[leach03xx]

ok i have a few questions for you all . I have found a 1976 Ford Van with a 351w in it with a 4bbl carb on it . I can get the complete van for free. It was running when it was parked 5 years ago. The tranny started slipping so it was parked. I would like to put the motor in my 67 coupe.


1. is this a decent motor to work with ?
2. What parts can I use off of my 289.
3. When I bought my cougar I had the C-4 tranny rebuilt with a shift kit will I be able to bolt it to the 351W
4. What type of problems am i going to run into?

any help would be greatly appricatied .

 

[Bad69cat]

If I had a nickle for every car that was running when parked X years ago......."free" is the only way to take that smog bitten, flea ravaged, POS I'd say. You are probably better off looking for an earlier one, or bite the bullet and get yourself a late model roller 5.0 instead. I guess it doesn't matter all that much if you had plans that included replace just about everything - including the heads. Lord knows what your gonna find though. The only differrence on the 351W is that the deck is 1" taller, so the intakes are different. The bracketry and things on your 289 should be usable. Simple enough swap - just have it checked over first before you spend and real money on it.

 

[towcat]

1. Yes, The heads would be the weak part. The valves and combustion could/should be a little larger.
2. Carb., Alt., Starter, valve covers, headers if equipped.
3. Yes, if you use 351 flex plate and torque converter. You may be able to use your 289 T/C if it will fit the 351 flex plate holes.
4. Just the normal swap problems. I have a 79 351 in my 67, little tight around the shock towers with headers

 

[leach03xx]

Bad69cat, and towcat thank you for your response your info will be helpful.. Towcat do you have pictures of your swap in progress, if not will you take a picture to show me just how close the motor is to the shock towers(I am hoping to use my homemade headers off of my 289)... Did you have any wiring problems or did everything connect ok? This will be my 1st swap on a american car. I had nightmares with my 85 supra swap.

 

[Bad69cat]

Wiring will be the same....except the firing order is different on a W so be sure to keep that straight. You can re-use the dizzy from yours, just make sure you pay attention to how it comes out and goes in on each....headers will likely work as long as you didn't come off at an angle that wouldn't tollerate the diff in height? (Width is about the same) You plan to rebuild the thing I hope.....I'd just drop it off at a machine shop and get a bill of health if you aren't comfortable with yanking it appart. Just be sure it's a reputable one! Seems to be a few short cut takers out there these days. Don't let them go minimal on it. Won't cost much more to go all the way at that point anyway.

 

[towcat]

While I changed the 289 for a 351, I also installed a AOD. 378 gear in the rear, 2,100 rpm's at 70 mph. Sweet! also installed a rear steer rack . check out the first 10 pictures there is one of the engine compartment
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]http://www.dcconline.org/events/20060602.html[/FONT]

 

[leach03xx]

I do thank you both of you for the info it is helpful. I do plan to have the 351 rebuilt so all I have to do now is find out what to put in it.. Any ideas? Towcat emails will work for me my email is [email protected]

 

[leach03xx]

Tomcat i love the blacked out grill

 

[Cougrrcj]

Wiring will be the same....except the firing order is different on a W so be sure to keep that straight. You can re-use the dizzy from yours, just make sure you pay attention to how it comes out and goes in on each....headers will likely work as long as you didn't come off at an angle that wouldn't tollerate the diff in height? (Width is about the same)

Wrong! W's use a 5/16 hex oil pump driveshaft, whereas 289/302s use a 1/4" hex oil pump drive. That makes the distributor shaft that drives the oil pump different - meaning the distributor is different!!! Also, Windsors are both taller and wider, so his homemade headers might not fit anymore. Best to buy another set that will fit a 351W in an early Cat.

 

[towcat]

The 76 351 should have a duraspark dist.,keep that and buy the module with a blue strain relief and you will have a good setup.

 

[Bad69cat]

OOPS thanks Milo - forgot the drive shaft was bigger!!