Hello!

I have a 76 F250 2WD with a stock 390 thats
really burning oil. I also have a 351c 2V engine
and C6 combo with only a few thousand miles on
their rebuild. I want to put this engine/trans
in the truck but I cant find any info on exhaust
manifold/header setups. I don't have the stock
manifolds, so either way I'm going to have to
spend some money. Also, I don't want headers
just for the sake of performance.
(I've searched all over FTE for a couple weeks
and can't seem to find the answer to this
question, but I may have overlooked it ).
Also, any other pitfalls that you could point
out would be appreciated.

Thanks for any help,
Alan

 

Alan, the 351C is not a good truck engine at all. The engine was designed for higher rpm's and perfomance. The truck would do much better IMHO with the 390 rebuilt. It's tourque curve is much lower, therefore better suited for truck use. You can add performance parts and maintain good gas milage.

Good Luck

John

 

The 351C didn't come stock in your truck. The closest relative would be the 351M. The deck heigth however on the M is a full inch taller so the exhaust is higher and wider. The 351M uses different engine perches than the 390. My local truck expert yard says that the 302,351W,351M and 400 use the same perch. My guess is that the 351C would require the same perch as the 351M which you don't have w/ your 390. The 351C is a small block bell housing pattern. 351M,400,360,390 and 460 use the big block pattern. You could probably use manifolds from a 351M or 400 and have an exhaust shop bend the intermediate pipe. Perhaps you could use the newly rebuild heads on a 351M or 400 shortblock and reuse your 390 tranny. The "M" motors are heavier duty in the lower end than the Cleveland. Myself I'm eagerly awaiting new head for a 390 that is replacing my broken 302. Most header's that I've seen are for the FE (352,360,390) and the "M" (351m,400) and the 460 as these were commonly non Catalyst motors. I have had a hard time seeing headers for 302's (73-79) or 351W as these seem to be mostly Catalyst motors. How about selling the 351C to a muscle car owner and fixing or buying a 390 long block? Happy Hunting.....
BBTruck

 

BBT, sir please visit wlrjet.com and look at the V8 engine site. Engines are in families. since the 351 C & M are in the same family the bells are the same. the FE's are different than the 460. You may want to rewrite your post, concerning that issue.

John

 

If you read the cleveland family article at the site you referred me to, you will find near the bottom a section addressing the differences between the 351C and the "M" motors. This is where I found that the 351C uses the same bellhousing pattern as the small block and the "M" motors (with the exception of some very rare early castings) use the pattern shared by FE's and 429/460's
BBTruck

 

BBT, I am not sure where you missed it, or maybe I missed it. The 460 bell is flat on top with a 8in. bolt spread. The FE's have a round top. The M's which the C is a family member of are flat with a 4in. spread. These dimentions are not actual but close.

If you dout, check it out,

John

 

The 351C use's the small block housing.
the 351M use's the big block housing

BigRebel (aka.Mike)
1979 F-100 w/302 & C-4
Icq#1753451
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Canyon/2016">http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Canyon/2016</a>

 

jowilker,
Thanks for all the info and advice. I guess I
will probably end up rebuilding the 390.
I had hoped to save a great deal of money
by using the Cleveland since I've already
got a small block C6 that fits the motor and
both have been run in another application for
only a few thousand miles. Also, it was cammed
for RV use and has a 4-barrel alum intake/Holley
combo. I just can't find an aftermarket exhaust
system. (Okay, so I'm making one last plea in
hopes that I can still use the Cleveland for
$$$ reasons ). BUT I do know the 390 was
a STRONG motor when it was running right.

Thanks again,
Alan

 

Allen, put the motor in your truck. We all tried to give the best advice for use in a truck, but that doesn't mean that it wont work. If your truck is a cruser you will have a lot of fun at the traffic lights with that motor.

Have Fun Man,

John

 

351M, 400, 460 share the same bellhousing

289,302,351w,351c share the same bellhousing

Fe's share the same bellhousing

I know, I own one of each.

It is possible to combine C6 parts from 400 bellhousing pattern to small block pattern, I had to get a small block c6 case and put the 400 c6 output shaft in it to use a 5.0l (302) in my 4wd truck.

 

I have a 351c 2V in my 77 shortbox, stepside. It was completely redone, pushing a modest 325hp. I love the engine. I used to have the 4V heads, but found them absolutely useless on the street. I also had headers on it. Both the 4V and 2V. I bought the headers about 8 years ago and can't remember what I purchased them for: I believe they were ordered for a Torino?????, I can't be sure, but I know they were intended for a car. With a little massaging of a pipe or two, that was the best alternative I found. As for no good in a pickup, I beg to differ. Of course mine is strictly for cruisin', so what do I know???

 

i unpluged a 351 from a 79 f250 4x4, and put in a 460 with the same exhaust and trans. (using a van pan, L&L mounts & custom pwr steering pump mount.)

 

I also had a truck with a 351c and it would white smoke the tires for half a block and I pulled a few lodes with it and it worked fine. My truck was a 58F100 shortbed, the engine was out of a early 70 modle LTD the exaust manifolds were the stock car mainfolds and they worked just fine.

Good Luck

Mike