While much of the factory stuff filling that block might be junk.. that's one hell of a platform for a big stroke/long rod motor. In fact, Jon Kasse won an engine masters with this same block running big CHI heads. 500 ft/lbs @ 2,500 rpm.. yep.. I said it right, re-read those numbers again. From an optimization standpoint.. Cleveland style heads with 385 series BBF(429/460) same 10.2 inch deck height allows lots of usable and expansive architecture. But good luck stuffing it into these little cars though. Smoothing and notching towers won;t even come close and will end up becoming full tower removal only. If you're making that much room.. you may as well just start with the internally larger 460 to begin with.
aww crap.. I crossed my threads and put this reply in the other thread instead of here. Don't hate the foundation.. hate the guts. Like I said earlier.. the 351/400 block architecture itself is HIGHLY underrated. Think of it much more as a BIGBLOCK Cleveland motor because that's exactly what its 10.2" deck height does to the equation. From 9.2 to 10.2 is a huge jump in usable space. In fact, some old timers use to run these blocks.. they're still somewhat popular with the low-budget 4x4 torque mongers, with offset ground 400(4") stroker cranks and WELL over 500 ft/lbs at very low rpms. And touching 500 ft/lbs at only 3,200 - 3,500 rpm depending on the cam/head quality. Imagine that in a little light car like these with moderate stall and street gears. Even stock OEM parts are good for over 450 ft/lbs if you have them massaged and get the compression up to work with the right cam. If space wasn't at such a high premium in these little cars?.. I would build one with this block, a 4.250 stroker crank, and toss some Kasse P38's or CHI heads on top for 7,000 rpm big-block style fun. Olerodder often talked about these underestimated blocks too and we all know he's been around the block a few times to know what's up. I would fully agree that the stock motor in smog form wouldn't be worth the shielding gas needed to weld it all in though.
I think your last sentence sums it up. By the time all of the low performance/smog hardware is thrown out, the baby has gone out with the bath water I had a 400C in an LTD that actually ran pretty well. Back in the day, I wondered what a set of 4V heads and better camming would have done to the engine as there were no aftermarket heads back then. At the time, there was no good 4V intake for that combo. I too remember Kaase's build and yes, it made some impressive steam. Problem with the 351M, is by the time you throw out all of the bad stuff, you are left with a block better suited to a pickup or full sized Ford than a Maverick/Comet.
I`ve worked on quite a few of them, they did have oil pressure problems which can be corrected.However the other guys are right,those engs. are best suited for 4 wheel drives & I personally would not build one.
They're not even good enough for a 4X4. I had a 400 in my brand new 77 F-250 4X4 and at 36,251 miles, a piston collapsed and upon full tear down, found 3 wrist pins had started protruding. Put a 460 in and never looked back.
A friend of mine had a 400 in a Ford pickup (stock, of course) and one day, the camshaft broke in half and grenaded it. This happened while just cruising down the highway.
