Advantages / Disadvantages of building a Clevor for the pantera.

I'm sure someone who has actually done this will pipe up, but, yes its been done. There are a handful of mods you have to do in regards to accessories. Vendor(s) sell the parts to complete the mods. I think there have been several threads covering this. Have you done a search? This has also been discussed on the de Tomaso BB.

Yes just completed one ... not to worry there are plenty of intakes for 9.2 & 9.5 deck blocks .. which leads to another question? why dosent anyone use a set of Boss 302 heads on a cleveland ...cheap upgrade closed chamber, big valves, screw in studs and they are resonable in price

Fill me in on what pieces I will need to use my closed chamber cleveland heads. Water pipes,headers,???

I;m not the expert on this but I think to fit C heads on a W ..you will have to drill the head on the intake manifold side to enable the W intake cooling cross over to work ... then you will need the intake to match.

Ron

Unless you are willing to build custom headers, you may want to investigate what off the shelf headers are available for the Pantera. For instance, if you're gonna use 4V heads, you're limited to a block with a 9.2" deck height, to the best of my recollection.

Unless you are talking about the SVO G351/W351 etc etc. blocks, the windsor blocks really aren't any better. The original ford cast Windsor blocks had their own limitations much like the cleveland with most of the recommended examples being from 69-71 i believe. I wouldn't call them an upgrade though.

The Windsor has a better oil supply system compared to the Cleveland. However, the mains are larger and therefore crank surface speed is larger than a Cleveland at the same RPM, so this limits the Windsor slightly....

Some have been known to run bearing reducers in the block and then use the 351C crank!

351W's have a LOT more parts available in the aftermarket.

Clevors: I believe that the biggest obstacle to doing this is finding a Street Boss or Track Boss intake made by B&A back when. I believe that someone had retooled for them and was making them again. Not sure how large the run was! Place in MO I believe....I bought gaskets from them when I put Aussie heads on my 302.

The changes to the 351 heads are very simple, including drilling the intake surface to allow water to circulate into the wet intake manifold.

The Aussie 2V heads would be a natural with flat-tops or small dished pistons in a 351W.

If I ever find an intake, I'm gonna be considering it big time!

Exhaust: You can run your stock 4V headers on a Clevor, or with the Aussie heads!

I know someone with a good 1969 block if anyone is interested.

Steve

HUSTLER ..I agree 100% the 69 / 70 blocks were the ones with the oversized mains ... the SVO blocks are an upgrade ... my G block has a max boring limitation ... I dont think I will be aroudn when it needs to go .060 oversized .. some of the others can go .120.

If you use a 9.2 windsor block and a set of 351C or 302 Boss heads you can run any 351C intake with a minor mod to the intake rear only if I remember right and tap the front of the head and use a remote thermostat housing ... this subject has been discussed many times before ... but could be done on a budget.

Here is a dry C intake made to fit a W block with the mods front and back.

Ron

The BA Performance intakes were small port intakes, they matched up with 351C 2V heads on 302 & 351W blocks. Edelbrock now makes their own RPM Performer intakes for the same applications, so there is no longer a need to hunt down the hard to find parts manufactured by BA Performance in the '80s. If you're going to use 2V heads, I can't recommend the iron versions any longer, not when the alloy versions on the market flow so much better out of the box than a ported set of iron heads. If you are contemplating buying a set of alloy 2V heads, I recommend giving the new Trick Flow heads serious consideration.

A second way to go is to use a Price Motorsports intake manifold adapter, they offer an extensive array of adapters. http://www.pricemotorsport.com/

Finally, if you plan to use an aftermarket block, the World Products Man 'O' War block has a wide rear valley rail that can accomodate the 351C intake manifold which bends inward, or the 351W intake manifold which bends outward. Unfortunately, the Man 'O' War block does not have a 351C thermostat housing, so an external coolant outlet system must be used.

However, in my opinion, the weakness of the 351C block and the lubrication system problems are tremendously over-stated, and a result of the lack of understanding what makes the 351C tick. (i.e. caused by human error) Its all a matter of what parts you're using, how you've prepped those parts and how much RPM you're turning.

If you wanna make a 351C live, use the oem 4M crankshaft, install bushings in the lifter bores (along with a Boss 351 spec lubrication system), run full round skirt pistons and purchase an ATI dampener. The real weak points of the 351C are the oem connecting rod nuts (even the Boss 351 nuts) and the 4V valves. Those are parts that should not be used.

quote:

However, in my opinion, the weakness of the 351C block and the lubrication system problems are tremendously over-stated, and a result of the lack of understanding what makes the 351C tick.

Exactly ... a simple thought is what oil you use .. the new Audi's have oiling issues they state use 0W-30 ... I have always used 5w 30 synthetic and never had oiling issues with my C's or FE's as a matter of fact our FE drag racing group gained an added 50 runs per season on our motors using light wieght oil.

The research and development of the correct parts and the tricks of the trade are the key.
Ron

I have a Shelby dual quad intake that really woke my boss 302 up, and if I build the clevor I plan on trying this intake. Does someone that has done this know the thickness of the intake adapter plates and gaskets, as I can machine them on one of my cnc.s Also can't you run a larger stroker in the clevor than you can in the clevland? Just looking for options for a good street engine.You folks know a lot more about this stuff than I do.

George,

Price Motorsports (see three posts up!) has the info and the spacers!!!

Sounds like fun!!!
Steve