Hi all.. ok.. I have a 79 stepside shortbed 2wd.. currently Small Block,ac, tilt, c4, 2500 stall, shift kit, 9" with 2:73 gears

I want to build a motor , tranny, rear combo that will give me decent power, (as much as possible) while still be able to drive it to cruises hours away, keep ac, pull some smoke shows and get better than 8mpg...

I like the 347 idea but Ive heard that they are done after about 10k miles.. what gives... SO my question is what combo would you all reccommend... I like to drive my truck.. not trailer... to shows, cruises and parts running...

Let me know what block to start with as well.. Ive seen some monster cu in motors but I dont know what to start with.. I have an extra 302 block unmolested so I would like to start with that.. but i can get something else..
OHh this spring its getting wheels and tires.. 18" wheels, 255-55-18 tires 29 diameter...

Thank you all again
Chris

 

I would go with a 351, either W or C it will bolt right in and be cheaper and bigger than a 347. Keep it mild if you are after milage, but any thing with a non lock up higher than stock stall converter and no OD isn't going to get great milage. An AOD swap with some new rear gears might do you as much good as a new engine. Is your current engine health or on its way out?
-John

 

the motor is a new rebuild with only about 3k on it.. .It doesnt run as expected and I was told that my problem is the stock manifolds and gears. Im picking up headders tomorrow and working on the gear problem..

Im running a holley carb now too... im not impressed by this at all. But.. lets just see what the headders do..I was explained that with my current setup, cam, intake, carb, heads that Im cramming all this air and fuel in the cylinders and there is a limited amount of space pushing it out.. so Im going to remedy this and throw on a set of BBK shorty tuned equal length headders..

will my ac brackets on the windsor and or cleaveland..>>???

 

so you currently have a 302, correct?
That is what I am running, with headers, aluminum intake, Holley carb, 3.00 gears, and AOD trans.

Pulling down around 15 mpg.

It is my daily driver.

Mark

 

Not sure what works on the W but I used 400 stuff on my C, either one shouldn't be hard to find if your current setup won't work.
-John

 

I did a bunch of research a while back, and the short life 347 thing is old news. Everybody and their brother has one in a Mustang, they seem to be holding up fine. If you are worried about that, the 331 is supposedly as bulletproof as factory. I haven't done either, as I am waiting for my original 302 to give me a reason for such a build. Unforturnately, it runs perfect.

I changed the gears from 2.75 to 3.50 last year, which made a huge difference in performance. It's sprightly(notice I didn't say fast) around town, and the little 302 loves to spin down the highway at +-2800 rpm no problem.

 

Hmmm, interesting. I have a 3.55 sitting in the garage. I wonder how that would work with my AOD.

 

Hi guys.. sorry for the long reply... I put the headders on and the truck runs fairly decent.. still getting a whooping 8mpg on highway at 2800 rpm 75 mph
I just winged a deal on a clevland.. hehehe... has a dyno slip for it that did 425 horse and 580 ftlbs.
now to start collecting parts for this..
waht all parts interchange with the clevland?

 

You shouldn't have a problem with a 347 though I am running a 331 in my Mustang. Also if you take a 347 and a 351w and install all the same parts on both, same heads, cam etc and put them both in identical Mustangs the 351w will dyno more but the 347 will outrun the 351 on the track all day long. Its been done time and time again.

Edit, just read the last post, I guess I should have done that first. lol. Sounds like a heck of an engine!

 

I agree the 347's teething problems have been sorted out. The 347 doesn't carry a favorable rod ratio and most early kits have the piston pin deep into the oil control ring on the piston making these things notorious oil burners. You can get non-encrotchment 347's from a few different places and with decent maintenance there's no reason they wouldn't go 100,000 miles.

As for the the 347 outrunning the 351 in identical cars, that's entirely up to driver at that point.

But, since you've bought a built 351 Cleveland it doesn't matter now. So much for wanting more than 8mpg, ain't going to happen now!

 

Not really any parts other than the flywheel/flexplate, bellhousing, and motor mounts will swap between the 351C and the 302. I would go with a 351C over a 302 based stroker with stock heads any day of the week lets not forget that the 302 block likes to start breaking at about 50 to 75 more hp than your C is making right now, you have a lot more room for power increase with the C than the 302 before expensive after market parts are needed.
-John

 

Sorry but I've built a 302 (roller block) with 2bolt mains and stud girdles pushing 580 at the flywheel (yes it was dyno'ed) for a buddy. The latest one I built has old style TFS heads and a Vortech set at 18 pounds of boost. I can tell you the owner beats the snot out of his car and it's been together almost seven years now. The clowns blowing apart near stock 302's just don't have a clue what they are doing nor any idea of how to tune a motor.

I must have missed the part about a stroker with stock heads???

I'll put one of my 5.0's up against a cleveland anyday. I do like the cleveland motor in general, I think it's a really good starting point but please, all the technology and hard core parts are geared towards the 302.

Too bad I don't have the driveline out of my Maverick anymore, I'd love to take your money with that one!

 

My 1992 Mustang puts 516hp/491tq to the wheels on the chassis dyno at Anderson Ford in Clinton IL. This is a stock roller block. Its been together for 8 years.
I will admit that a lot of blocks have broken with less power but my block has a girdle and has been prepped and is fine so far.

 

Sorry didn't mean to get every one all riled up. Every thing I have ever been told, read or seen has said any thing over 500hp on a stock 302 block was pushing it, you might get way with it but a lot of people don't. My point is that the OP will have to spend a lot of money on his 302 to get any where near the dyno number he mentioned above out of the 302 with stock heads he was thinking about building into a 347.
-John

 

WOW! thanks guys... My clevland will be here sunday...cant wait.. I am anxious to go through and put a few add ons to it.. and swap it in this winter..

CYall..