Hey guys, I own a 1995 ford f150 and I want to make it a sleeper truck. I bought a 1989 302 H.O bored .30 over and want to get an air raid TBS over sized air Cleaner, becauseI've been told that cold air intakes just screw everything up, a B&M shift improver and a new top end as well as minor bottom end goodies. My current engine is a 351 Windsor with an E4OD 4 speed tranny. I blew the tranny but the engine is still fine besides a head gasket and water pump. I'm confused on what to do if I should just rebuild the 351 and run the 302 while doing that or just junk the 351 or the 302. I want a sleeper truck so I'm going to put on a roll pan set of 245s on the front and 295s on the back maybe a ford 9inch from my buddy with led tail lights projector head lights billet grille and a 2 and a half inch cowl hood. Looking for good ideas that aren't terribly expensive and I do want to turbo it and I know that s/c`s are better. As well as a chip and programmer any ideas will be appreciated.

 

No offense meant, but none of the things you mentioned, with the exception of the engine, will make it a sleeper.

That said, I think you'd be better off building the 351. GT40 heads, 1.7 ratio rockers, headers and a decent exhaust. This can be done without the project being terribly expensive.

Forced induction isn't cheap. Even with low boost, you'll need larger fuel injectors, possibly a higher flow fuel pump, and definitely a tune, not to mention a host of other upgrades to make the truck reliably handle boost.

The 9-inch rear is over rated, and won't work easily with your truck. Your stock 8.8 can handle a lot of power, and has a VSS mounted on top of the differential housing that gives the speedo its signal. The 9 inch doesn't have a VSS, so you'd have to figure out where to pick up a signal for the speedo.

 

Im with bob here. Even a small amount of work to your 351 will blow that 302 away. As far as the roll pan, tires ect. That will make it stand out more as a pony truck. If you want a sleeper, leave it completely stock on the outside, build up your 351, and throw some 4.10 gearing in that sucker. That will be a sleeper.

 

Steel wheels, the plain chrome bumper (maybe even the painted gray bumper), non-chrome side mirrors, stock size tires, and XL badges will help convince everybody it's a stock truck. Basically, if Ford didn't put it there (visible to the public) don't put it on.

Definitely stick with the 351. With barely any mods it'll put down more power than a fairly well worked over 302. Make sure you keep the exhaust quiet and leave it dual exit on the passenger side behind the tire to help with the illusion. If the engine and drivetrain are up to it, NO2 is the cheapest way to gain a lot of horsepower and you could hide the bottle in the bed.

If you want handling as well as speed, look at moving some weight off the front axle and towards the rear. You could add a crossbed toolbox to put the battery (possibly your NO2 bottle) and any other miscellaneous items you can to move the weight rearward.

 

Take the 351 for sure. I think yours is already a roller motor too, so you are way ahead. Just like the old saying..."There's no replacement for displacement."

Besides, the 351 is already bigger than a stroked 302 (347) and tons more reliable. No funky piston rings causing blow-by or extra stress on the crank shaft due to longe stroke with a 347. Anyway, why do you think fox body guys are always swapping in 351s?

In a completely unrelated note...one of my favorite sleeper trucks I have seen was an early 80's F100 short bed with a stepside. The trucks paint was ruined (skuzzy blue and mild surface rust) and the seat was worn out. The truck even had a set of old factory white-painted steel wheels with center caps and no trim bands, but the trucks owner had shoved a 514 big-block stroker under the hood and ran a really quiet set of after-the-axle dumped 3 in. duals. The guy even left a factory tail pipe and muffler sticking out of the back, just not hooked up. That was a well thought out sleeper if I've ever seen one.

 

What are your true goals.
I'd build the 351 into a n/a stroker or leave it 351 and do boost.
If its a driver, get a rebuilt e4od or (some hate me) get a 4r70.
I'd swap to explorer electronics. (Send cam sensor to get the driveshaft enlarged with an edm) Swapping to the explorer electronics allows for much better tuning and transmission programming.

But, swapping to mass air on your truck is easy, and I'm sure you can find someone to burn a chip for it.

Boost isn't as expensive as people make it. Turbos are the easiest to adapt.
First find a tuner, then decide what power level you want, then do supporting mods, then upgrade major items.

I have so many parts for my 90, I just need time to work on it, and a clean garage.

 

When you say sleeper, I'm thinking new modular block backed by a tremec. That's where I wanna go.

 

See I never thought about it that way. That would be quiet the sleeper. One of these would work quiet well:

5.0L 4V TI-VCT 412 HP MUSTANG CRATE ENGINE | Part Details for M-6007-M50* | Ford Racing Performance Parts

 

Take 351 and build into stroker

 

just saying but in my experience there is alot more support for forced induction for the 302 than the 351 and remember the truck isnt going to be a lightweight and probably wont handle the greatest at higher speed

 

When you said you wanted to make it a "sleeper" I figured you were looking for one of these...
Sleeps 2 comfortably.

 

Well the nice thing is that almost everything performance based for a 302 works 100% ok on a 351. You just see more for the 302 because they are more common.

 

Completely agree with this, grab yourself a coyote 5.0 and mate it to a t-56. Then all you would need is some headers, a good tune, and a big bottle of the laughy stuff and you would embarrass a lot of cars let alone trucks.

 

I'm just waiting for the orange one to go pop. But with only about 10000km on the new block, might just be a project when there are many available.

 

I could make it easier for you. Pull out that 306, I pay you, you ship it to Toronto via cn rail haha.