302 or 351W?

[Daniel Black]

Everything I've seen shows cutting a little out of the top of the pass frame rail for the Tri-Ys I use now to work with the 351. I might have to modify the heater plenum a little more to clear the valve cover. I have a lot of room around my steering box now but it's manual so maybe it's smaller. The only huge downfall I can find with the late model 351 is it's low compression ratio. Best I can tell through the spark plug hole it has huge dished pistons and I don't think they're rated much over 8:1 in '95 so I'd definitely be into a set of pistons even if it stays standard bore. In a perfect world I'd rebuild the 302 in the truck now but I daily drive it for the most part. I think the '71 302 is rated at pretty good hp, or it had some 50 years ago. Now it has massive blowby and barely holds any oil pressure when it's warm. Still doesnt smoke or use oil though and runs like a top, just no power.

 

[snoranger]

a 69 with no emissions and 10:1 compression is going to rip apart an 81 351 that has the wonderful variable venturi carb, basically flat cam, and 8:1 compression.

Good luck finding a 351 with a VV that still runs to prove it.

 

[19Walt93]

VV carbs used to run great as long as they were set up by the numbers, if you skipped steps it would bite you. They weren't big power makers but they ran smooth and and started well in cold weather.
I used a 351 because I had a complete engine, a 302 would have been easier to fit but would have cost me more. If I was starting from scratch and had to buy an engine to build I'd use a 302.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

2150s in general ran good and started easy in the cold. The VV is a bitch.

 

[Daniel Black]

VV carbs used to run great as long as they were set up by the numbers, if you skipped steps it would bite you. They weren't big power makers but they ran smooth and and started well in cold weather.
I used a 351 because I had a complete engine, a 302 would have been easier to fit but would have cost me more. If I was starting from scratch and had to buy an engine to build I'd use a 302.

So if you were in my shoes and had both engines you'd still use the 302? How much extra work was the 351?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

So if you were in my shoes and had both engines you'd still use the 302? How much extra work was the 351?

The 351 is going to be more work but build more power mod for mod just due to having 49 extra CI.

 

[Ramcharger90]

I got a 351w coming my way when my friend finally pulls it from his truck for me, its a 95ish out of a f250 it will be rebuilt even though it has 60k on it, and its getting a turbo. Dont know what its going in I would like a notch back like this,

http://imgur.com/a/k8MNi6g

But maybe Ill build a bucket T like low blow. And supercharge it.

http://imgur.com/a/hE7FMCa

I cant decide.....

I still want the 53 F100
So I can 04 terminator cobra it and independent suspension it from an s550 etc..... but It's all in what you want to do and what you are going to do with the truck either way. It's your choice. But if you have a 302 ranger why not 351 the other.

 

[19Walt93]

If I'd have had a complete 302 I would have used it because I'm not building another drag car, I want to go to the hardware store, the transfer station, and Home Depot with the truck, as well as driving it to Carlisle once I get it sorted out. The width of the 351 caused me to buy a Borgeson flex joint and install it in place of the rag joint, make a heat shield for the steering box and add a power steering cooler. I ported the heads and used pistons with smaller dishes to gain a little compression. I used some 1.7 roller rockers that I already had, I also used the stock 95 F150 cam-something I've never done before. I had two C4 transmissions, 1 from a 6 cylinder Cougar that I swapped the old 302 from my Mustang into, and 1 from a Mustang II. I used the reverse high and forward drums from the Mustang to add clutch plates to the Cougar trans because the Mustang trans had been modified and I didn't trust it. I've never built a vehicle with an automatic before, either.

 

[Daniel Black]

If I'd have had a complete 302 I would have used it because I'm not building another drag car, I want to go to the hardware store, the transfer station, and Home Depot with the truck, as well as driving it to Carlisle once I get it sorted out. The width of the 351 caused me to buy a Borgeson flex joint and install it in place of the rag joint, make a heat shield for the steering box and add a power steering cooler. I ported the heads and used pistons with smaller dishes to gain a little compression. I used some 1.7 roller rockers that I already had, I also used the stock 95 F150 cam-something I've never done before. I had two C4 transmissions, 1 from a 6 cylinder Cougar that I swapped the old 302 from my Mustang into, and 1 from a Mustang II. I used the reverse high and forward drums from the Mustang to add clutch plates to the Cougar trans because the Mustang trans had been modified and I didn't trust it. I've never built a vehicle with an automatic before, either.

I'd heard about modifying the steering on some occasions. That would be more cost and while my truck isn't exactly in mint condition, once I cut the top of the frame, it's cut. I don't plan to sell it but if I did I know that would be a turn off to buyers. I'd be nervous myself to by something with some of the frame cutout. I guess I'll have to decide what I really want to do with the truck. It's fine to run around town and I only live a mile and a half from where I work. I'd like to take long trips like Carlisle but I don't even want to try the hour and a half drive to Charlotte. I use a toploader 4-speed with 3:73 gears and it isn't great on the open highway. The 351 might have the torque for me to run a 3.08 gear or less for the highway though. Or I could forget about driveability and go crazy with 4:30 gears or something.

 

[19Walt93]

It wasn't a big deal to modify the steering shaft. I took the rag joint and flanges off the top of the shaft by grinding off the swedged ends. That left me with a rectangular shaft which I shaved into a square so it would slid into the Borgeson joint. Once I had it positioned where I wanted it, I marked where the pinch bolts would hit and drilled dimples into the shaft for the pinch bolts to grip and bolted it together. Cleaned it, painted it, and installed it. Looking for flex joints and info from the street rod guys I was warned not to buy a cheap foreign flex joint.
I'm using an 8" Mustang II rear housing with a Yukon traction lok and 5 lug axles from Currie and 3.00 gears because C4's don't have overdrive. The truck came with a 3.73 geared 8.8 and I was going to rebuild it with 3.08's until I took it apart. The pinion flange was deeply scored where the seal rides, both axles were rusted and scored by the seals, the traction lok clutches were worn to metal and he'd spun one wheel enough to grind the spider gears into the case, and he'd welded the spring pads on top of the axle housing at 2 different angles- both of which were wrong. The Mustang II rear is 1/4" wider than the 91 Ranger 8.8 and the 10" Ranger backing plates fit on the Mustang housing like they were made for it. Not to mention, I could built the 8" with the case clamped in my vise while standing beside it and I never liked working on 7.5's which are similar to 8.8's.

 

[Daniel Black]

Neat. It's good to know the 8" can be made to work. That's more my to my liking than the 8.8. I don't have overdrive either so the 3.00 gear would be nice for trips if I go that route.

 

[19Walt93]

If my 8.8 hadn't been in such bad shape I would have rebuilt it with 3.08 gears and run it. The 5 lug Mustang II axles from Currie were over $500.

 

[Daniel Black]

If my 8.8 hadn't been in such bad shape I would have rebuilt it with 3.08 gears and run it. The 5 lug Mustang II axles from Currie were over $500.

Dang, stuff is getting too expensive. My 7.5 is holding up for now. I don't rev it to 6k and let the clutch out but the truck never gets traction so I'm not too worried about it. The only problem with it is the 3:73 gears. The 8.8 I have is an open 3:08 but I might put it in just to try the gear out and see how I like it.

 

[19Walt93]

If you don't have an overdrive transmission using the 3.08's makes sense if you plan to drive on the interstate at all. After you drive it to make sure the 3.08's work for you installing a traction lok differential isn't that hard because you won't have to mess with the pinion depth, just the backlash and bearing preload.