Reply to "400 Engine"

> I have a 400 my brother got at an auction and it just seemed to us a worthy
> replacement with a lot of potential.

351M/400 blocks were cast at two different facilites, the Michigan Casting
Center and the Cleveland Foundry. One of the centers produced a batch of
defective blocks during a short period which are prone to cracking. Pick up
a copy of "How to Rebuild Your 351C/351M/400/429/460 Ford V8". It'll have
the details.

> Cutting through all the other c**p I wrote about 460s & Windsors, I agree
> the 400 makes sense, since you already have the engine & you want more cu.
> inches.

400's make sense for a Pantera where they minimize the swap hassles and make
maximum re-use of existing engine parts. They also make sense for trucks or
cars already equipped with a 351M (or stock 400), since there is no swap cost
involved. For most other applications, the tendency is to jump to a 460 if
you can stand the weight or go to a stroked 351W if you can't.

> Its clear to you now that you'll need to adapt the ZF & motor mounts (which
> are do-able)

Mounts are easy and whatever the Byars Brothers are doing for the 460 swaps
will work for the bellhousing.

> there is a vertical clearance issue (personally I don't like induction
> systems poking through the engine screen).

Marino has raised engine screens and Kirk Evans is back in the business.
I think he made the raised engine screens. The other issue is headers.
You'll need at least an inch of vertical clearance. Bill with Weber
equipped 400 used GTS headers but I don't recall if he modified them.
My Hedmans would not clear. Another option would be headers meant for
raised port heads. You might have to redrill the bolt pattern or weld
a new flange on (or just an adpater plate) but the height should be close.

> Keep this one company in mind, Price Motorsports, the PME Dan listed, they
> have a very extensive line of intake manifold adapters (spacers). This will
> allow you to use your 4V heads & intake on the 400 block, if you decide to
> use them.

Weiand also makes a less expensive set of adapters for 2V heads that can
easily be opened up to 4V or other port size heads.

> Dan, thanks, again.

You're welcome.

> Personally, my mantra is a 377 cu.in. stroker, AFD heads (2V) & a roller
> cam. A very powerful "street" engine can be achieved with these parts.
> You'll read me over and again promoting this package.

I've not had any experience with AFD heads. Have you had a set on the
flow bench to see what they do? I've had A3, B351, and C302 on the bench
and several friends have had 2V and 4V on the bench. I like the high port
family of heads. A nice thing is the headers are available off-the-shelf
for Panteras.

> It seems to me the 400 has been ignored or gotten a bad rep from the
> configration it was sold in. With 3v heads and some other stuff becoming
> available it intruiges me as an engine.

On 400 or more cubes, even the 4V would be plenty torquey and make lots
of power. Aluminum heads are nice for the weight savings if the budget
allows.

> Right now I am restoring a 64 MGB and putting in a Chevy V6:
> Probably not many Pantera owners cup of tea but I am having fun and it has
> been a good car to cut my teeth on.

Looks like fun. I've got a couple of Triumphs, myself. TR7V8 coupe
project and a TR8 convertible. Good cheap fun.

> Purchasing the 400 for $70 was like purchasing a stroker kit for the 351C for
> $70, not a bad deal I say. Good luck with that project too. Keep us posted as
> it progresses.

Weigh the costs and hassles of the finding an FMX block or 429/460 bellhousing,
intake adapater plates, raised engine screen, headers etc against the stroker
kit. The nice thing about the stroker kit is you can get thick cylinder walls
and 430+ cubes are possible.

> view the "clevor motor" thread. Lots of info there.

Some of it is even accurate.

Dan Jones