Since you have made this claim as an absolute would you please produce the Ford documentation PROVING it. because it's NOT true.
The Ford parts catalogs dis-agree.
There is NOT a midland TX ford plant but there IS a midland MI, which did have the casting plant that DID cast the origninal 351m/400 blocks and if you follow most of fords engine designations for 351s basing it on the cities associated with the engine (iwndsor and cleveland to be exact) Midland actually makes a LOT more sense then modified. So without proof it's just an M, but I have known Ford engineers just like you have and they claim midland, others claim modified. The "experts" would say anyone making the claim of it standing for "modified" is a so called self proclaimed expert with no knowledge or proof.
This is one of those arguments that can not be won because there is no verifiable proof so anyone making a definitive claim of knowledge is wrong, no matter who or what their claim is.
I spent 35years as a Ford partsman from late 1962 thru 1997.
How many years of actual Ford experience (parts, service...whatever), does anyone else have here on FTE ... that wants to argue this issue?
The parts catalogs say MODIFIED inre to the M of 351.
The Ford Motor Company Parts & Service reps refered to the M of 351 as MODIFIED.
The problem is...that no one outside of people associated with Ford back then know this.
No proof? > > From the General Information Section of the 1973/79 Ford Passenger Car Parts Catalog / Abbreviations =
351M = 351 MODIFIED = 351 cubic inch engine built at the Cleveland engine plant.
__________________ Bill / Retired Ford Partsman (1962/97) / SoCal Chapter Member.
Part Number Research: Trucks: 1928/2000 // Cars: 1928/79.
That so called mechanic doesn't know his *** from a hole in the ground!
There is NOSUCHTHING as Midland inre to the 351M...PERIOD!
Where exactly in Midland TX is there any Ford assembly plant? There is exactly N-O-N-E = NONE!
The M stands for MODIFIED, and has since the engine debuted in the following 1975 passengercars: LTD, Torino, Mercury Marquis, Cougar.
The 351W was used in 1975 and later Econolines, 1981 and later F150/350's and Bronco's.
The 351M used in 1975/78 was very prone to cracking cylinder heads.
Many were replaced under warranty. I'm very surprised that a mechanic that supposedly worked for Ford for 40 years wouldn't know that.
If this is the best Ford mechanic you ever met...I'd hate to see the worst one!
That's really funny that you are so adamant that the M sands for Modified when Ford (FoMoCo not some so called car lover) says it means absolutely NOTHING, it's just there to show it's NOT a Cleveland or Windsor. By the way there is no Ford Factory in Windsor, Cleveland or Midland, they are just casting plants, those get put where the cheapest labor can be found.
That's really funny that you are so adamant that the M sands for Modified when Ford (FoMoCo not some so called car lover) says it means absolutely NOTHING, it's just there to show it's NOT a Cleveland or Windsor. By the way there is no Ford Factory in Windsor, Cleveland or Midland, they are just casting plants, those get put where the cheapest labor can be found.
Originally Posted by NumberDummy I spent 35years as a Ford partsman from late 1962 thru 1997.
How many years of actual Ford experience (parts, service...whatever), does anyone else have here on FTE ... that wants to argue this issue?
The parts catalogs say MODIFIED inre to the M of 351.
The Ford Motor Company Parts & Service reps refered to the M of 351 as MODIFIED.
The problem is...that no one outside of people associated with Ford back then know this.
No proof? > > From the General Information Section of the 1973/79 Ford Passenger Car Parts Catalog / Abbreviations =
351M = 351 MODIFIED = 351 cubic inch engine built at the Cleveland engine plant.
Also the original valve covers said modified.
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That's really funny that you are so adamant that the M sands for Modified when Ford (FoMoCo not some so called car lover) says it means absolutely NOTHING, it's just there to show it's NOT a Cleveland or Windsor. You haven't a clue what you are speaking of!
Find one piece of Ford factory literature that states the M stands for nothing.
Good luck, because there isn't any such thing.
By the way there is no Ford Factory in Windsor, Cleveland or Midland, they are just casting plants Again, you haven't a clue! those get put where the cheapest labor can be found.
Cheapest labor?
The Cleveland engine assembly plant falls under the same UAW contract used nationwide.
The Windsor engine assembly plant falls under the same UAW contract used in Canada.
The only difference is...the US dollar is (usually) worth more than the Canadian Loonie.
Verbatum from the 1973/79 Ford Passenger Car Parts Catalog / General Information Section / Abbreviations.
351M = 351 MODIFIED = 351 cid engine BUILT at the ClevelandENGINEPlant.
I have 35 years of Ford parts experience (1962/97). How much Ford parts experience do you have? Prolly NONE.
How many parts catalogs do you have to use for references? Prolly NONE.
EDIT: I never stated that original valve covers say modified. 77F2504by4 said that. What that refers to, I do NOT know.
The original valve covers say Powered by Ford on them. Maybe he's refering to the valve cover engine decal.
It's been so long since I've looked at one, I cannot recall what it says.
__________________ Bill / Retired Ford Partsman (1962/97) / SoCal Chapter Member.
Part Number Research: Trucks: 1928/2000 // Cars: 1928/79.
My 351M seems to be modified to have low oil pressure and consequently noisy valvetrain LOL Now I ponder, rebuild, swap, convert to 400 yada yada. I'm thinking that this thread isn't about the original posters question anymore. Clearly we all know that we aren't talking about 351 Windsors which puts us ahead of the game compared to other forums who's members don't know the difference.
i think this info needs to be put in the forum sticky as a fact, to put this debate to rest permanantly...
It will not do any good, because some people still won't believe it.
Even if I scanned the parts catalog ref and posted it, some people still won't believe it, as they will claim I "doctored" the info.
The problems are...that 99.9% of the members of FTE have ZERO Ford parts experience, ZERO Ford parts catalogs.
Many of the members are too young to know anything, as they weren't around back then, or didn't care about this issue when the vehicles were new...even if they are as old as I am (DOB: 9/9/1944).
Some people read or hear info...that they are unaware is total CACA del TORO, then believe it.
Anything else that comes along, they dispute...because they have ZERO FACTORY FORD reference material that says otherwise.
__________________ Bill / Retired Ford Partsman (1962/97) / SoCal Chapter Member.
Part Number Research: Trucks: 1928/2000 // Cars: 1928/79.
__________________ Don #4 SlackerMaster Chapter Leader of the Massachusetts Chapter
Join the MA Chapter Here Currently own: 2006 F350 Lariat CC Super Duty, 6.0 L Diesel FTE Fraternity OF Blue Max
It will not do any good, because some people still won't believe it.
Even if I scanned the parts catalog ref and posted it, some people still won't believe it, as they will claim I "doctored" the info.
The problems are...that 99.9% of the members of FTE have ZERO Ford parts experience, ZERO Ford parts catalogs.
Many of the members are too young to know anything, as they weren't around back then, or didn't care about this issue when the vehicles were new...even if they are as old as I am (DOB: 9/9/1944).
Some people read or hear info...that they are unaware is total CACA del TORO, then believe it.
Anything else that comes along, they dispute...because they have ZERO FACTORY FORD reference material that says otherwise.
I dont even know where this debate came from. ford valve covers, parts manuals, and even the guys behing the parts counter say the m in 351m stands for MODIFIED.
Come to think of it, the olny place i've ever heard it called a midland, is here...
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