Today I put the 351w in position to check for clearances. Tomorrow take it out and attach the trans to get a reading on the drive train, and repositioning of the cross member. I'm convinced that with a little modification I can get the original xmem to work. The frame is level and the engine is level at the intake/carb plane.

 

make sure you put the fan on, and stand the radiator up in the right spot..

I 'lucked out' on my 460 setup, but had to do a special radiator setup.
looks like you will be too close as well..

Sam

 

Hey Merv, I was just doing the same thing, but my engine / Trans are still attached and I have my cab off which makes it a lot easier. When I leveled mine at the intake and checked the Trans output so to know what to set the diff angle at, I realized something (I think). When the auto makes build cars / trucks the Trans out put angle is built into the intake manifold so when the carb base on the intake is level the trans angle is automatically calculated, when you check yours I would wager it will be around 3 degrees?

Sam might have a good point, why not mount / move the engine as far back as possible, the front stuff is “adjustable” to some degree but much easier to add on then take off.

 

I've been thinking on that, what I'm going to do is put in an electric system. The fan from the flattie is staying with the flattie and the 351 didn't have one since it came out of my Cobra. I'm thinking about using the inline 6 rad mount location and fabricating a shroud after the fans are in. I have had good success with the electric fan in the roadster. Some of my methods might not be cool to the purist but I didn't get a lot of parts with the truck. It was totally unassembled when I picked it up. Lots of parts went missing. That's ok though since they went to needy places.

 

I was thinking the exact same thing, tomorrow I'm takeing it out and sticking the tranny on. I placed the engine as far back as possible, I'll even have to change those fancy do dad valve cover bolts. When I finalise the motor here I wouldn't be able to unscrew it. I have a quarter inch there from the v cover to the firewall. Iv'e been waiting to get all this straight before shimming the rear axle/spring setup. Pinion shaft should be up three degrees to compensate I think.

 

I am running dual electric fans.. and a radiator that had to be set INTO the radiator U to get enough clearance for the fans.. I think I have 1/2 in between the waterpump pully bolts and the fan body.

I did NOT set the rad in place before locking down the engine..

Sam

 

Thanks for the info, I will get the rad mount located tomorrow and have a look at it. Should be fine though, I did a lot of measuring before I got to this stage.

It get more exciting everyday eh.

 

Merv, What are your plans for front suspension, steering and exhaust manifolds/headers? It all needs to work together. I believe that Julie, Sam and aussie53 (I think) all ended up with custom headers. They will be pricey or take a lot of time/talent to fabricate. I had to work that out in my 49 with my sbc/jag before final positioning of the engine. For example in my case offsetting the engine would have opened up stock header possibilities (I wanted engine driven fan which stopped me from offsetting the sbc). What have others with the 351W done in the 48-52 chassis?
I was able to use the V-8 position for the radiator on my 49, however, I believe that the sbf is a bit longer than the sbc setup with the short waterpump.

 

You can still have an engine driven fan with an engine offset. I did that on my 48 F-3 (350/350). It was offset two inches due to the Volare steering box and the radiator support bolted into the 6 cylinder holes. On my 49 F-1 with the 302/AOD and Volare I also offset the engine two inches but due to the increased engine length of the Ford I'm using an electric fan in the 6 cylinder position...

 

Vern,
I should have said "BIG engine driven fan". My fan blade width is essentially the same width as the Dodge truck radiator core, no more room-see my gallery.

 

I'm going to stick with the solid axle and new springs with reversed eyes. I am presently installing new king pins, new solid tie rod and ends. I ordered a disk brake kit, rotors with five on five and a half studs. I left the front end off to make it easier to place the engine.

These are the headers I have been considering. They come off the heads and make a short curve down and back. More or less hugged into the block. Later on I will convert the 49 steering box to Toyota. I'm fine with armstrong, but my wife has informed me that she likes power steering. There are other headers that will cram in there with some degree of difficulty and real close clearances but these ones shouldn't be to bad.

 

>I left the front end off to make it easier to place the engine.

you mean body, right? the axle needs to be considered at least for the oil pan.. the fords have them at the front..

I had to get a van oil pan and sump to get the engine to fit the suspension(sump in the hole between steering gear and suspension body)..

otherwise I would have had to come up a bunch, and then I'd have to cut into the firewall to make room for the tranny

Sam

 

The 351w came out of a van I used to own and it has the proper oil pan. I realise there are clearance objectives so I only have the engine sitting in there on stands so I can look at it and study the situation. I am going to have to really study the header situation though. The headers (pic) I posted won't work, but there is another set I looked at that just might be the ones. Thanks for the insight I appreciate that very much and keep on truckin.

 

The motor is sitting on stands, independent from the frame. This way I can measure and mock up clearances. Also, It gives me a chance to consider all the possibilities.

 

Look familiar? I set mine up with the cab on, leveled the carb mount and went as far back as the tranny dip stick allowed (C4). Then removed the cab the weld every thing in. The engine is a 289, so smaller than yours. Yes 3 degrees is where I ended up on the pinion angle