tips for disguising a 351w as an older sbf?

Well im running a 351 windsor, a 1979 vintage one. Im running some old cal custon finned valve covers, but havent done much else. That m***ive distributor is just plain ugly. Id like to replace that with an older style one. As well as just.. make this engine look more like a vintage 289.

Any tips?

 

SBF engines are hard to disguise as anything but what they are, but we Ford lovers don't mind that too much. Stuff like finned valve covers, early style air cleaners, and getting rid of the Duraspark distributor help somewhat. If you want the 60's look Cobra dress up items fit that era and most 289 goodies will fit the 351 ( valve covers, air cleaner, etc)

All I could do with the one in my 27 was "kinda" make it fit the look of the car, but with aluminum heads I really am not fooling anyone, but that is ok too.



Don

 

I get a distributor for a 69 or 70 mustang on mine. I always put a black cap and wires. The 65 mustang hipo type air filter with the chrome top looks good and is cheap enough. Lots of different valve covers available.

 

Paint it the correct color for the year.

 

I agree with the color. Early SBF werent ford blue. Also I dont know how radical you wanna go but pre 63 sbf engines did not have pcv systems, and had smooth valve covers without breathers, the oil fill was up front so you can get a 221 260 or early 289 front timing cover with the oil fill neck on it. You can get away with an early distributor with a pertronix ignition inside.

Early sbf were black. Valve cover and air filter cover colors depended on whther car was ford or mercury.

 

A regular cap and rotor will fit your distributor, just use quality cap ,rotor and wires.

 

Put a air-gap on it and some rookie might think they are looking at a y-block ! LOL

 

Thanks for the tips guys. I like the idea of running the early timing cover with the filler there, painting the block black. Finding a better looking distributor (this original one has the market cornered on being pure **** ugly),

Im not planning on building this up as a real hot motor, just a good rv cam for the sound, a set of period looking headers.

 

Nice thing, about sbf parts interchangeability...... I went the other way, stock dissy, Pertronix, and the Duraspark cap with it's adapter and rotor. Mine's in the 72 F100. (More of that Ford interchangeability thing)

4TTRUK

 

If you have the duraspark distributor with the big cap there is no reason to get rid of it since a points cap and rotor will go on it and give you the look of a points distributor.

 

faux Oldsmobile valve covers?

 

Here's my SBF painted up in 1954 Ford V8 colors and stickers.

I also wanted to retain the look of the old oil bath air cleaner, so I gutted it and made it fit a 4 barrel carb and it now takes paper elements.

 

early 60's 260's & 289's were gold

 

That really looks trick. Nice job.

Don

 

rustyfords, I like the look, cool

 

maybe try black with chrome valve covers.....

 

Actually they were black with gold covers and cleaners.

Galaxies with early small blocks had reddish orange covers and cleaners

 

Distributors on the back of a Y block. Come to think of it a rookie might not know that and chances are a rookie wouldn't know what a Y blocks is anyway!

 

http://home.comcast.net/~superhart/vcadapter.htm

Or use these and make it look like an FE. The 351's width would help too

 

Y-block valve covers - with the center hold-down wing nuts?

 

I have really grown to like the 351W. I remember back when they first came on the scene, no one wanted anything to do with them in a performance sense. However, they a strong performer with a little tweaking and they look good in the right application.

Here's one that I have in my 67 Mustang daily driver .........




Here's one that is in George Poteet's '32 Ford 5 Window coupe. It has early FE valve covers adapted, as well as adapter plates to accommodate the 3x2s setup ......

 

Moustache on the air cleaner.

 

Well, I'm not too sure about the "disguising" part, but I do think 351W dresses up nice and pleasing to the eye. This is what I've done to mine and also a link to a thread about how I went about it.
Good luck
Paul

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=606808

 

You could run a tri-carb set up like this 302 version that I have.


You just have to make your adapter fit the 5.8L intake. Here are the Ford EFI intakes:

From left to right: 5.0L car, 5.0L truck, 5.8L truck.

 

Now that is just super cool! Did you make the adapter or is available off the shelf somewhere? I was thinking dual 4's on mine, but that tri carb setup is sweet!

 

Those are about the only people you are going to fool too. The deck hieght is about an inch and a quarter taller. thats a readily apparent to anyone except Ray Charles.

 

Yes, then they will you have an ultra rare 1950s 351W. That'll fool 'em every time.

 

I would stay with your early Cal Custom VCs,I have them on my wagon.If you go the early front cover with the oil fill tube you will need a breather for it and a road draft tube on the back of the manifold.Early aftermarket intakes had the area molded where the tube went,don't remember any 351W manifolds that way,but a proper sized hole saw will fix you up.You NEED air in and pressure out,learned that the hard way[blown front seal and blown VC gaskets]!! ROY.

 

Have you considered this? Put an ad on Craigslist. "Good running 351 Windsor, will trade straight across for your 260/289."

Seriously. Bet you will get a response pdq, and then instead of trying to disguise a 351W, you will have the motor you actually want. ***uming that a 289 is actually what you want.

 

Enjoy the prices!