk yards today I found no dent sides at all so I'm going to start looking for another parts truck

 

The mated t case would be better for pulling. I still would rather have the older setup if you stay 351m/400. The 460 would be nice with a mated setup. Like mentioned above Id like to see how they have it setup.

 

change your front axle to a dana high pinion and you wont have to worry about drive shaft angle. married is better for pulling ( i've seen a lot of intermediate drive shafts explode while pulling ). personally i would keep the " highboy " driveline i had a 74 highboy frame with a 79 body on it way back in the day. had a 360 with a 4spd., divorced transfer case etc. lifted it with some extra springs. put 38.5 monster mudders on it and had a lot of fun.