1974 Econoline Supervan
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1974 Econoline Supervan
Hello I'm new on here so I hope this works I have a 1974 Econoline Supervan with a 302 and a three on the tree which I kinda like but the van hasn't ran in years.I wanna make a"hotrod toy" into it does anyone know if a 351 Cleveland or modified will fit into it or would I be better off redoing my 302 into "hotrod" motor any suggestions would be helpful
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FORGET AND REMOVE FOREVER FROM YOUR MIND THE IDEA OF A 351M. #1, it is a tall deck motor and won't fit; #2 it is a gutless turd that can't easily be fixed.
I had a buddy who put a 351W in one, and he had clearance problems with the manifolds and the doghouse in general. The 351C is a little lower deck, but the heads are wider, so it is going to have the same issues as the 351w. It fits, but some parts hit.
SO.. my vote is to beef up a 302. You could go stroker 331 or 347, or Mustang motor 302 with about 225 horse, about 90 more horse than a stock '74 302 made.
Your transmission.... What you gonna do there?
I had a buddy who put a 351W in one, and he had clearance problems with the manifolds and the doghouse in general. The 351C is a little lower deck, but the heads are wider, so it is going to have the same issues as the 351w. It fits, but some parts hit.
SO.. my vote is to beef up a 302. You could go stroker 331 or 347, or Mustang motor 302 with about 225 horse, about 90 more horse than a stock '74 302 made.
Your transmission.... What you gonna do there?
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Well I didn't really think a modified would fit but I disagree about it being a "guttles turd" my dad's 1979 F-150 4x4 which he bought new has one he ordered in it and the truck was tough as heck and the motor still runs but anyway. I wanna keep the three on the tree I like standards but someone once told me some had 4spds in them not sure if that's accurate or not I've never seen one any info
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Not really sure I've owned alot of Fords but I've never really worked on them I never really had to except put a radiator,and waterpump in my 1966 pickup I used to have. I've worked on Chevy,and Plymouth mostly in fact I'm selling my Valiant to redo my van motor and get it going. I bought it about ten yrs ago life happened and it's been setting in my Dad's barn I went and seen him over Labor Day weekend he said either I do something with it or he's gonna haul it off so I decided to get off my **** and start working on it
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From: Maryville
Even a 351 Windsor is a headache and not for the meek, there just isn't the room, building a 302 or purchasing a 347 stroker is the only option, I have a 73 and have looked into it already.
A 351/400M in stock emission form is junk, remove it all, mate the right performance internals, cam being the most important, and you can compete with the big blocks, minus the weight, the 400 is the best out there. Those who see it as a turd have never owned one that had been stripped of the emission add ons demanded by the EPA, the early stock form before restrictions were in heavy muscle cars, rocketing them around like nothin.
A 351/400M in stock emission form is junk, remove it all, mate the right performance internals, cam being the most important, and you can compete with the big blocks, minus the weight, the 400 is the best out there. Those who see it as a turd have never owned one that had been stripped of the emission add ons demanded by the EPA, the early stock form before restrictions were in heavy muscle cars, rocketing them around like nothin.
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Considering all the high performance parts available for 302 & how much like medieval torture shoehorning a 351 into an early 70's Econoline sounds, it seems like a No Brainer which route you'd be "better off"?
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Thanks folks I took ya'lls advice I ordered a Edelbrock intake from Jegs today had it sent to my parents house since that's where my van is (Paris,Tx) and I live in south Tx (Aransas Pass) I'm going back up their Fathers Day weekend to try to get it out,torn down,and sent to machine shop I'm also gonna get a Edelbrock four barrel carb,but the Jegs guy wasn't sure about if anyone made a header that would fit do any of ya'll know what will fit and where I can find them or have any other suggestions ya'll would do.
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Thanks folks I took ya'lls advice I ordered a Edelbrock intake from Jegs today had it sent to my parents house since that's where my van is (Paris,Tx) and I live in south Tx (Aransas Pass) I'm going back up their Fathers Day weekend to try to get it out,torn down,and sent to machine shop I'm also gonna get a Edelbrock four barrel carb,but the Jegs guy wasn't sure about if anyone made a header that would fit do any of ya'll know what will fit and where I can find them or have any other suggestions ya'll would do.
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From: Maryville
Buddy, you should start lookin for a set of heads before bolting on another intake, get it over with since the valves will beat into their seats due to the absence of lead in todays gas, it was required for them. Skip headers, they make little to no difference and are more of a headache than performance addition, stock manifolds are fine, just get the pipes upgraded to 2 1/2" duals. If money was available, I'd go with a 347 stroker, their power output is close to the 351 Windsor.
The Econoline site has all kinds of things you'll want to do, I have been there since it started, not as active until I bought a mid Ford, use it as reference and articles.
The Econoline site has all kinds of things you'll want to do, I have been there since it started, not as active until I bought a mid Ford, use it as reference and articles.
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Brandonf1975 posted his goal: "wanna make a"hotrod toy".
IMHO a "hotrod toy" isn't strictly about "performance addition". It's very heavily about appearance & shoveling cash into a hole. Especially the hole under the hood. 1974 iron "stock manifolds" have the visual appeal of farm tractor exhaust. By tradition a "hotrod toy" almost certainly requires steel tube headers.
I'd expect a '74 vintage 302 has hardened valve seat inserts. The issue of unleaded gas eroding valve seats was essentially limited to old fashioned heads that lacked hardened inserts, where valve seats were cut into & valves sealed directly against the cast iron head.
Brandonf1975 may want to follow the "hotrod" tradition of schlepping his heads to a machine shop to have them tweeked. That is ported, polished, planed & cut to fit bigger valves-to better handle the Edelbrock cfm.
I'd expect a '74 vintage 302 has hardened valve seat inserts. The issue of unleaded gas eroding valve seats was essentially limited to old fashioned heads that lacked hardened inserts, where valve seats were cut into & valves sealed directly against the cast iron head.
Brandonf1975 may want to follow the "hotrod" tradition of schlepping his heads to a machine shop to have them tweeked. That is ported, polished, planed & cut to fit bigger valves-to better handle the Edelbrock cfm.
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Ok I'm gonna show my inner idiot I'm not sure what a "horologists" is but if it's a person who studies loose women then yeah I know quite a few,and yes I think I'm go the route of having the heads shaved,port,and polished.I'm thinking kinda doing this thing up a little "oldschool" but make it run off of todays regular gas
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I tried getting onto a Econoline Message Board for 70's era Econo's ran by a guy named Roger he supposed to be a Econoline guru but I couldn't figure out how to post anything so I tried this one and hope I sent my message to the proper people so far ya'll have been very helpful. Thanks