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68 GT FASTBACK

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01 GT BULLITT

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Originally posted by nimshuwitz:
hey whats up? heres my problem. im rebuilding a 351m for a project and i wanted to know if it is possible to increase the horsepower and performance to the extreme?i also planned to put this engine into a car; what would be the best? thinking about a 79 mercury capri:good or bad. need help fast. peace

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This engine is very similiar to the 351C.
The easiest gain would be use a 400 crank and pistons and then you would have a 400ci engine. All Cleveland cams work on the 351M 400 series motors. You can also use 351c 4V heads for lots of airflow.
However since the 351M/400 are about the same size as a 460, I would just start with a 460.

The reasons being, first of all, no one makes a good intake that will fit a 351m/400. To use a cleveland intake on it, you would need to buy expensive spoacer plates that fit between the heads and the intake. Also, you wont be able to find anyone that makes headers for it. Headers designed for clevelands will physically bolt to the 351m/400, but, since the block is taller and wider, I highly doubt if they would fit in the chassis you are planning on using without some serious midifications. And I don't know about you, but I don't normally like having to modify parts that cost several hundred dollars to make them work (and cleveland headers into a fox body are not cheap by anymeans.)

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Originally posted by nimshuwitz:

And if i go with the gt fastback will the engine fit.
thanks for the help

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Depends on what "gt fastback" you are talking about. If it is a '79 to somewhere around '93 mustang, it will fit, but not any better than in a '79 Capri. They are all fox body cars, therefore all the same problems you would have had putting it in the capri still exist in the mustang. If it is something else, it's hard to say. The 351m/400 was never offered in a performance package, therefore never offered in any "performance oriented" vehicles.

The horsepower wont be near as much as you co uld get out of relatively stock 460. What you essentially have with the 351m and even the 400 is a truck motor. It was never designed to make a lot of horsepower.

Essentially, in the hot rodding world they are considered really good boat anchors and not worth much else.

My opinion, take your 351m to the junkyard, and trade it for a 460. I wouldn't bother with the 351m/400, unless I wanted to use it in a pickup to pull my racecar. It's just not worth the hassle when you can get so much more power out of a 460 for the same amount of money.