School me on Ford Power Plants

Being a Chevy guy my entire life, I have crossed over to the "dark side" and gotten me my first Ford, a 65 Galaxie.

So I'm in the dark with Ford's power plants. I'm looking to go with a mild setup with a ****** that'll get me good freeway miles for roadtrips. Maybe the equivalent to an SBC motor with a 700r transmission. Any Ford guys care to point me out in the right direction? Any advice? Suggestions?

 

Build up a nice 390 for it.. Nuff said!

 

Advice? Suggestions? Sure. Ditch the Ford and go back with Chevies. How's that for advice and suggestions?

 

Welcome to the dark side young Dirt Diggler, the best thing to do is to decode your vin and put in the correct engine, or you can look at it this way, A Galaxie far far from me is in need of a motor, a Galaxie is a big heavy car, I would recommend at least a 351 or baseline there abouts and a c6 if you go matic, theres a guy trying to sell one on here. A 351 w is a very affordable engine to build if you go that route. As far as gas mileage, not so much, The Galaxie is a big girl and its gonna eat some gasoline. About the same as a 350 SBC.

 

the original owner has one for sale, but he put about 4K into it with perf. parts and wants the shiniest and prettiest penny in the world for it.

ZING!! Don't worry, my backyard is a GM junkyard, my alliances will always be forever bowtie, I just want to see what's the other side is like.

Thanks for all the input. a 351 was one of my first options. I did find a good running 352. Would you know whats the difference performance wise besides the extra cubic inch?

A friend also recommended a C6 but was pretty vague about it. I do want to go automatic and this car will be a cruiser more than anything else. I tried doing some research and found out not all C6's are created equal. Any particular year or model I should be searching for? I basically want to do 70mph on the freeway with out the motor screaming at the top of it's lungs.

 

IMO, the 351W will walk all over the 352. And an AOD will bolt up to the 351W (but will need mods for holding up to high HP) Then your 70mph won't be so bad.

 

The 302 is the Ford equivalent to the SBC 350. Just like SBCs, they're everywhere you look; 5.0 mustangs, crown vics, lincolns... you name it. Performance parts are cheap and readily available thanks to the Mustang crowd, and the 302s are reasonably strong and respond well to the mods. They're super easy to work on just like SBCs. Parts are readily available over the counter at virtually every parts store. Now you can get a GM HEI for them so that's awesome too.

If you want to run an overdrive auto behind it, the AOD is your go to. They're pretty strong and run quite well.

The way you're describing what you're after, you might as well go find yourself a beat 5.0 Stang and part it for everything minus the fuel injection. Throw a carb on there, and roll. You'll get well over 20 mpg with that setup too

 

I know about the need to balance performance with good mileage. but, I had a '66 Ford Fairlane GT (wish I still had it) with a mild built 390 and a top loader close ratio 4 speed and a tall gear rearend. it was a snail off the line, but at 70 MPH I would down shift to 2ND and let it fly on the freeway. Big block with torque more fun than small block with mild horsepower. 351 W or C with AOD likely best for what you are looking for. skip the 352.

 

genius! thanks for the input. I will definitely look into this route.

 

Ok, so no go on the 352. Just out of curiousity, whats the difference between a 351 Windsor and a 351 Cleveland? Same engine different name?

 

I got 20 .5 mpg with a 5.0 and five speed, with a small ford carb. Put on an edelbrock 750 and i get 17.

 

Two different engine series.

First, all 351s and the 352 have the same bore and stroke (4 inch bore, 3.5 inch stroke).

The 351W was a stop-gap engine first seen in the mid-1960s GT racing scene. It was released for p***enger car use in 1969 to give Ford some engine options until the new 351 Cleveland was ready in 1970. The W just happened to live on a couple of decades longer than planned. The 351W is basically a tall-deck 302.

The 351 Cleveland was to be the small engine of the future. With the 4V heads a 351C could easily and reliably produce 500 HP for 500 miles thus providing a suitable replacement for the Boss 429 for the new NASCAR rules. On the street with 2V heads and carb it made for an excellent p***enger car engine and with the 4V heads and carb made an excellent performance engine. The racing world won a lot of races with them. The 400 (not 400M, not 400anything, just 400) was a tall-deck version of the 351C built to easily interchange with the 460 for large cars and trucks. The 351C was discontinued after 1974 in the US as emissions and fuel mileage concerns killed performance engines. In 1975, Ford just made a 3.5 stroke crank and some matching pistons so that the 400 could also be a 351. This was the 351M and the M stands for "Modified" according to Ford. No other definition of the M is valid and some are just stupid. BTW, the W and the C were not used until 1970 when Ford was concurrently producing four V8 engine families and people needed some way to discuss them without confusion. But there is another way. FEs have 5 bolts per valve cover, SBFs have six, 429/460s have seven and Cs have eight.

SBF, Challenger V8, Windsor
221, 255, 260, 289, 302, 351W

Cleveland, 335 series:
351C, 351M, 400. C heads were used on the Boss 302

FE series partial list (truck engines omitted):
332, 352, 360, 390, 406, 410, 427, 428

Lima, 385 series
429, 460, 370(truck)
The 351C lived on into the 1980s in Australia.

Cleveland forum:
http://www.351cleveland.net

460 forum:
http://www.460ford.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=37

FE forum:
http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/74182

302 forum: search. There are dozens.

I've built Cs, Ws, FEs and a 460. Fun engine all.

 

For looks an FE is cl***ic. If you have a 352, just overbore it to 4.05, get a 390 crank kit with rods and stock 390 slugs and you have a 390.

For something powerful and unusual use a 400. 4 inch bore, 4 inch stroke, Cleveland heads. Use http://www.tmeyerinc.com/ for your pistons and parts. 400 HP is easy. Just do what the factory didn't: Let them breath.

For simple and powerful use a 351W and maybe a 393 stroker kit.

For big (and cheap!) brawn build a 460.

Engine swap parts can be found here: http://www.critesperformanceparts.com/

 

You will also find that Fords run cooler, then the other one. I think they are just a better choise. My 3 cents worth.

 

A lot of Crown Vic Police Interceptors out there with 351W & AODs. Can probably be had reasonably cheap.

 

351W's and AOD's are the 350/350 combo of the Ford world. Good power and mileage can be had (although not as much with that 4500+ lb Galaxie). I run a 351W and a 5 spd manual in my '51 F-1 and love it. 20 mpg Highway and more power than the rear tires can handle.

Don't over look the 352, it will bolt into the Galaxie with no mods since that was one of the factory options. True, it is the baby of the FE line up, but there is a ton of aftermarket support for the FE's and you can't beat the cl***ic look. **** makes cranks up to 4.25" that are drop ins for the 352 and that will net you close to 440 ci with a .060" bore job. That is a whole lot more motor than you can ever hope to get out of a 351W without serious machine work. C6's bolt up to the FE's and AOD's are available with adaptors. If you have access to a cheap 352, that may be your best bet.

 

The only negative to the 351 windsor is that there aren't a ton of intake manifold options, esp used ones. I think the best one out there is the Weiand Stealth.

IMO the best bang for the buck setup is a 393stroked 351w. You can get a 393 crank for as low as 250$(chinese). Just rebuild your stock rods with good bolts and use 302 pistons instead of 351 pistons. You don't even need to clearance the block.

You can find tons of used aftermarket cylinder heads for 302/351w too. (302 heads just need the bolt holes drilled to fit on a 351w.

As far as FE engines Go, They are great engines, but you need to deal with someone that has FE Experience when it comes to building them and parts selection.
I recommend Barry at SurvivalMotorsports.com.

 

Get out a lot more money

DORF Parts are more $$$$$$$$$$$$

And why would want to finish 2nd after spending more $$$$$$

I knew an old lakes racer once that told me "If I knew Chevy was gonna build the small block I wouldda just waited!!!!''

 

^^^^^ You know how they say you get what you pay for.....well there ya go. Stay with the Ford and live a little. Ive got a 390 mild cam, aluminum intake, holley 670, basicaally stock other than that and its great. Go ahead and just start a chevy small block and then go start a FE motor. Then make your decision....not only that hell the FE looks WAY better than any small block chevy

 

I bought a 67 LTD with a very clean 390, interceptor intake and a holley 670. it runs like a beast, but it's sitting on the C6 so highway driving is not as comfortable as it could be.
this was my first Ford also, so we'll see how it holds up. good luck with yours!

 

You didn't cross over to the dark side, you left the dark side

 

Father in law bought a 66 Galaxie 500 vert. Had the 4bbl and C-6. It got 16 MPG no mater how you drove it, even towing a 16ft boat the milage didn;t change much. that set up today with a 70% Od would be the deal. However with all the crown vics and Merc marquis, and lincolns, in the yards, the modern set up would probably be just as powerful and easier on fuel.

 

For the weight, the 351w is the best engine going. If you can locate a 95 roller cam block engine, that's the best.

But for simplicity and economy, it's hard to beat the 5.0 HO Mustang engine. There are a bazillion of them. If you can score the whole engine with fuel injection, that's the best possible combination. T5 5 speed or AOD four speed overdrive automatic.

My 86 Mustang with a 5.0 gets well above 25 mpg highway. (2.73 rear ratio?). The body is falling apart, but the engine/transmission are fine.

Back to the 351 - it can be cheaply stroked to 393 using 302 pistons, stock rods, and a **** crank. The Cleveland heads will bolt up and you can get the Edelbrock Clevor intake for a 4bbl. Stick a nice roller cam in there and you'd have a cheap monster engine.

 

According to some published numbers your Galaxie is in the 3500lb range (you did not say if it is a 2-dr or?) so it is not terribly heavy and any of the engines should work. If money is the only qualifier, then start a spreadsheet and quantify your top 2 or 3 engine choices.
Personally, in a 2-dr, I'd like the FE with Tri-Power and a 4-speed. Even with a c-6 you have plenty of grunt so a 3.0 rear gear will give freeway speeds.

.

 

[QUOTE="Whitey Ford" 62 Uni;5461232]^^^^^ You know how they say you get what you pay for.....well there ya go. Stay with the Ford and live a little. Ive got a 390 mild cam, aluminum intake, holley 670, basicaally stock other than that and its great. Go ahead and just start a chevy small block and then go start a FE motor. Then make your decision....not only that hell the FE looks WAY better than any small block chevy[/QUOTE]???????????? both are great motors and with the right dress up they both look great and what the say is sure ford made motors after the y-block but who grives a ****

 

1949 Ford F-1 with a mild 289 and late model 4-speed propells my truck quite well, and more than the whitewalls can handle! Small block Ford's may not be "traditional" but make for some stellar mills and should not be overlooked. Any of the FE engines (352, 390, etc...) are great, but cost a little more than the small blocks to build...if you are on a budget. Performance parts are cheap for small blocks and you can easily get 300-400HP out of em. As far as cruising, nothing better than a 302/AOD combo. Beware of the AODE as it looks almost identical escept the electrical connection on the side. AODE will only work with a computer.

The small block will power your Galaxy with no problem, plenty of worry free miles, and decent mileage with the AOD. Not sure how much power you want, but if you look in the right places, performance parts can be had pretty reasonable and if you talk to the right people there are tons of ways to squeak HP out of em.

 

the short block dosen't know what is written on the valve covers. its just an air pump. the heads intake and cam make the eng. I built a 63 box top galaxie, and put a slightly modded 351 w in. Made a good car better. It came with a 352, 4 bbl eng. Also used the crites instructions for the disc on the ft end. .an aod trans would be great.

 

This...

Also, you can build a 302 (which is dimensionally the same as a 289 that would have come in it) up to a 347, put an aod behind it and get some great power, good economy and still have something that could have come with the car... depending on the year.

 

I am a Chevy only man,but what you need to do is find you a 302 or 289 ,cheap upgrades and plenty of power,the 351w and 351c are good engines but have short lifetimes and the 390,well good luck on finding one that hasn"t run hot and ended up in the junkyard,the 352 was a good engine in the trucks for pulling and hauling.My old man had a shop and most of his money back in the day was working on 352 and 390 Ford engines so yeah Ford guys you can jump on me now.

 

Better stick to your Chevy's!
351W's will run a L O N G time, if properly maintained, like any motor. Had a van with an ijected 351W/AOD that did 267,000 miles before i sold it with nothing but normal oil changes and the occasional set of spark plugs - oh yeah and a couple of O2 sensors.
for that Galaxie I wouldn't hesitate to put in a 351W/AOD combo.