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351 build advice needed

1K views 5 replies 2 participants last post by  BB72R-Yes 
#1 ·
Okay, I have been picking up parts for this 351 here and there. Cheap. All new parts that people no longer were going to need. Got a Pertronix billet plug and play dizzy, Eddy performer intake, Eddy waterpump, Comp double roller timing set and have D5AE heads and E7TE heads. <Deal on street heats fell through. Block, rods and crank will be going to machine shop for work this Winter. I plan on doing an extensive port job on one of these sets of heads. I've read the early heads would be a better choice. Can anyone verify? I still need a cam and pistons. Any reccomendations? I'm hoping to get between 350-400 hp/tq. Just to cloud the waters a little more I can get a 3.85 cast crank for very cheap to do a 393. Would well ported stock heads support the extra cubes?
 
#2 ·
Neither set of heads is very good, IMO it would be foolish to waste any money working on them, even fully ported they aren't going to be very good on a 351 or bigger. I'd go with 351 cubes and better heads before spending money on a stroker crank and related parts, unless you have to buy a rotating assembly anyway.


The D5AE area not considered "early heads" in Ford speak, it is D2AE or earlier that are considered early.

Up to 1977 the 351 heads have a wider intake port and 1.84" intake valves, so that is better than the E7's, but they will have a larger combustion chamber than the earlier 351 heads. Going to the 1.94" Chevy intake valve size would also help.

How cheap is "really cheap" on the 3.85" crank??

You can get to 350hp, getting much beyond that will take better heads.
 
#3 ·
Under 200.00 to my door for NIB cast crank. I've read more than once that guys have gotten 200-220 cfm out of the D5's at .500 lift. If those numbers panned out would that be sufficient flow to make close to 400 hp/tq? I thought the chambers were 64cc's or less for windsors 75 and earlier, no?
 
#5 ·
Right, just the early heads have the 58cc chambers, you can mill the pre-77's to that(they usually measure around 62cc stock, despite what is published). If all you are after is 200cfm, you can get there with a little blending, 220 or more is a stretch without a lot of cutting and 1.94" intake valves. Don't forget that huge EGR bump in the exhaust port.

Good price on the crank, I'd go that way as it allows you to use lower cost 302 pistons, with the stock 351 rod length the deck height comes out good. It will definately have torque.

You can always put good heads on it later if you want more, just factor up all the costs with rebuilding and upgrading(guides, valves, studs, porting, springs, etc) the stock stuff before you spend close to aftermarket money for poor stock heads. Iron performance heads from RHS, Dart, Trick Flow and World Products can be found for some real good prices if you shop around.
 
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