This isn't technically a Comet/Maverick question but Ford never the less. I'm putting together a 71 Torino for a friend and I'm at a crossroad kind of point. I have in my goody bag a bunch of 302 parts and 1 351 windsor short block. For about the same price I could build an aluminum head 347 ci or an Aluminum head 351w. This car will be a daily driver/cruiser (no race use) with an e4od automatic, 8 inch 3.2ish:1 rear with a cone type LSD. Max Torque needs to come in early(well early for me) I've never built a 347 and worry(to a small degree) about longevity but, I would really like to build one just for the experience. What do y'all think? Are the 4 extra cubes worth it?
Yeah I'd love to. But the 351 heads and a stroker crank would add quite a bit of dollars to the build. I already have a decent set of heads for the 302. so for the 347 I would need a crank, rods, and pistons. I have no heads for the 351 and don't trust the only machine shop in town to drill the 302 heads for the bigger head bolts and a 58cc chamber on a stroked 351 would require some major octane.
Build a 408 out of the 351 and you will have all the torque you need down low for a cruiser with some left over.
After cracking two stock block 347s I pretty much decided I would go with a 351 next time I wanted more cubes.
The 351 fits easily, builds well and you can get 75 more cubes with it than you can with the 347 which is already built to the maximum.
you could make a 416 ci windsor use a 400 crank and chrystler rods. Keith black makes a dish piston w ith a 58 cc head 10:5 to one drill your own heads done it dozens of times never had a problem. pulled as much torque as my big block 460.
I have heard if it's a complete roller engine you can build a 427 and get as much as 550hp from it. if that's possible with the engine you have and it's what you want. Than again the 302 can be built to a 363, big bore, w/500hp. These are stroked engines of course .
The pre roller blocks are less desirable since the roller cams can make more RPM. The older blocks are stronger. The tall deck 302s' made from 73 to 76 are great for building strokers since you can use a piston without the oil ring in the pin bore...Makes for a more stable ring pack/piston.
When the time comes time for me im strokin to a 347, i figure if a guy uses good parts and builds it right it should last for a good while. The 347's can be strong, but when people start adding things like a supercharger and/or nitrous to a bored out block that was already small to begin with thats when the problems are gonna start. but if it was me and i was doin a Torino i'd just build a pretty wild 351. The 351 is a stronger bigger block that was designed for more power than a 302. So instead of trying to squeeze every ounce of power out of the 302 why not use the 351 since you already have it and make the same or more power out of a stronger block.
Just do the 351W and add the heads/cam & intake. I guess the others are hard of hearing. It'll make plenty of power.
