Well.....I will add some information.
Build what you own, it is always cheaper that way.
If you don't own one, build what you want. There is not enough difference in power level that can be obtained at the same price point. Here is my data point to back it up that I put together several years ago now.
http://dodgestang.com/cvsw.jpg

Please also pay very close attention to the 'gaping' differences in the price of parts

 

The biggest price difference in in the head and head work. How do the C heads flow compared to a set of TrickFlows or AFRs?

 

You are looking at it from the wrong angle (IMO). I don't need to look at how do aftermarket 351w heads flow compared to OEM Ford 4v cleveland heads.

Obviously new heads can flow quite well. You have to buy them and put them on your W, or spend 2x the cost of them trying to make the stockers keep up with your needs in a power build.

I could buy new heads for my C, but my old 4v heads flow enough to give me 400 at the back tire with a ***** cat cam and run 11.4 in a street car (245/40/17 and 275/40/17 on 17x8 rims, all the sway bars on the car, full interior, fat driver, full tank of gas.....) and all I did was put in screw in studs, one piece valve, and light porting on the exhaust side.

If I spent the $1800 on a new set of aftermarket for my car...I wonder how much power I would have then The issue boils down to...at a power point what's the cost....and for a 400 RWHP 351c or 351w the price points appear to be nearly identical.

 

you will not tap into the true performance of the 4V heads unless you are running serious RPMs...which can be catastrophic for Clevelands since they have oil supply issues around 5000 rps. The Cleveland will be a more expensive build, but I would do it for the uniqueness of it...and the torque. A mild build will net nice results out of a 351C...the hard part is that they are kind of in a category of their own...here is how i think of them...SBF is 260/289/302/351W, then there is 351C/M, then there is BBF 390/428/429/460...so the 351C is a small big block...and everyone likes big blocks!!

SO to summarize...build the 351C...pay attention to oil supply, and if you can build a set of 2V heads they will net better results on a daily driving and stop and go stuff...4V heads outflow just about anything!

 

http://www.ausfordparts.com/afd2v.html

This is what I'd get if I were to do it all over again...and a bigger roller cam...and........

 

Clevelands have oil issues above 5k rpms? i thought C's revved better then the W motors? Btw how can i tell if it has 4v heads just by looking at it? do i have to actually rip it apart? im going to try and have him send me pics of the motor and ill post them up on this thread. thanks for all the help guys

 

Everyone's an expert on everything online

Regardless of the opinions about oiling (since I have a solid cam setup 410c that spins to 7500 and all I did was put in a restricter kit....

4v heads have a little 4 cast in the upper left corner visible right next the valve cover.

 

does a 410c have issues with the wrist pin coming too close to the rods? ill definitely look for that on the heads, thanks for the info. are you happy with your decision to go C over W? im going to counter offer his 400 with 250 since its non running since 84 (5 years before i was born lol)

 

My first 408c had the wrist pin in one of the rings.
My current 410c does not.

I build the cleveland because it came with the car and it is cheaper to build what you have. It makes +/-500 at the crank (chassis dyno measured only)
I have a 351w in my 68 and it makes 400 at the crank (actual engine dyno measured)

The difference in power is amazing. The difference in sound is scary. Both are a blast to drive but the cleveland's power level can be a bit much on the street IMO. Very easy to get yourself into trouble with the car

 

FWIW, Having built some "large port engines" and driven a few more, I haven't experienced ANY real drivability issues at any RPM apart from cam selection.

IMO the "big port drivability issues everyone talks about are either a result of;

a. too much cam, or otherwise mismatched parts/setup.

b. Something someone has "heard" from someone else.

I am not saying there is "no" difference in drivability, I am saying the difference is vastly overstated. I say this from my seat of the pants feel.....

IMO A big port engine does NOT need to be a high RPM screamer to take advantage of large port size. My early experience with big port BBCs (rectangular port) was with truck engines, definitely not high RPM engines, on the contrary, these engines were designed to make power at 5,000 rpm and less..

None of the oval port cousins could hold a candle to these engines at ANY RPM.