F250s as well, my friend has an extended cab f250 4x4 with an original 460

 

bmuhlbach, you're right about both of your statements except the engine is a 400. the only "M" in that series is a 351M. the 400 doesn't have an M on it.

 

whoops, I'm also asking LANGEVETTE if his buddy bought his truck brand new. of course there are some exceptions like what UTfball68 stated, but if your buddy didn't order the truck brand new then I doubt the truck had a 460 in it from the factory. by the way, what year is this truck? if it's after 1983 then that's a different story.

 

To Langvette: Yeah I'm finding out adout this d60 d70 4x4 or not thing here and now. Also the second correction you made about the 400 aftermarket support, I did have an "a" in front of the word "little". I know there is support for those motors I looked into it all when deciding to stay with my 351M or go 460. Yes they do have all the parts avalible, just not as wide of a range. Example, the 460 may have 5 or 6 different manufactures making a certin part, where for the M motor there could only be 1 or 2 brands. You just have more options available with a big block, thats all I was saying. Also I didn't know there was no "M" behind 400. I consider myself a jack of all trades but a master at none, so yeah if I flubbed up let me know guys

 

My buddy is the 2nd owner, it is a CA truck, non-cat(has a sticker in the pass. side rear window for emmisions) and it was a factory 460 truck. He told me it was an 83, but on the call back he said it was built something like 10-83, making it an 84, sorry for the confusion.


Well you make a very good point. I have the option of basicly two new intakes, Eddy, and Wiend. Both dual plane ect. If I had a 460 if I can dream it, theres an intake, but what good would a dual quad tunnel ram going to do in at 6000lb truck, crusing around at 2000rpm? I guess what I am defending is in a truck, there is plenty of parts to make a 400 stronger, well beyond what the factory could dream up. I am currently building a 400, which Desktop Dyno says will make over 500 ft-lb tq and close to 400 hp. All with of the shelf parts, and less than $3000. I am not saying you cant get more out of a 460, but it weighs more, and would require more fuel(ie poorer mpg) to do it.
My buddy, as stated above, has an '84 with a 460, a Wiend Steath mid rise, and Holley Street avenger, stock cam, and stock exhaust. Stock lift, stock tires, 4.10 gears, and ext cab long bed. Comparing it to my '79 ext cab long bed 400 with stock cam, stock 2v carb, headers and 2.5" exhaust, lifted 4", 35" rubber, 3.54 gears, you would swear his was a 351. From a standing start, he was slower, not much, but he should have been able to imbarass me, and couldnt. I know the seat-o-pants dyno means jack, but he's thinking of puting a 400 in is, simply because of mine.
Again, Just my .02
Matthew

 

$3000?! Wow!,,, really sounds like you have done some research and parts searching! I have the 351Measly in my truck and would like to wake it up,,, That sounds impressive, could I ask to see your list of components?!

 

Disclaimer
I dont have it built yet, but I am estimating parts cost

Elgin E-954-A camshaft at about $110, TMI 9.5 pistons $250, used 8010 Wiend intake $75, 670 SA Holley $350 short block(heads, bore, ect) 1500+or-
I will port match the heads, have headers already, and might stud it heads and mains(not included)
The machine shop doing the work is giving me free labor on the heads if I pay for the parts(seats, guides, ss valves) because they have the heads that they got stuck with.
So thats just shy of 2500 for engine itself, with room for other acc. like a dampner, distributor, and the like. It may end up costing over that 3g figure if I get caried away with pretty stuff, but again, those figures are with Desktop Dyno, 9.5 comp., this cam, large tube headers with mufflers, dual plane tq manifold and 670 carb.
My machine shop guy suggested the Elgin cam, because they are some much cheaper the Comp and the like, and dont have any problems with them. (they build roundy round motors, and Hemis for the Raminator and Rammunition monster trucks)
Matthew

 

Stick with a 77-78-79 year truck. These have electric ignitions vs. the points style ignitions in 76-back trucks. Also, the 77-79's have better rust protection such as front and rear splash shields. These will DRASTICLY decrease the chances for rust along the front and rear fenders. As far as the engine goes, you really can't go wrong with any of them. Parts are easily available but if you are looking for performance I would stay away from the "M" family. The 351M and 400M are good engines, I should know, I have one. There are very little in the way of performance parts for these engines however. A stock "M" engine is also very weak on power only producing 150-160hp. Even at that low a number, it will still handle 60mph. crusing speeds with a 3spd. Auto. Personally, I would find a 302, 351W or 460 engine. These have good power and decent gas mileage (except the 460). If you drive on the interstate or at speeds greater than 65mph. I suggest a AOD transmission upgrade or a 4spd. Manual. The C-4 and C-6 auto. are great transmissions, but they are only 3spds. which causes the truck to run only 60mph. for long periods. Anything over 60mph and you will get the motor too hot very fast. If you are planning on restoring one of these trucks (especially the "XLT" or "Lariat") make sure to plan on spending anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 due to the extremely expensive parts and chrome moldings. I have a 79' F-100 Ranger XLT w/ a 351-M and C-6 auto. (reg. cab / long bed) that is fully restored. It is 100% original even down to the tires. I have spent in excess of $40,000 restoring this truck including the paint and body work. MAKE SURE to find one that is rust free or very, very close to rust free and make sure that the truck is 100% original regardless of its condition. If the truck has been modified or changed around it will be VERY difficult and expensive locating the original parts and components to fix it back the way it was originally. It all depends on what you are looking, but this is what I can tell you biased on my preferences and experiences. I have had four 77-79 F-Series trucks and they are the best truck on Earth period! Tough as nails, easily to repair, beautiful to look at, and modern enough for today’s driving conditions.

 

The Duraspark breakerless ignition system was introduced in the late 1974 model year.

Late 1974's, and 1975 up have breakerless ignition.

 

there is only one 400 engine that Ford made for the dentsides 1977-1979. this engine was the big brother of the 351M. Ford didn't need a M behind the 400 since there was only one 400. but the 351 on the other hand was more in numbers. 351M, 351C, 351W......all 351 cubic inches of displacement but belong to different engine families.

 

I think it makes more sense to think of the 351M as the "little brother" of the 400 because the 400 came first. The 400 started out in 1971 (give or take) in full size sedans. After 1974 when the 351 Cleveland was cut, the Windsor plant couldn't keep up with the demand for a 351 cubic inch family, so the 400 was destroked to make a new 351M. The 400's in trucks is a D7TE truck block, but there were plenty of 400 blocks cast for passenger cars way before that. The main difference is the webbing; the block was beefed up for 1977 to withstand a clutch. The full size sedans (Galaxie, LTD) were never offered in the 70's with a manual transmission. My '73 Galaxie has a 400 on it. However, it's not the highly-sought after "small block" 400 with an FMX bell housing, because it's got a C6. There was a special breed of '73 full size sedans that ran an FMX transmission and a special "small block" bellhousing patten 400 was cast just for that. These blocks are pretty rare and highly sought after. They talk about it all the time in the 335-series forum.

Sorry for going off-topic...

 

There is a slight problem with this. He wants a 4x4, of witch were no factory with any of your above choices. Ford knew they had a heavy pig 4x4 truck, so in 77-79, I6, 351m or 400 were there choices of power. I would stay a way from a 302 at all costs, because it is such a high winding motor, you would work it far harder than it was intended. My personal choice is 400, 300 I6, 351m, and 460, in that order.
And C4 werent in 4x4 either.
Matthew

 

basically the 351M and the 400 is the same engine knowing that the crank is different.