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351 build?

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Houstonh10 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 09-April-2012 at 1:28PM
hey there guys. So i have a 73 that came with a 351m in it when i bought it that runs fairly well. It does however have a pretty decent rear main leak. i plan on pulling the engine to fix it that way i can get my car back to being my daily driver. since i bought the car ive always wanted to put a 460 in it for some more power but i wanted some peoples opinions. ive never had a 351m before so this is all just my opinion but it seems rather gutless. i dont know if its just that it may have some problems and needs to be gone through but it has no bottom end power. my question is is it worth building my 351m, or should i get a bigger engine and build that? i dont have tons of money to put into it and im not worried about show quality, but i would like some performance out of it. HELP!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-April-2012 at 1:52PM
if you have a 351M I would use it as a boat anchor

however if it's a 351 Cleveland then I would build it as Clevelands have alot of potential
I have had a few Cleveland's and it's my favorite out of the 351 engines.

usually 73's don't come with Modified motors,you sure it's a 351M???


Edited by 72 GTS 429 - 09-April-2012 at 1:55PM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote occupant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-April-2012 at 3:41PM
More likely it's the 400 for a '73. If it's H-code, more likely to be a 351W than 351C but could be either. 351M was not offered until 1975.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-April-2012 at 4:00PM
yah the 400M looks just like a 351M and alot of the parts are the same.
S would be the 5th digit in the VIN if it's factory engine

I tend to see more 351Clevelands in 73 Gran Torino's then Windsor even though they had them
I think they went more with 351W after 74 cause the Cleveland stopped after 74
I don't recall seeing the 351M's in Gran Torino's of any year,unless it was a transplant
the 351m was more a Truck and Bronco engine.I had a 351M in a 79 Ranger XLT Bronco 4X4 but it had a knock so I replaced it with a 400M that was a low milage Reman motor a friend had as he bought a new truck and had it in a 77 F250 so I got the whole truck for $400 and pulled the motor and put it in the Bronco but never have been fond of the Modified engines.

when it was new it looked like this


Edited by 72 GTS 429 - 09-April-2012 at 4:14PM
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Houstonh10 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Houstonh10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-April-2012 at 5:23PM
From what I was told it came from an ltd
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Houstonh10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-April-2012 at 5:36PM
I can take some pictures probably tomorrow if you guys would like
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-April-2012 at 4:41AM
well if in fact it is a 351 M that was swapped in and the car is not an original 400
then I would look for another engine either a 351W or 351C
cause big blocks are too expensive to put in as the factory motor mounts are not made anymore and the Crites adapter mounts are $200 and also headers are $550-650
so it is much less expensive to put in a small block

Like  said i'm not fond of the Modified series motors at all
and you can get alot of aftermarket parts for the Windsor and Clevelands
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Houstonh10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-April-2012 at 4:54AM
Sounds good to me
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Houstonh10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-April-2012 at 6:41AM
ill pull the vin  # tonight after work and maybe you nice people could help me figure out what the car originally had for an engine
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-April-2012 at 7:28AM
Look at the 5th digit 
these are the engine codes 

F= 302
H=351C 2v or 351W
Q=351CJ 4v
S=400
N= 429 4V
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Houstonh10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-April-2012 at 3:46PM
this is why I love this site you guys are just a plethora of knowledge. so going by the chart the car originally contained a 400. now, I do have a 400 that I pulled out of the 74 ranchero but I do have some questions and concerns about it. ( I don't know much about engines if u can't tell). The 400 is the original engine from the ranchero but it appears to have been built. I say this because the pistons and rods are oversized. The pistons have 427 or 429 on them. I'll have to check. Is it worth building? Again I apologize for my ignorance.
73 Gran Torino
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote torkair Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-April-2012 at 10:30PM
If you want to do a 460 swap you can get motor mounts from O'Riley for really cheap!  Just tell them your car is a 76 Gran Torino with a 460 and they should be able to find the parts right away!  As for your 400, gonna need some pics or a full tear down to figure out what's been done to it, your "gutless" situation could be due to a crapped out transmission.
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 Houstonh10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-April-2012 at 3:51AM
I plan on getting over there next weekend, I will snap some pictures then. Pm me when you can I never heard from you last weekend.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-April-2012 at 5:14AM
460 mounts are 3 piece I don't think you can get the motor plates anymore
look in the big block section there are threads in there about 429 swaps or motor mounts which are the same as 460 and everyone says you can't buy the complete mount new
it also contains the photos of used ones.

If O'Riley's has them then post a link of the mounts cause all us BB guys wanna see
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