Just a few corrections for suggestions from 85e150six4mtod...

Any FE engine is a cam swap away from being an excellent pickup truck engine though the 406's and 427's are harder to find and more costly. I'm actually an FE guy but I don't think they'd be my first choice for this situation.

I don't understand how age of the engine matters. Any engine of any age needs to be disassembled and tested for cracks, leaks, etc before building. As an aside, 427's, SBF's and 385 engines can be built with all new components, including the blocks....with some extra money of course. So age is not really a concern.

The Clevelands have the same bell housing as the Windsors. Since they have better flowing heads I don't think I'd be in a hurry to sell it over a Windsor.


All the engine families mentioned can be built into excellent engines for an F100...from mild to wild and from cheap to extravagant. All can be formulated to be low end torque monsters or high end crazy racers. For the OP's situation, I lean toward building the 351 whether it's a Windsor or a Cleveland. Properly prepped and with the right cam either will make 350 hp and just over 400 lb ft with stock stroke and be very streetable. With guidance and help from an experienced builder either can make a real honey of a motor.

 

I think that's a very good summary from '65Ford. The only thing I would add is that a lot of people mistakenly call a 351M a 351 Cleveland and it's not unusual for someone to give away a 351M for free. There were a lot more 351Ms made than Clevelands

As with all the other engine options, the 351M could make a fine truck engine with a few aftermarket parts like aluminum heads with a quench chamber, and a 400 crank swap is a bolt in. Just be aware it has a big block bell housing bolt pattern not a small block, so make sure the rest of the drivetrain is compatible if it turns out to be a 351M.

 

Yeah, I forgot an "M" might sneak in there. Good engine too even if it was launched during tightening EPA regulations which kept it from shining. Today it can be brought to life with better parts. The 385 series bell housing should have nice tranny choices too.

 

Holy schmolies guys! This kid is NEW to the game, stop confusing him with all these silly arguments about what "might" be a good engine and throwing around numbers like 427 which most guys (like me) have never actually seen in person!

When I was 18 I had been working in Dad's shop from the time I was old enough to hold a wrench. At that time, and notwithstanding having rebuilt two or three engines, I really didn't know much compared to what I've learned in the ensuing 30 years.

Try to keep the answers for this kid simple and straightforward, and maybe try to work with what he's presented us so far.

No offense Chase, you've shown above average intelligence by posting your question to a great forum where much accumulated knowledge can be, and is, disseminated on a daily basis.

Ok, back to the topic at hand, which was, 302 and 351 in a truck.
Do you know, or were you told, which 351 you have? Can you post pics of the truck and the spare engine so we can tell you what you have and maybe give advice on where to go with it?

 

Ha! Yeah, we're having fun with somebody else's truck. Now in our defense, all engines mentioned do deserve a mention. The OP hasn't even seen the engine so the "351" could be a W, C, or M. None of which were offered in his model year. The FE series was mentioned, it was offered in this truck and the 427 being a member of this family will bolt right into any car/truck that has any FE. Should it be a "351M", that would mean a tranny swap since the truck has 302. All things worth knowing and we did keep it very high level. No need getting into knitty gritty until the engine is in hand.

So to keep it simple...run the 302 while researching whatever the "free" engine happens to be and go from there. Since the free engine hasn't been identified, I guess any further discussion is a thread hijack.

 

I did forget the 406, but I think the 410 was that POS motor they built, wasn't it?

 

If' you're looking for the elusive 427, look for old fire engines. :-)

 

Some 351's can be taken to 427 cubes. Ford racing offers 427's based on Boss 351's. It's serious stuff and lot of money, but fun to look at. Not the same animal as the previously mentioned FE based 427, but there it is...related to 351 so as not to be a thread hi jack. :-)

 

427s were never found as OEM in any fire truck, or any truck for that matter.

 

I beg to differ, I watch the auctions and have seen them a couple of times listed as 427's. Next time I see one I will post it.

 

I have heard, from a Ford nut like us, that stroker smallblock Fords have problems with longevity. They make gobs of power in racing applications, but at the expense of howlong they last. He explained that it has to do with short piston skirts and extreme rod angles.
thus, if I were building a hot rod which wouldnt be driven much, I'd go with the power gains of an extreme stroker motor like a 427W or the 302 based 347.
If I were looking for durable long lasting streetable and relatively fuel efficient power, I'd look at a less overkill stroker like the 383W or the 302 based 330.
If I wanted ultra reliable and economical power, with readily avalable and easily replaceable parts, I'd build a 351W with '69 heads ported on the exhaust side and fitted with 1.94/1.60 valves, a good flowing 4v intake, free flowing exhaust, and a 5 speed trans, all driving a 3.50:1 9 inch.

 

I was told it was a 351 C so let's just go with that. Where do I go from there?

 

If it's a Cleveland you don't have to do much of anything to get it to 300 HP. You need to figure out if it really is a Cleveland. Cleveland's timing chain cover was cast as part of the block and the fuel pump bolts were vertical. If that checks out you need to determine if it's a 2 barrel or a 4 barrel engine. In the picture if you look at the top corner of the head you will see the number 4, those are 4 barrel heads if it's a 2 barrel engine it will have a 2 cast in it. The 2 barrel engines were in 1971 were 250HP/355 ft.lb. torque and the 4 barrel engines were 300HP/380 ft. lb. torque

 

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Sorry for participating in hijacking the thread, but since it happened... I was just filling in the blanks. A 406 is old and rare so a waste of time. I know nothing of the 60's as I was pre occupied with not existing. A 410 was a big car mover and not a performance motor. All of the big 3 non performance motor got a bad reputation because there was no association with speed. I doubt a 427 came in a fire truck and it would NOT have been a crossbolt side oiler because speed race motors do not move heavy objects efficiently.

I am happy to hear Chase got a slick for graduating and yes keep the 302 till you really know what you want. Get a career first as you will appreciate the bigger pay cheques to pay for what you really want.