351W vs big block
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New User
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 19
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From: Milton, GA
351W vs big block
Hi all, recently had to sell my 75 f250 due to a excessively twisted frame. I'm now wanting to get another truck to build as my daily driver. I work at a restoration garage and my boss gave me a 351W and an overdrive tranny out of his bronco because it was taking up to much space at the shop. The 351 was turbocharged while it was in his bronco, made hp in the 600s. It needs to be rebuilt. I plan on building a 408 stroker out of it or at least something that will be in the 500s for hp. My struggle is that right now, highboy f250s are extremely rare in my area (north Georgia). The one's I do find have running big blocks in them, mostly 460s. My boss has insisted that a correctly built 351W will outperform a 460. Plus it weighs a lot less. What are some of y'alls opinions? I am not overly concerned with fuel milage, I'm just gonna delete the tank in the cab and put a 25 or 30 gallon tank under the bed. I am mainly looking for good power in a daily driver, won't be towing with it either.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,587
Likes: 47
From: Eagle River, AK
A Built 351W vs. a Built 460, no chance the 351W will out perform it.
A Built 351W vs. a Stock or Mildly built 460, sure the 351W could beat it.
The trick is you will have to build the heck out of the 351W, push it harder and to a higher RPM to get the same results as the 460.
I have nothing against the 351W, it is actually my favorite small block, but there is truth in the statement "There is no replacement for displacement". For these old trucks, torque is king.
A Built 351W vs. a Stock or Mildly built 460, sure the 351W could beat it.
The trick is you will have to build the heck out of the 351W, push it harder and to a higher RPM to get the same results as the 460.
I have nothing against the 351W, it is actually my favorite small block, but there is truth in the statement "There is no replacement for displacement". For these old trucks, torque is king.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 687
Likes: 4
From: CT
Rich said it very well. The Windsor is a great engine also one of my favorite small blocks.
Just a small question, how many people do you know which personally daily drive a gasoline vehicle with over 500HP, without computer controls? How much work(adjustments) do they do on a regular basis? Are they running vacuum brakes? How does it idle etc etc
500HP can be done but having it for a daily driver, no towing good power....
If you have the Windsor and overdrive transmission it would be a fun build to watch on FTE. No need to go through the roof with goodies but I will sit behind my keyboard once a week and cheer you on if you want to turbocharge a big or small block in a dent.
Good luck on your search for a truck
Just a small question, how many people do you know which personally daily drive a gasoline vehicle with over 500HP, without computer controls? How much work(adjustments) do they do on a regular basis? Are they running vacuum brakes? How does it idle etc etc
500HP can be done but having it for a daily driver, no towing good power....
If you have the Windsor and overdrive transmission it would be a fun build to watch on FTE. No need to go through the roof with goodies but I will sit behind my keyboard once a week and cheer you on if you want to turbocharge a big or small block in a dent.
Good luck on your search for a truck
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
Likes: 83
From: NorCal
For dollar spent per HP, I'd go with a 460.... 400 HP is relatively easy to attain with port matched stock heads, a cam, 4V intake/750 carb, and headers... plus it has the low end grunt.
A 351W will have to breathe at 5000+ RPM to make 400 HP.
A 351W will have to breathe at 5000+ RPM to make 400 HP.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 687
Likes: 4
From: CT
And not to sound like a Debbie downer
To make over 400hp in a 351 and get 150+k through it with minimal maintenance you need to start with a excellent block or aftermarket block.
You throw a 408 kit into a block which isn't line honed mains and cam, oil mods etc it won't last. I know I've built one. It's sitting under my deck and I'm building a 460 because it will make the power I want for a very long time.
I love the 351W. I made it into a 427 great crazy power. But the cylinder walls were so thin it would overheat in traffic. The juice wasn't worth the squeeze.
Now keep the stroke Stockish with forged internals and a 50mm turbo and good tune using a mustang computer you've got it made. That will make lots of power with the right heads and cam.
But build what you want. Take lots and lots of pictures I would love to see either get built.
To make over 400hp in a 351 and get 150+k through it with minimal maintenance you need to start with a excellent block or aftermarket block.
You throw a 408 kit into a block which isn't line honed mains and cam, oil mods etc it won't last. I know I've built one. It's sitting under my deck and I'm building a 460 because it will make the power I want for a very long time.
I love the 351W. I made it into a 427 great crazy power. But the cylinder walls were so thin it would overheat in traffic. The juice wasn't worth the squeeze.
Now keep the stroke Stockish with forged internals and a 50mm turbo and good tune using a mustang computer you've got it made. That will make lots of power with the right heads and cam.
But build what you want. Take lots and lots of pictures I would love to see either get built.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 676
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From: south east kansas
A correctly built 351w would out perform a stock 460, but a built 460 would/could run circles around a built 351w.
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More Turbo
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 622
Likes: 2
From: Phoenix, AZ
Hi, I have a 351W EFI in my 2wd SB with a mild cam and a little bit of head work, it runs great but it's not 460 BB. You will spend less money building a BB if you have one to start with and the torque will be amazing.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,436
Likes: 19
From: Regina, Saskatchewan
As a wise old man once told me...
"The 460 will pass anything on the highway... except a gas station".
If you don't care about fuel economy, go big. Go 460. It's an absolute pig, but it makes tons of power.
A fully modified 351W wouldn't exactly be fuel efficient, but it wouldn't suck as much fuel as a modded 460 either.
"The 460 will pass anything on the highway... except a gas station".
If you don't care about fuel economy, go big. Go 460. It's an absolute pig, but it makes tons of power.
A fully modified 351W wouldn't exactly be fuel efficient, but it wouldn't suck as much fuel as a modded 460 either.
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
As a wise old man once told me...
"The 460 will pass anything on the highway... except a gas station".
If you don't care about fuel economy, go big. Go 460. It's an absolute pig, but it makes tons of power.
A fully modified 351W wouldn't exactly be fuel efficient, but it wouldn't suck as much fuel as a modded 460 either.
"The 460 will pass anything on the highway... except a gas station".
If you don't care about fuel economy, go big. Go 460. It's an absolute pig, but it makes tons of power.
A fully modified 351W wouldn't exactly be fuel efficient, but it wouldn't suck as much fuel as a modded 460 either.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 868
Likes: 3
From: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
I think I have run just about every engine combo in these trucks I can think of. They were all within a 1 or 2 to the gallon with my mildly built 429 giving a steady 14-15 mpg , if I was super nice to my 302 it would give 16 . The worst was my 300 six. My 351m's and 1 Cleveland would all be in the 13 14 range. And before someone calls me on it, I use Canadian gallons which are larger than the US gallon.
Big blocks like the 429 and 460 don't work near as hard as a small block to do the same thing.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 5
From: Burlington, WI
Mileage wise, my stock 351M and 400 that were in my first supercab F250 gave me about 12 and 14 respectively.
Now my 460 in my newest supercab got 15 hwy the whole 800+ mile trip from Kansas to Wisconsin. In town mileage sucks though. Doesn't help the PO never really serviced the motor and it's out of adjustment in every way possible.
Now my 460 in my newest supercab got 15 hwy the whole 800+ mile trip from Kansas to Wisconsin. In town mileage sucks though. Doesn't help the PO never really serviced the motor and it's out of adjustment in every way possible.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 575
Likes: 6
From: Knoxville, TN
The last two statements you made says it all. First off, good power in a daily driver is a 350hp mild 351......OR a stock 460. Both have streetable power and would be good for daily driving as a "tool truck" or lumber yard truck and do just fine in a Dent F100 or F150.....both motors are reasonable to build and would give light towing capacity.
Now....if it's really about max HP....no doubt a 460 will fit this bill better than the 351 no matter the truck
..... if its really going to be a solid work horse, run into ground, and you are looking at finding an F250, then your 460 would be a great choice.
It really depends on if you want a daily driver or a performance driver and what size Dent you plan on putting it in....
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 559
Likes: 4
From: Australian Outback
my boss gave me a 351W and an overdrive tranny
I'd use it, especially if it was free. If it needs some work, then do it.
My father has a 408 powered '79 F350 long-bed. It makes about 500hp and 522ftlb, and moves along really well. No issues cruising, going uphill with a load, or beating the local hotted up sedans and coupes in the traffic light drag races!
Before he did that to it, it was a regular mildly built 351... and even then it was great to drive. In a lighter vehicle that mild 351 would have been a weapon. If I recall it was about .030" over, stock crank and rods, mildly ported heads, stock dual plane intake and Thermoquad, and a fairly tame camshaft - something akin to an 'RV / Torque' grind from TRW, Summit or Elgin.
Seeing as you already have the 351 and trans, I would use it.