[josh stuckey]

Guys,
I have an 81 bronco 351 C with C6 NP208, the engine was touched up prior to me buying it and now develops all its power over 3500rpm. I tow a 2.5t boat and need all the power below 3500rpm, to swap the cam I need to check the heads and so on which all equates to time and money.
I have been offered a 400 and C6 with low miles and in good nick for less than the cost of all the work I would have to do.
Overall is the 400 a good torque producer and will the motor bolt straight to my C6? Which way is the better route?
Thanks.

Josh

 

[Stokes]

351 cleveland uses a smallblock trans where as the 400 uses a bigblock trans.

 

[josh stuckey]

Bastard, and of course the c6 with would have to be out of a 2wd car.
Thanks

 

[rbaney]

Well I see you say the cleveland where as the cleveland was no longer produced after 74 or so. So if you have the stock engine in your 81 its 351Windsor which by all standards is an exceptional motor with great potential. The 400 is not what I would call a worth wild change over. Now if you where talking 427-460 then maybe it would be worth all the extra headaches.

 

[josh stuckey]

Here in Australia we had the cleveland going into new cars up until about 1985. Mine is a cleveland as it was imported to Australia by Ford and sold through its dealerships here.

I noticed on other discussions the lack of availability of 2v Australian heads, if you need or want them all you need to do is look up any speed shops or wreckers here and you can have them in just about any form you want, prices may not be what you want though, I'm not sure.

 

[blueoval78]

keep the cleavland, they can make tons of power, but usually in upper rpms, but they are great motors

 

[HWY TO HELL]

the 400 is all low-end but i suggest you get a manual if you want a 400 more fun:thumbup

 

[Big Mike C.]

Well I see you say the cleveland where as the cleveland was no longer produced after 74 or so. So if you have the stock engine in your 81 its 351Windsor which by all standards is an exceptional motor with great potential. The 400 is not what I would call a worth wild change over. Now if you where talking 427-460 then maybe it would be worth all the extra headaches.

"AMERICAN" Broncos came with the 351M in 81 not the 351W...

 

[Stokes]

yeah i was about to say, windsors where not put in broncos of that year, so depending if you ment to say that you had a 351m(wich came from the factory that way of that year) then a 400 would swap over very easily due to it also being a bigblock trans. but at the same time you could just as easily swap in a 460 wich would prove much better gains in power and low end torque.

 

[southrnpride69]

351 cleveland uses a smallblock trans where as the 400 uses a bigblock trans.

Are you sure cleavelands are big blocks and for all intensive purposes not too much different than the 351M or the 400 either one. I would have thought they would use the big block tranny where as the windsor uses the same small block tranny that a 302 uses.

 

[Davids78Bronco]

No, stoked is right, 302 and 351 C & W engines are all small blocks. While the 351M/400 is a small block also, it uses the big block bellhousing bolt pattern

Also, the 400 isn't all low-end, but having the longest stroke of the stock Ford engines, it does make excellent torque down low, where it sounds like what you're after. If it were me, I'd swap in the 400, after finding a suitable trans to use. If you do this, be prepared to need new engine mounts, as well as be3ing prepared for any other surprises that might show up

 

[southrnpride69]

well i guess you learn something everyday:shrug :thumbup

 

[gearrat]

if ya are interested in a sweet motor look up one of our other members in Australia his screen name is gremlin he makes some wild ass 460's what part of Australia he is in i cant remember.

 

[Gacknar]

First I would like to appologize to anyone with a 400/351m or who is a fan of that moter.

But in my opinion, and its only my opinion.

The 400/351m would be best suted as a boat anchor.

Now dont get me wrong, I know a few people who have them in f150's, and they love them, if you half one and it works for you then I mean no disrespect to your ride.

But I find the the after market comunity does not really like them.

I belive the windsor or clevland 351's are superior.

And if you want a big block 460 is the way to go.


But what do I know I'm just a nebie.:goodfinge

and I only haf a 302.

 

[josh stuckey]

I found out the motor is from a 80's lincoln and has about 100k on the clock, but is complete and has the gearbox so i'm still weighing it up.
Downside at the moment is having to get a new gearbox, and they are not cheap here, running at between $1000-$2000.

 

[Davids78Bronco]

To bring this thread back... if you haven't found an affordable tranny yet, I would check into the cost of shipping one from the west coast, here in the US. You cpould check with www.car-part.com and look for a transmission from 78-82(85?), to fit the 400

 

[josh stuckey]

I'm still bouncing around at the moment.
I'm looking into rebuilding the cleveland with longer rods, I've been told it is a good way to build cheap torque.
If I go that way, I may change boxes to a manual any way.
I think I'll be playing with ideas up until i blow the motor.
Thanks for the site, I'm having a look thru it now and see what i come up with.
Any other sites for crate motors etc.
Thanks for the help.

Josh

 

[jopes]

And if you want a big block 460 is the way to go.


But what do I know I'm just a nebie.:goodfinge

and I only haf a 302.

first off you need to learn how to spell correctly.

second the M blocks are not junk motors. Those who think they are are just uninformed or uneducated on them. They served well for what they were designed to. Smog laws came out and they never lived after that stuff was put on them.

They can be made to be good motors with just a little work. and since they were designed to be torquey motors they work well in broncos. Altho I would never swap a M block in place of a windsor, I would happily rebuild another 400 for my 78, although I would do a few more hop up things to the rebuild than I did on my current one.

 

[Bronco85]

Gremlin is right outside of Brisbane. Owns a Carb shop called Slacks creek Carbs.

Ya his 466 is a killer motor.

 

[78bronco460]

Be careful buying anything and getting it shipped to you! Apparently AU likes to throw import tax on items over $200? I sold a scuba regulator for $300 to a dude there and the tax was around $150... check the details and make sure the shipper doesn't "over-value" the item.
Edit: BY THE WAY: I agree with Jopes... M-engine is a torque monster and will do you well. I'd get the 400 and pass on a 351M. Here's Bubba's site that's a great resource: http://home.earthlink.net/~bubbaf250/