You'll definitely have more torque from the bigger engine. Fuel mileage probably won't be terribly different from what you're used to. Bigger engine can use more fuel, but more powerful engine sometimes means you're not so hard in the throttle under load, so mpg is probably a push. The good part is it will use the same bellhousing and mounts, is the same size front to back so you won't need to mess with fan distance. The only thing different is the deck height, which means some exhaust work, but that's easy stuff compared to what it could be swapping to an entirely different engine family. I say go for it.

 

Intake and distributor are also different and a little more difficult to find .

 

Why would they be hard to find..?

 

IMHO, I consider the 351 an engine that is good, and if I already had one I would look at rebuilding it with some improvement. I consider the 300, 302, & 460 to be the better engines in terms of performance. IMHO, I would not go out a buy a 351 (power, mpg, etc.).... especially when there are so many good options for the 302, etc (FRPP, etc.)...and if you're going to buy cid's...you might as well go all the way and buy a 460.

 

I guess I should have said used are more difficult to find although there is not nearly the options or at the price as a 302 has . I did eventually find a used edelbrock for mine but it took some time .

 

Hey *****,
We've got a 351W in our 1950 F1 with an Explorer rear end & an AOD transmission.
Hmmmm…. We've got 28K miles on our truck at this point.. A great cruiser.
We upgraded our engine to 400HP with an Edelbrock Top End Kit... You can also get very close to that
same HP by upgrading your 302 Top End. The only issue we had with the higher HP was overheating here in Texas...
We upgraded the Fan set up to a Mark VIII 4000 cfm fan out of a V8 Thunderbird... no issues after that.

Personally I'd rebuild your 302 & upgrade the Top End for 350HP or so... You'll be happy & you have everything already in place …
exhaust, pulleys, belts, trans cooler, carb, etc.

Good luck over there.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

If you are doing a complete rebuild 302 or 351 you might as well do a stroker kit its some of the cheapest hp you can get .

 

What he said. You'd be shocked at how inexpensive a quality 347 kit can be. You can have nearly the same cubic inches as a 351W and ALL of its performance in the same package as your existing engine.

 

 

Your budget comes into play here but as said if your block is good a stroker kit comes with crank-rods-pistons-rings and bearings only marginally more than a rebore-piston-bearing job with no crank or rods + 0 cubic inches .

 

Don't know why people are hating on the 351W. Sure you could build a stroker 302. But it's still less cubes then a stock 351. I've had both engines in newer trucks that I used for working. I hauled and towed heavy loads with both. To do the same job you have to work the smaller engine harder. It takes more gearing and higher rpms. My 302 powered truck was a grany low 4spd with a 3.73 geared rear with 31" tires. Right now two of my 4 vehicles are 351W powered.

With his trucks gearing the 351W would be a better choice. It's going to make more torque then the 302 and do it with less effort.

You guys are talking fully built stroked 302's when to me it sounds like a mild 351W with a few bolt on's is all he would need.

It really depends on what he wants out of it and want he wants to spend. He can pick up a used good running 351W, throw in a gasket set and a few bolt on parts, a whole lot cheaper then doing a full rebuild on his current 302. But he could also grab a used Explorer 5.0L engine and swap over all the accessories off his current engine and have a running engine too. It all depends on what he wants and his budget.

And if he wants aftermarket parts, they both have a huge aftermarket.