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rebuild the 400 or change to a 351c

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    Posted: 07-August-2010 at 2:02PM
We are super stoked to have found this 72 Gran Torino Sport that's been sitting in a barn for 25 years.  Body is fairly clean but we'll be rebuilding it from ground up.  This is a project car with our 16 yr. old son.  I've been doing a lot reading the last couple of months (just signed up this forum and it's a great find!)and I'm wondering what you think about rebuilding the 400 or swapping for a 351C?

Thanks for the input!
Mitch Stanley (Dad)
Eric Stanley (16 yr old son)
72 Gran Torino Sport barn find: Restoration in process.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote torkair Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-August-2010 at 10:43AM
A 400 is a great motor, especially if you're rebuilding it since you can correct some of the shortfallings from the factory, the down side is that there isn't quite the parts selection for the 400 as there is for the 351c.
72 Gran Torino "sport"- in progress

73 Ranchero GT- Q code-460/C6/3.25 open rear
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fordified V8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-August-2010 at 2:07PM
I'm all for keeping the original engine in a car but have always been a
huge fan of the 351C-4V. Also, they've been getting a bad rap lately so we should build as many as we can !!! Anywhere up to 500HP is easily attainable. If you read up on the 400 one of the few drawbacks is the deck height & what type of heads are available. As torkair says, 400 parts are hard to find, as it is the Clevelands are tough to locate parts for as well because everyone is building Windsors.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GTS Time Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-August-2010 at 5:28PM
both of you guys echo my thoughts exactly.......I like the idea of having the original motor but I keep reading such great things about the performance possibilities of the 351C.  I've researched a 351C crate motor but really don't want to spend the dough it would take to get what I want.  Clearly there is more affinity out there for the 351C than for the 400 but I've also read some good things about the 400.  Since it's been sitting for so long I have no idea what it's going to look like internally.  Our current plan is to pull the engine and tranny, have the tranny refurbished (C6), breakdown the motor and see what it looks like and then decide from there.  I really just want to make the best call between the two motors so we get it right the first time.  Thanks a ton for your feedback!
Mitch Stanley (Dad)
Eric Stanley (16 yr old son)
72 Gran Torino Sport barn find: Restoration in process.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Skinnys Garage Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-August-2010 at 6:55PM
You might want to wait on the trans rebuild until you decide what engine gets the go ahead. If you switch to the 351, the trans is different along with the motor mounts and a few other items. An easy switch all depends on if you can find a complete donor setup for the change to a 351.
 
I had a lot of fun with my 400 before switching to a 460, but I've built some good running 351C's also. It all comes down to what the goal and budget is. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions, this site has a lot of info. 
Scott -'73 Gran Torino Brougham

Past Torino's -'73 Q-code GTS, '76 Original PS-122 S&H, '73 H-code GTS, '73 Ranchero
        '71 Cobra 351 Auto, '70 351C Brougham 2dr HT, '71 351C Ranchero
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote torkair Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-August-2010 at 6:57PM
The 400 is, in essence, just a bigger Cleveland.  Heads and valve train are a direct swap as are connecting rods and cam shafts.  Really the only things that won't swap are intakes, pistons, and cranks.  The intake is an easy fix as there are spacer plated that allow you to run a 351c intake on a 400 block.  Then there's the crank and pistons, if you're crank is toast then you can order a 4" stroker crank for a 351w which will have the correct main and rod journals but the added benefit of being much lighter than the factory piece.  The Cleveland pistons won't work because they sit too far below the deck to be useable but a machinest by the name of Tim Meyers makes some really nice forged pistons for the 400 for about the cost of some off the shelf slugs, or save yourself some headache and get a 434 stroker kit from Tim which really saves a lof of guess work with the bottom end of the motor.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GTS Time Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-August-2010 at 2:04AM
Thanks Skinny and torkair......good idea to do things in the right order....We're a remodeling contractor so I totally understand that concept!  This is our fist big project car so I really value this input......I did find Tim's website and an am planning on using it.  Because this is our first one, I really like the idea of staying with the 400 so we don't have to make a bunch of mods to make things work.....and I also like the idea of the 434 stroker.  
Mitch Stanley (Dad)
Eric Stanley (16 yr old son)
72 Gran Torino Sport barn find: Restoration in process.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fordified V8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-August-2010 at 2:39PM


... one more reason to build the 351C-4V is because it's cool ...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote torkair Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-August-2010 at 7:12PM
Originally posted by Fordified V8 Fordified V8 wrote:



... one more reason to build the 351C-4V is because it's cool ...


And if you do the same build on a 400 you've got an extra 51 cubes of cool, lol.
72 Gran Torino "sport"- in progress

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rockatansky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-August-2010 at 2:24AM
unless the crank is shot i'd just go with a 408-4V & save a $k
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GTS Time Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-August-2010 at 2:33AM
Thanks for the pic Fortified.......that gets my juices goin.....and thanks Tork and Rock.......more cool is cooler........LOL.  Can't wait to get it pulled and see what she looks like inside.
Mitch Stanley (Dad)
Eric Stanley (16 yr old son)
72 Gran Torino Sport barn find: Restoration in process.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fordified V8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-August-2010 at 9:36AM
http://www.network54.com/Forum/119419/

The above sight can be helpful.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GTS Time Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-August-2010 at 12:29PM
Thanks Fortified.  Looks like a great site.  I tried to sign up but the link is not working.  I read through some of it I think it will be helpful.
Mitch Stanley (Dad)
Eric Stanley (16 yr old son)
72 Gran Torino Sport barn find: Restoration in process.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rockatansky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-August-2010 at 2:36PM
the registration instructions link was broken but it's fixed now, i guess first you need to sign up with N54 then apply to the group 
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