Reply to "Thoughts on bottom end rebuild and or stroker kits"

Jack

what do you plan to do with your car, strictly street, open road racing, track racing, track events (but not competitive racing), daily driver, strictly show car, etc.?

what parts currently on the motor do you intend to re-use?

why did you feel you needed to replace the lower end to begin with?

are you prepared to spend whatever it takes to do it right?
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Julian,

I can go either way. I have no problem with a 351C with a 4" stroker crank as long as the owner goes the full route, takes no short cuts. But the 400 (its not a 400M) is a viable route to achieve 400 cubic inches in a 335 series motor, and possibly the least expensive option. I prefer using the 400 instead of a stroker crank to a degree because it uses fewer aftermarket parts. There is one problem in using this motor in a Pantera, to my knowelege there are no off the shelf headers for that application.

The 400 is good for up to 6500 RPM (those 3" main bearings and the somewhat heavy crankshaft are the limitations), 4V heads bolt right on, adapters are available to allow the 4V intake manifolds to bolt onto the 4V heads. The difference in weight between the 351C & 400 isn't all that much either. Motor mount adapters are easy to fabricate. Big block to ZF bellhousings are available. Then there's always the FMX block if one is so lucky as to come across one. Just consider the 400 an inexpensive 351C stroker built by Ford, therefore using all Ford parts; the short blocks are dirt cheap at the wrecking yard. The 400 is a sleeper, a very over-looked motor in the Ford family of V8s. It can be a 500 BHP at 6200 RPM BEAST with just the usual stuff.


-G