silentvoice19

now i found a hell of a deal on a 351c but all of my buddies are saying that the 351 isnt any good they say the 351w is better all around motor now i know alittle about the cleveland and people say there are pros and cons of both but what would you guys do would you stick and mod a 302 or snag a really good condition really cheap 351c.????

67mustang302

If you're gonna build them up on a modest budget, I'd say 302, you can build up a 302 with good heads that'll make as much power as a Cleveland but get better mileage and be easier to find parts for. If you get a Cleveland and put good heads on it then it'd make similar power to a W, but C's are harder to find parts for. It comes down to budget and build, if you have the money for a good build then a C with good heads(Edelbrock, CHI etc) would work out. I prefer W's since they're easier to get parts for so you can make just as much power but for less money

black_92

I would stay with the 302 and build a stroker out of it. If you want a 351 get a 351w and build it, but I would not go with a 351c.

irish1

Don't be too quick to dismiss the Cleveland, parts are not difficult to get, stock 4V heads are very hard to beat even for aftermarket stuff, if you keep your revs under 7K you do not need to worry about oiling mods(351C with oil mods spin to 8-9k frequently) stock rods/block/crank are good to about 600 hp. It is now possible to make a fuel injected Cleveland using stock fox harness/cpu. For a mild build use 2V aussie heads(around 4-500 per pair) good carb/intake exhaust and there you have 4-450 hp and lots of torque. I paid 100 dollars for a 4V Cleveland with tranny, put about 1500 into it shopping well, and now have a 500 hp engine sitting on the stand waiting for a home, cannot wait to fire it off and see what it is like. Just make SURE it is a Cleveland and not a 351M or 400M, as for your friends who say a 351C isn't any good, ask them two questions, first why where they banned from so many different races? and second if they are not good, why do people use 351C heads on 351W(called a Clevor motor)?

r.barn

351C's are ok but you have to know what you're doing with em.

351W will be easier to swap.

I would just stick with the 302 and maybe stroke it later or something.

bighungrymatt

either stay with the 302 or get a 351w

F250sd

I say that if you are getting a good deal on it, go for it. 351C's run real strong on the top end.

67mustang302

Factory Cleveland heads aren't that great, unless you're restricted to a racing class that requires stock heads. Most modern aftermarket heads that are small and meant for street 302's dramatically outperform stock 2V and 4V Cleveland heads. They have monsterously large ports that don't flow as well as most people think they do. AFR 165's will outflow 4V Cleveland heads until you get past .500lift, and those are a small head, you start talking AFR 185's or 205/225 and they absolutely obliterate factory Cleveland heads, and with a smaller port which = higher velocity. They were nice 20-30 years ago when no one made heads for small block Fords, but now there are so many good heads out there for Windsor family engines, that stock Cleveland heads can't compete. Aftermarket heads on a Cleveland like Edelbrocks, or CHI's are modern and put a Cleveland back in the game, but a stock headed Cleveland is gonna have a REALLY hard time creating the same amount of performance as a well built 302 with good heads and be as streetable. If you have the money to spend on a Cleveland and get good heads for it then it's worth it, but if you're gonna build a stock headed Cleveland you might as well build a 302 with good heads

ih8chevy

i tell you, if you have to ask, no offense, dont build a cleveland. Clevor motors are banned because the intake and exhaust ports are bigger than the factory DOOE-R 429 heads. They are gigantic. Which a) makes for awesome power up stairs, b) kills velocity which in turn will kill torque downstairs. They are awesome heads but not for the street.

silentvoice19

ok ill just stay 302 then, stiffin up my unibody alittle better and possibly throw some nitrous on it.Thanks guys just wonderin i needed alittle more than just their opinions.