For the best information on a build, visit the 335 series forum. There are alot of builds in there. The 335 series forum sponsor, Tim Meyer, also carries a ton of parts along with high compression pistons for the 400 and at a decent price. At the very least you want to go with an after market timing set and install it straight up, they were retarded from the factory, and any new set you buy from the local parts store will be a stock replacement.

Here are my build specs on my 400:

-400 block (402 actual) bored .040 making it a 410.
-TRW forged pistons, along with some head decking brought my compression to around 9.0-9.25:1 (However, I've been told it's over 9.5:1 by 2 people who ran the numbers I gave them when I built it years ago). You can now get 9.5:1 pistons from T Meyer.
-3-angle valve job on 2v heads.
-Cloyes true roller timing set.
-Ford SVO cam with .510/.536 lift, 292/302 duration (214/224 at .050")
-Weiand 6010 intake
-Sanderson headers
-Full MSD ignition sysem; 6A box, Blaster-3 coil, MSD Distributor
-Crane Full roller rockers
-Lunati dual coil valve springs
-Edelbrock 6010 carb.
-Dual 2.5" exhaust with dual Flowtech (Holley brand) mufflers with a cross over tube and have it dumped right before the rear wheels. The engine sounds pretty mean when it's cold but mellows out a bit when it warms up
-A few extras I'm sure I missed...


C6 Transmission Mods:
-Extra clutches
-Manual/Automatic Valve body
-Stage-2 shift kit
-1800 rpm torque converter (basically just a step up from stock)
-B&M Quicksilver ratchet shifter.

You don't want to get too carried away with a high rpm torque converter as these 400's produce all their torque down low, peak is usually in the low 2000 rpm range. If you get anything less than 400 ft-lbs of torque out of that rebuild, you did something wrong. Mild cams from the Comp Cams DEH lineup (255 DEH), are showing numbers in the 430 ft-lb range.

The only thing I will say about the old Hot Rod magazine build is that there are better builds out there now, and I believe a few of the parts used in that build are now obsolete...ie the pistons they used. Also, like Havi mentioned already, any 351m can be converted to a 400, all you need are the pistons and a crank...also available from Tim Meyer. Again, there are a ton of good builds in the 335 forum on FTE. Here's a couple pictures of my 400 in my '53:

 

Here's the ad for the engine/trans. I can pick it up for you havi and hold it until the snow flies in your neck of the woods...can't think of a better reason to come to SoCal!

Ford 351 / 400M engine and C6 trans....... - $350
Reply to: sale-408272404@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-08-28, 12:20PM PDT


They are in my 77 F250. Drive truck to see how well it runs.
$350 for motor or $450 for both!!!!!!!!!! Need gone asap!!!!
Matthew
858-231-3113

Also have other 3/4 ton 4x4 parts...Just ask

 

CAVEAT EMPTOR: 1975/79 351M's and 400's had a SERIOUS problem with head cracking. Some of the heads were replaced, some were welded. Magniflux before even considering using one of these crappy smogged up engines.

The crappy engine comment comes from experience. Ford's back then only had a 2 year 24K warranty (no such thing as a power train warranty was then offered). So imagine what an owner of a nearly new vehicle would feel like when the heads went south. Since the old heads were cracked, the cores were worthless. The average dealer parts and labor price to replace both heads was close to $700.00 1970's dollars. And ppl wonder why American's buy Toyota's. Here's one damn good reason.

 

The reason I ask so many questions about Ford engines is because I grew up on Chevy's. I have a 54 and a 56 F100 as well as a 50 Merc...I like the Ford body styles and I am doing my best to keep a Ford engine in a Ford but it is difficult given how much Ford has varied in their designs and quality. I guess that every manufacturer has at least one "ugly baby" in the family, I just don't want to marry her!

 

besides the fact that they crack the heads they stockers arent worht a crap flow wise thats why moct people i know swap ' em for clevelands .

 

At lest we can agree that the heads would make great boat anchors!!

 

Actually, No.

Those 2V heads are amoungst the best flowing stock heads ever produced.
I've only found one block that was cracked near the lifters, and I have never found any cracked heads.
Yes the Stock Smog engine was crap, get rid of the smog gear, free it up and you have a real good low end motor.

 

Some 1970/72 351C blocks were prone to cracking in the area you mentioned.

This was due to sand casting problems.

Ford came out with a "campaign letter" to dealers describing the problem. There were no laws governing owner notification and there were no gov't mandatory recalls back then (the same thing was true of the later crappy heads). Ford recommended using the following to repair the blocks:

C6AZ-19554-A .. Metallic Plastic Sealer

>>> That's right, liquid plastic filler in a quart can...I kid you not! <<<

The blocks weren't suspect on the 1975/79 351M/400 engines, but the heads were dog meat..I must have passed out over 200 new heads over the back parts counter in 1979 alone. If you haven't seen too many bad heads lately, the reason is..many were replaced or repaired within a two-three year period after the cars were sold.