Just to stir things up a bit, ..... I've always heard that Ford never called the M a "Modified". However, that's not quite true. I've attached a page out of Ford's Master Parts Catalog from 1980 through 1989. Note the highlighted references to the 351M as Modified.

Now, if ctubutis sees this he'll confirm that I'm not going to the bank with anything the MPC says since I've found lots and lots and lots of errors in it. (In fact, yesterday Chris said something to the effect of "The parts catalog confirms that" and I put the emoticon in my response.) But, it is interesting that someone at Ford called it a Modified, and said someone was either editing or creating entries in the Master Parts Catalog.

Here 'tis, but if you want to see it up close and personal go to my Misc album.

 

I said that because, despite its failings and errors, it is nevertheless the most credible & authoritative source we have.

 

Yes, but just because it says it doesn't make it so. My fastener quest has found contradictions in the MPC, with one page showing one fastener and another page showing a different fastener for the same application. Similarly, it says that that clear turn signals were used before 12/80, but I have two trucks built in 10 and 11/80 that both have amber signals.

So, I agree that it is the best we have and is far, FAR better than nothing. But, I'm not going to fight battles based on the MPC.

 

. I thought the claim was that the 400 was never called a 400M or 400Modified?

. Obviously the 400 came first, then was, sadly, modified down into a '351'/'352' called a 351M... all have same bore and stroke, but actually closer to a 352"... name changed just to distinguish later motors from earlier 352 design...

 

The page says 351 CID with the "modified" and "Windsor" under that, and 400 CID further down with no qualifier. That says to me whomever created that as well as whomever approved it agreed with our terminology - the 400 was called a "400". Not 400M. But, it is odd that the term used for the M is "modified" and not "Modified" in all four entries there. Why not "Modified"?

Oh well, I'll say again that just because it is the master parts catalog doesn't prove anything on any subject to me. But it does lend credibility to it, whatever "it" is. In this case it does seem like some people at Ford used the term "modified" to refer to the 351M and got that terminology into print.

 

351M introduced in 1975 Ford/Mercury Passenger Cars, was referred to as Modified from day one by FoMoCo parts & service reps, partsguys, parts managers, mechanics, service writers, service managers.

But the general public (as usual) was mostly unaware back then...and still is today.

I remember back in the late 1970's when a customer was arguing with a parts guy at the counter (it wasn't me). The guy claimed M referred to Midland.

I stuck my nose in, told the customer that Ford had no engine assembly plant, nor any other facilities in Midland TX, so how the hell could M refer to Midland?

I then said...it refers to Modified...PERIOD!
Uh huh...did you buy both of these trucks new? If not...how do you know if these amber lenses were factory installed or replaced...for whatever reason...sometime later?

This wouldn't be the first time that park lamps were swapped...and the owners did this, not only when the trucks were brand new, but are still doing it today.

1973/75 and 1976 F100/350 before serial number C50,001 have clear park lamps...from serial number C50,001 have amber park lamps, as do 1977's.

But some people didn't (and still don't) like the amber lamps, so install clear lamps instead. Personally, I prefer the amber lamps, but as Mr. Fixit has discovered, I've been non-conformist since day one!

 

. 'modified' is an ordinary word, 'Windsor' is the name of a city and gets a capital W... if M stood for Midland, Michigan, it would get a capital M in the listing as a 351 Midland...?

. Can we nitpick or what...?

 

HWMBLT has spoken.

(Is that the same as SWMBO? Or, is there a difference between L'ing and O'ing?)

 

You can nit pick if you wish, but I don't agree with your analogy.

It's been 351M since day one. The M does not refer to a city in Midland MI or TX or anywhere else, it refers to Modified.

Whether the M is capitalized or not, has little to do with it.

Some people type it as 351m, some type it as 351M .. which is correct FoMoCo terminology.

 

Bill - The above was to you, but Buzz got in the middle.

 

Despite the interloper (sigh), I knew that. But...I don't know what the initials HWMBLT refer to.

I do know that BLT is 'restaurant speak' for a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.

HWMB is probably 'He who must be' but what is LT?

Lieutenant? Large Tub (of mush)?

 

HWMBLT? He, who must be...?

 

Listened To. Doesn't mean "heeded" nor "obeyed". But is a huge step up from "ignored".

 

Maybe I'm a doofus (ok, perhaps more than maybe), but I always thought that it was called "modified" because that's exactly what it was....a destroked, or "modified" 400 of 351 cubic inches. I thought the 351M came after the 400, so it stood to reason that they just modified a 400 for a newly configured plant. They probably put the "M" on the end because there were already 351C's and 351W's, so they needed the M as a designator to differentiate it from the others. This is also why I think people who say 400M are silly, as there were no other 400's to differentiate from, so there is no need for a letter designator. It's just 400. Anyway, that's just my oddball logic.

 

Not oddball at all. If you read ND/Bill's post that's exactly what he's saying - and he was a parts manager since the Model T. And, that's what Buzz is saying as well.

(Maybe the reason I fully agree is that I've always called the 351M a "modified". I have no clue who taught me that, but someone did, "back in the day".)