I saw it on CL, too, and not a bad price.

I'm glad that it sold and stayed local.

 

Remember pictures we love build pictures.

 

Hot Dog! A 351C's a great engine to put in her. Is the tranny a C6?

Start yourself a build thread and update it with pics as you go through the process then everybody can follow your build from start to finish in the same place!

Have fun.

James

 

351C would be a real good and stout motor for that '56. I've just lately gotten a hankering to put a 3.8 supercharged V-6 out of a T-bird Supercoupe into something, maybe my newly aquired '58 SWB. I had a '90 35th Anniversary Supercoupe and that was one fast sumitch and drove and handled like a dream. I think that motor would make a good and unique powerplant for a hot rod.

 

Obviously you'll need custom fabricated engine and transmission mounts, but the engine compartment is large enough that you won't have any trouble fitting the Cleveland in there. It'll be a great addition.

 

Go down under for some great information and or parts.
http://www.ausfordparts.com/index.html
They live and breath Clevelands
Plus also look at this forum for even further dreams.
The Cleveland Engine Forum Index
Motor mount pg 524 PAW (Performance Automotive Warehouse) Part #4977-$76.95 and #4981-64.95
https://secure.pawengineparts.com/PD...og/Chassis.pdf

426 Cleveland stroker

 

The 3.8L V6 engine was a terd from day one. We used to call it the Miracle engine.

The valve covers leaked from day one, Ford was never able to solve the problem.

If you got 50,000 miles from the headgaskets before they blew, it was a Miracle!

If you got 50,000 miles from the engine before it began to knock like a bill collector, smoke like a chimney, it was a Miracle!

If you got 40,000 miles out of the paper thin timing cover before it rotted out, it was a Miracle!

Ford made a lotta good engines, this wasn't one of them.

 

I had one of those "miracles" I bought new. It went thru headgaskets worse than the Vega! It turned me off so badly it was the last FoMoCo product I've owned until the 56, and that had to have a bow tie under the hood for me to buy it. I'm sorry if that offends the blue bloods around here, but I'm only telling the truth. The car had a perfect body and interior with all the options on it as it was hauled off to the scrap yard, I even had to pay to have it towed away.

 

I dont know this for fact but I was told that the supercharged versions of the 3.8 were a better engine then the normally aspirated ones. All I know is when you mashed the gas in the supercoupe, you better have 'er pointed in the right direction. Pretty impressive for a 6 banger.

 

Fixed it for ya!

 

So Bill, with aftermarket headbolts, better head gaskets and other stuff, were the 3.8's any better?

 

Wow guys. Getting a little heavy handed here are we? I've got no experience with the 3.8 myself...but maybe 69super got a rare good one. Then again, maybe they're like mopeds and scooters--just sayin.

 

Just took a look at the engine today, it appears it is a Ford 400M. I took some pics but only could decipher this per the valve cover ford sticker that had the Ford engine family id on it. So am i correct to assume a 6.6L is = 400cid?

Block Tag Number:


Valve Cover Sticker


Front of Engine:

 

looks like a 400 to me, is that out of an early 80's van?

 

Yes, it is out of a 86 RV. It only has 70k on the engine and sounds good. Would it be worth beefing up a bit? I was reading they have high torque at low rpms, but if I throw on some new heads and a 4 barrel carb, would my hp shoot up?It also has the AC on it, could that be integrated into the 56?