thinking about 351 Cleveland build in a '90

[Angie]

bobby

As to the Cleveland in a gen 1 sans body lift....the firewall was altered...the pedal assembly/column moved over a bit more then an inch...one truck ended up using a Dodge Dakota rack. The other a 2wd Chevy truck box.

on this what did you use for a steering box? manual or power?

 

[smilinjack]

Hi Angie
The 95 came with Twin I Beam suspension which contains all this iron right below the engine mounts (don't know if you're familiar with TIB?)
So the first issue was the oil pan, that just wasn't gonna happen but, I figured maybe I could work around that somehow??
Then I test fit my spare Cleveland block (what a godsend to have that!!) using some fabbed motor mounts and realized the steering box and rag joint were just a no go in my application, not only with that fitment but the exhaust manifold of any type wasn't gonna happen either! That's when my project took its first 90 degree turn and which turned out to be the first of many! While I am able to fabricate and construct most anything I have NEVER tackled a project of this magnitude (mostly muscle car motors and drivetrains). Did a lot of research right here on TRS and other sources and just started drawing, measuring, cutting, welding etc. etc. Oh yeah, and a ton of purchasing too. One of my biggest info contributors with a vast amount of expertise was Walt93 on this site.
While we went in a little different direction he was my go to guy with questions regarding the swap. Oh, the oil pan I'm using is Canton Racing 15-720 rear sump fox body. Merry Christmas!

 

[Angie]

smiling, when you were placing the engine onto the frame, did you have a bare frame and then lowered the cab onto it? or fought the engine into the engine bay? Is your frame boxed for added support in the front end?

any pics of how you got it together? is it running?

Walt did chime in earlier saying to contact you with your build, he didn't say he gave you pointers on the build. sorry walt, you should have explained a bit there. that engine in your truck looks sweet also. we wound up going in a different direction with transmissions and not about the engine / frame build.

cheers all

 

[bobbywalter]

bobby

As to the Cleveland in a gen 1 sans body lift....the firewall was altered...the pedal assembly/column moved over a bit more then an inch...one truck ended up using a Dodge Dakota rack. The other a 2wd Chevy truck box.

on this what did you use for a steering box? manual or power?

The manual steering was left stock location with one redirect off of spring mount. Simple rod end and d style shaft ujoints for redirect....it's how I discovered the aerostar and gm ujoint mods.

...power steering went on the outside via 2wd Chevy box and modded shaft

One truck had the dodge Dakota rack with 2 redirects....custom headers

Modified rear pan puts it in the tib chassis.

2 inch step in firewall with pedal assembly slid over just over an inch. Brake booster clears with Cleveland and 351m that way. M is worse then 460 or 6.5 diesel with 4x4 ttb k member ..

2wd tib is easy.

There was a stang manifold for these that worked with just the frame rolled on driver's with cut and brace on passenger side... The m just cut longtubes to go over rail if you can find em.

 

[bobbywalter]

We are talking 89...90...and 91 build era.

 

[snoranger]

The manual steering was left stock location with one redirect off of spring mount. Simple rod end and d style shaft ujoints for redirect....it's how I discovered the aerostar and gm ujoint mods.

...power steering went on the outside via 2wd Chevy box and modded shaft

One truck had the dodge Dakota rack with 2 redirects....custom headers

Modified rear pan puts it in the tib chassis.

2 inch step in firewall with pedal assembly slid over just over an inch. Brake booster clears with Cleveland and 351m that way. M is worse then 460 or 6.5 diesel with 4x4 ttb k member ..

2wd tib is easy.

There was a stang manifold for these that worked with just the frame rolled on driver's with cut and brace on passenger side... The m just cut longtubes to go over rail if you can find em.

I’m surprised you haven’t done something like this...

Or at least recommended it.

 

[bobbywalter]

They sell nice boxes for that now


Back then over rail gear gets a big block in.

The wall mods to do the pedal shift and booster are not difficult. Doable for me then with a drill

Firewall . .no. big guns did that ...then.

Now I just hack at anything.


But using the combinations of car manifolds was trial and error. ..good luck finding a 351 m in a junkyard....let alone with usable manifolds.

Cutting up the bullnose truck longtubes which were expensive then, or running the cedar logs if you had egg ports was what happened.

 

[bobbywalter]

Wizard Fabrication I Steer Clear Offset Steering Coupler | 916-736-0110

 

[Angie]

snoranger, that is perfect! love that look of a double roller chain sitting there. genius

 

[snoranger]

snoranger, that is perfect! love that look of a double roller chain sitting there. genius

I’d make a lexan cover for it.... that would keep the chain clean but still visible.

 

[smilinjack]

smiling, when you were placing the engine onto the frame, did you have a bare frame and then lowered the cab onto it? or fought the engine into the engine bay? Is your frame boxed for added support in the front end?

any pics of how you got it together? is it running?

Walt did chime in earlier saying to contact you with your build, he didn't say he gave you pointers on the build. sorry walt, you should have explained a bit there. that engine in your truck looks sweet also. we wound up going in a different direction with transmissions and not about the engine / frame build.

cheers all

Hi Angie. I plan on moving the R back into the garage right after the holidays. I will take some current pics with descriptions and post them then. Happy Holidays!!

 

[Angie]

The build is on the way now. Finished tearing it down and all is in good shape. the crank mains will be turned again from 010 to 020. the cons are 010 and still in great shape. so very little work is needed at the machine shop on this engine. block will need no machine work as I am leaving the same 030 pistons and the insides of cylinders are just needing a X-hatch redone.
Stoked to get this one together now.

cheers

 

[Angie]

was out re-ringing the pistons today. and decided to mock up the engine... here is my new desktop picture to get me motivated as to what she will look like in a few weeks ... been collecting these goodies for a few years.

 

[smilinjack]

like ur valve covers. couldn't find them in 408 tall size

 

[smilinjack]

Hi Angie, not sure exactly what years had what suspension but my 95 2wd std. cab came with Twin I Beam. I went with a Canton Mustang (front and rear sump) oil pan.
I'm gonna try to send a few random pics of my progress to date, still got a lot of detailing to go. Just set the exhaust, on to figuring out the radiator location, electrical , shock tower anchors, etc. etc. Well............. I guess I'm gonna have to figure out how to post these pic's.......... stay tuned . New computer!!!