can it fit w/o a MII type suspension? does it use the same frame mounts as a windsor? can it use 351C headers? has anyone use this engine in a mav/comet before? i've seen a mock-up pic but i don't think the owner ever ran the engine. does anyone know a good cleveland forum?
i met a ford guy down the street that has a65 truck with a lincoln 460/c6 drivetrain...and he has a couple of spare 460 and c6's and he has a rebuilt 400/c6 . that he can sell me and help put into the mav...but i know its not a drop in in the lime green400 pic it looks like it only has 3/8 clerance to the shock towers. but it would be awesome having a 400 in a Mav.
The 400 is a taller - and therefore wider engine than the 351C. It is wider than the 351W and every bit as tall. You can get the engine in the Maverick / Comet without a MII suspension or even shaving the shock towers but to get at the plugs to do a tune up you will have to remove the engine to get to them. Shaving the towers is for clearance at the plugs - so they can be more easily changed (it is still not EASY). I agree that the 400, with the proper mods, (it is a smog motor with low compression) would be a great source of power but there are probably easier ways to get power into the Maverick / Comet engine compartment.
The 400 is big and heavy. It uses different mounts than 302/351w/351c. You will have to fab up your engine mounts. I have seen the pic with the lime green 400 setting between the towers. I have serious doubts it will work. It fit without any sort of exhaust, and no room to put an exhaust. Even with shaved towers, they don't shave down to the level of the exhaust anyway. So no help there. I believe myself, to do it right, you need to M2 the front end. In that case, I would just throw in a 460. You can make 408 cubes out of a 351w, or 351c for that matter. That way you have a 400+ that fits, is light, and you can get parts for. Not to mention mount up with 302 parts.
i wouldn't mess with a 400m myself. i have worked on the one in the family ranchero, not a great motor for the size/weight/cost to make power. a truck 460 isn't much bigger and has lots more torque/hp capacity. i think the mounts are very simmilar
ya, dont waste all that time and effore to put a boat anchor under the hood i like the sound of the 460 tho
i had an seventies LTD with the 400m... lots of torque, tires spinned like hell. heres a link to build a 380 rear wheel HP for 2000 bucks... http://www.geocities.com/styleline58/400.html but to put it in a maverick..seems like a lot of headechs and frustations...but interesting...
The 400 was never a boat anchor, that title was assigned to the destroked 400----the 351M. The 400 CAN be built to produce awesome hp/tq, but requires more money and machinework to do so. I've tried a test fit of a 400 in a 67 Stang, It did fit between the towers, but there was no room for plug access nor any kind of exhaust. And as Dave said, requires custom motor mounts. The transmission pattern for most is different from the other small blocks too, unless you find the rare small block patterned 400.
he he I got one of the small pattern 400's Comes out of 73 LTD. They are gaining ground with power and parts are easier to find! Still,,, too much fab'in to stick in Mavericks
The big drawback is finding pistons that come up far enough to give a zero deck. All the stock pistons are .060-.080 (at least) of the deck at TDC. And the open chambered heads suck as far as detonation resistence. I've built a hot 400. Cost me about $2500 6-7 years ago. Used a set of forged 351C pistons (but these were still .050 short of the deck) Ran great, but wanted nothing but pump premium for fuel with a 9.7 to 1 comp ratio. My 10.25 to 1 390 would digest 89 octane and put out the same power.
That is due to open chamber heads. Did you run open chambers? 351c engines have this issue with open chamber 2v or 4v heads. Anything over 9:1 wants premium. Closed chamber Cleveland heads can go over 11:1 on premium.
Yea, it had ported, polished & milled 2 bbl heads. Wouldn't have been any different with quench heads with the pistons .060 down the hole at TDC. I milled the block .010 and the heads .030 to get them this close. Still no cigar. Like I said they're good engines, it just takes more money and machinework to get rid of the pinging problems with em than other engine families
http://www.tmeyerinc.com/ affordable pistons All you need for a good 400 build. I bought the 396 hp 400 he project built an love it! Aussie heads really wake that an cleveland engines up.
