1977 F350 Doin' Work!
#1
03-29-2014, 09:45 PM
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1977 F350 Doin' Work!
I've been poking around other parts of this forum and thought I would share this photo of the family farm's 1977 F-350. It has a 400M with a 4 sp trans. The truck was originally a US Postal Service truck and my uncle bought it who-knows how many decades ago. He built the stake body on it. Its an original, rust free truck and the AM mono-speaker radio still works, not that you could ever hear it over the engine. It pulls strong and routinely hauls soybean and wheat seed bulk boxes on that trailer. This was our first attempt at pulling a tractor like this and it actually handled it very well.
Considering, its dead flat where we live and I am not traveling long distances (15-20 miles max), its does great.
Let me know what you all think of the truck!
Considering, its dead flat where we live and I am not traveling long distances (15-20 miles max), its does great.
Let me know what you all think of the truck!
#3
03-29-2014, 10:37 PM
twins
I have your trucks twin. I have had it about 20 years.
I purchased it from the original owner who had build a custom welding bed for it.
It had been sitting forever when I purchased it and the only thing I have not replaced or rebuilt is the transmission and the chunk of a rear end.
It hauls a SA200 on the back and probably another ton between the bed and the bottles and tools.
I have hauled a big skid steer a few times and it always surprises me with as much power it has.
I purchased it from the original owner who had build a custom welding bed for it.
It had been sitting forever when I purchased it and the only thing I have not replaced or rebuilt is the transmission and the chunk of a rear end.
It hauls a SA200 on the back and probably another ton between the bed and the bottles and tools.
I have hauled a big skid steer a few times and it always surprises me with as much power it has.
#4
03-29-2014, 10:54 PM
#5
03-30-2014, 01:40 AM
Just gonna but in here and point out that there is no such thing as a 400M. Nice truck though! Love it.
When the 351 Cleveland was discontinued after the 1974 model year, Ford needed another engine in that size range, since production of the 351 Windsor was not sufficient and the 390 FE was also being retired.
To replace the 390, Ford took the 400 engine's tall-deck block and de-stroked it with the shorter-throw crankshaft from the 351 Windsor, and taller pistons, to produce a 351 cubic inch (5.8 L) engine whose components were largely compatible with the 400. 351M block castings were modified to prevent cracks in the lifter area; additionally, the 351M casting contains X marks cast next to each lifter bore.
351M production began in 1975 in the Michigan Casting Center, and continued until mid-year 1978, when manufacture was transferred to the Cleveland Foundry/Cleveland Casting Plant.
The M-block, as it became known, was the last push rod V8 block designed by Ford. The M-block also shares some elements with the Windsor engine family: bore spacing, cylinder head bolt-patterns and crankshaft journal dimensions.
There exists debate as to what Ford intended the "M" designation of the 351M to refer to. Some claim the "M" stands for “Modified” - due to the derived components from both the "Cleveland" (block, heads) and "Windsor" (crankshaft) components - though others claim that the "M" refers to the Michigan Casting Center, where the 351M began production.
Likewise, Ford's use of the 400 block in the creation of the 351M engine has resulted in the 400 mistakenly being referred to as the "400M" or "400 Modified," despite having been the design basis from which the "modified" 351M was derived. Additionally, while the 351M and 400 motors are both based on the Cleveland block, Ford's official name for the block contains no additional designations - the proper nomenclature is simply "400."
History of the Ford 351M
M-Block 351M/400 Parts Reference
351M/400 Performance Build Up
Rumors & Myths
To replace the 390, Ford took the 400 engine's tall-deck block and de-stroked it with the shorter-throw crankshaft from the 351 Windsor, and taller pistons, to produce a 351 cubic inch (5.8 L) engine whose components were largely compatible with the 400. 351M block castings were modified to prevent cracks in the lifter area; additionally, the 351M casting contains X marks cast next to each lifter bore.
351M production began in 1975 in the Michigan Casting Center, and continued until mid-year 1978, when manufacture was transferred to the Cleveland Foundry/Cleveland Casting Plant.
The M-block, as it became known, was the last push rod V8 block designed by Ford. The M-block also shares some elements with the Windsor engine family: bore spacing, cylinder head bolt-patterns and crankshaft journal dimensions.
There exists debate as to what Ford intended the "M" designation of the 351M to refer to. Some claim the "M" stands for “Modified” - due to the derived components from both the "Cleveland" (block, heads) and "Windsor" (crankshaft) components - though others claim that the "M" refers to the Michigan Casting Center, where the 351M began production.
Likewise, Ford's use of the 400 block in the creation of the 351M engine has resulted in the 400 mistakenly being referred to as the "400M" or "400 Modified," despite having been the design basis from which the "modified" 351M was derived. Additionally, while the 351M and 400 motors are both based on the Cleveland block, Ford's official name for the block contains no additional designations - the proper nomenclature is simply "400."
History of the Ford 351M
M-Block 351M/400 Parts Reference
351M/400 Performance Build Up
Rumors & Myths
M referred to Modified from day one. The heads used on these smogged up turds (1975/78, FoMoCo changed 'em in 1979) were very prone to cracking.
Most of the time this occurred after the 2 year or 24,000 mile warranty period ran out, which p!ssed off many owners, as Ford refused to do anything about it.
Because new heads didn't come with valves, usually rebuilt heads with valves were installed to replace the cracked turds.
The Ford dealer parts & labor cost to the customers back then was roughly $700.00, which included the heads core charge, since the POS heads were no good.
700 bucks was a lotta money back then. From circa 1975 thru 1982, I passed out well over 400 sets of these heads to mechanics to replace the turds.
One parts guy at one dealership, now multiply this by 7,000, the number of US/Canadian FoMoCo dealers back then.
IMO, the 351M (and 1975/78 400) belong in the same FoMoCo scrap heap as the awful 3.8L "miracle" V6, A4LD & AOD.
Most of the time this occurred after the 2 year or 24,000 mile warranty period ran out, which p!ssed off many owners, as Ford refused to do anything about it.
Because new heads didn't come with valves, usually rebuilt heads with valves were installed to replace the cracked turds.
The Ford dealer parts & labor cost to the customers back then was roughly $700.00, which included the heads core charge, since the POS heads were no good.
700 bucks was a lotta money back then. From circa 1975 thru 1982, I passed out well over 400 sets of these heads to mechanics to replace the turds.
One parts guy at one dealership, now multiply this by 7,000, the number of US/Canadian FoMoCo dealers back then.
IMO, the 351M (and 1975/78 400) belong in the same FoMoCo scrap heap as the awful 3.8L "miracle" V6, A4LD & AOD.
#6
03-30-2014, 08:09 AM
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As far as the engines being junk, all I can say is our 400M (
) runs strong but we have seen issues with other trucks with that family engine, specifically in the heads. On the flip side, my father has a '78 150, original owner, ~180,000 miles and has never had the heads off it. Win some, ya lose some.
#7
03-30-2014, 08:13 AM
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Yea, I would say we are pushing the limit with this. Considering we stay on back roads, flat, with no traffic I feel comfortable with it. I would certainly not try and jump on the highway and go any significant distance with this set up. Oh, and its a rental so we are not towing this routinely. I would love to tow it with a new F350 6.7L but I am about $60K short on money so this will have to do for now.
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#12
03-30-2014, 09:55 PM
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Yes sir!! Don't get me wrong, I love a clean restored truck, but its good to keep 'em working. That is quite the payload!
#13
03-30-2014, 09:58 PM
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https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...he-family.html
We just picked this up a few weeks ago at a local auction. First priority is to get a hopper bottom but a low boy is a possibility one day too.
just a little bit of wet oak!
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