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Topic: A big maybe............ (Read 2795 times) previous topic - next topic

A big maybe............

I may have a chance to buy a 351W at my favorite yard for less than $200.00 from a pickup (I gotta see if it's a roller motor).. If so, it'll go on the stand and I'll start gathering parts to assemble the thing. I'm making the call tuesday to see if I can make the deal. A 5.8 in the Sport does sound pretty awesome. Not sure of the year of the truck, but it does have all of the EFI stuff still intact, although I'm not sure if the distributor is there. Not hard to find. I really only need the short block. I'll go with the GT40-P heads I have more than likely since they already have been worked, just need to drill the bolt holes a little bigger. I know there are related parts to acquire as well, but getting the engine is the hard part. After that, it's just time, money, and patience.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

A big maybe............

Reply #1
YEP money, that's always an issue.
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

A big maybe............

Reply #2
If I can get the engine itself, the rest will fall into place. Hopefully, I'll have a different car this week as a daily driver, and the Sport can have all the time in the world to be as she wants to be.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

A big maybe............

Reply #3
Quote from: vinnietbird;397213
A 5.8 in the Sport does sound pretty awesome.

If a 5.8 sounds awesome, just think how much more awesome a 7.0 sounds :-D
If worms had daggers, birds wouldn't f**k with 'em

A big maybe............

Reply #4
WEll, that does sound good as well, but, budget, performance, AND handling are big factors. I don't want TOO much weight over the front end, and, if all works out, the 5.8 is only $100 to $150. I have most of what I need for the 5.8 on my current 5.0. I would need...

Oil pan
lower intake (If I keep my Cobra/Explorer intake style going)
brackets
headers

Not sure about a cam yet. Haven't even looked into what works best with the 5.8. I have the TFS-1 cam in the 5.0 now, along with the nicely worked GT40-P heads which I would re-use after having the bolt holes drilled out to accept the larger 351 bolts. If I go with a custom cam, I can sell mine in the 5.0 to recover a few dollars that would probably pay for a new oil pan and headers. The Cobra/Lightning Lower intakes are not cheap. Almost worth it to spend a few extra dollars and just buy a whole new setup. I'd keep the T-5 setup. No need to get rid of that, and I want to keep A/C and power everything. Just a bigger engine with hopefully more horsepower. We'll see what happens over the next few days.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

A big maybe............

Reply #5
Larger engines can handle more cam. Your TFS-1 cam would work well with a 5.8w, but I don't know what would be optimal. Remember 5.0 HO cams are interchangeable with 5.8w. I wish I had a few 5.8w's laying around....  I have multiple 5.0s!

A big maybe............

Reply #6
I thought the later gt40/p heads had the bigger holes, and used the shanked head bolts on the 5.0 blocks?

Can't say for sure, and I'm much too tired to look it up right now...either way though, any decent machine shop would/should be able to make it happen.

I've got a plan for the Mustang, since my Sport is mechanically done for now....let's say it involves something a bit bigger than what I've tinkered with before...I've already found a good engine, just have to pick it up and get everything else I need to bolt it in.
Here's a hint: it has a 3.85 in stroke...
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

A big maybe............

Reply #7
I've thought about 460's, but I think it's way too much weight, and way too expensive for performance parts.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

A big maybe............

Reply #8
Vinnie it was the '94 and up trucks that came with the roller blocks, congrats I had a 5.8 in a Cougar before. ( lot's of fun) :)
95 Ranger Splash 2.3
88 Tbird Sport :ies::ies:
5.0 SO, stainless shorty headers, w/ Magnaflow lers. KYB struts, KYB shocks. 5lug conversion from sn95 Mustang, subframe connectors, drilled and slotted rotors, 03 Mach 1 wheels. sequential taillights.140 speedo

A big maybe............

Reply #9
Most V8 Ranger folks do 302 so my Ranger has a 351 for one reason........I'm starting with 50 more CID than everyone else!!  It's sweet!  Down the road (maybe this winter) it will boast a healthy 400+ inch stroker......can't do that with a 302.  Hehe.

My 'bird however is a DD so I wanted everything to be "Pep Boys" available so it's just a beefed up HO/T5 swap.
1988 T-Bird Sport Coupe--5.0 HO, MAF swap, 1-5/8" shorties, BBK/Flowmaster exhaust, Explorer intake, 70mm Edelbrock TB, T5, B&M short throw, Centerforce clutch and PP, disc brake TC rear w/ 3.55's, TC front brakes, '98 Cobra springs, DIY SFC's, other misc .  14.05 @ 98mph with launching too low and shifting too high.

A big maybe............

Reply #10
I would use something other than GT40Ps on a 351W. They are ok for a 302 but much too small, even ported, for a 351. You would be leaving a bunch of power on the table using the GT40Ps on a 351. I would look into a nice aluminum head for a 351. Since the Sport may not be your DD soon take your time a build a nice 351W for it :).
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

A big maybe............

Reply #11
I'm with thunderjet on this one, Gt40 will choke the 351w. And without good heads the 351w will just be a heavier 302.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

A big maybe............

Reply #12
Errr..yeah. The Lightning 351w had, did it not, GT40 heads?

I ed sure would NOT run anything less than '40s on a W, and if I had a pile of money like you Donald Trump's, I'd have a set of those sweet heads myself.

Here's something: 40P's can be ported, and with the wee bit smaller chambers, they'll make good power. Maybe not as much as aftermarket aluminums....but if you already have a set of P's..much less ported ones....

I doubt they'll choke a 351w, considering they are better heads than what came on the W stock, with regards to everything but the Lightning and the '95 Cobra R.
/rant.
'84 Mustang
'98 Explorer 5.0
'03 Focus, dropped a valve seat. yay. freakin' split port engines...
'06 Explorer EB 4.6

A big maybe............

Reply #13
Quote from: ThunderbirdSport302;397430
Errr..yeah. The Lightning 351w had, did it not, GT40 heads?

I ed sure would NOT run anything less than '40s on a W, and if I had a pile of money like you Donald Trump's, I'd have a set of those sweet heads myself.

Here's something: 40P's can be ported, and with the wee bit smaller chambers, they'll make good power. Maybe not as much as aftermarket aluminums....but if you already have a set of P's..much less ported ones....

I doubt they'll choke a 351w, considering they are better heads than what came on the W stock, with regards to everything but the Lightning and the '95 Cobra R.
/rant.
x2.  Ford sure didn't think they would choke a 351.

A big maybe............

Reply #14
IF I can get the 351, I'm in NO hurry to assemble it. I have all the time in the world. It all comes down to cash for the project. It doesn't come from my paycheck, so, it takes time. IF I can find a really good set of aluminum heads that I can grab, sure. That will really help with the added weight of the 351. The current engine is doing great, and I'm in no hurry to swap it. It's making great power, and I rarely use what power it does have. The 351 is something I wanted to do for a long time, but no opportunity. We'll see what happens. I didn't get the chance to call about the engine yesterday. I'll try again today.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..