351 Windsor

[theoldwizard]

Originally Posted by jake1086

call up comp cams tech support, ask em how big you can go with stock springs...

Yep, springs will be the limiter. If you want to make any reasonable power, you should bite the bullet and replace the springs so that you can get a bigger cam.

Next you absolutely need a 4 barrel intake and carb. You should be able to find one in a junkyard or swap meet cheap, but be careful, very few 351W came with 4bbl and a 351C will not interchange.

[jonmark1985]

i would not just worry about springs binding but piston to valve clearance and spring retainer to guide/seal clearance.

A set of headders would probably be a good idea.

[theoldwizard]

Originally Posted by jonmark1985

i would not just worry about springs binding but piston to valve clearance and spring retainer to guide/seal clearance.

Good point. I don't think the stock springs are likely to bind with a high performance cam, but they are likely to break because the high ramp rates and higher max lift. Of course reving to high rpm is a really killer. Then again, weak springs can be an effective rev limiter when the valves float.

I believe most "vintage" V8 (with stock heads and pistons) have sufficient valve/piston clearance that they can survive float with no damage. However a broken spring will likely cause the vavle and the piston to meet catas

I would expect a good cam company would know how much max lift a stock engine could tolerate and still withstand valve float.

Again, the point of this discussion is what changes can you make to a vintage V8, at minimal cost, that will produce the most horsepower.

[theoldwizard]

One thing no one mentioned is, depending on how far you want to go with building an engine for mud racing, you might be better off junk yard shopping and see if you can swap your 351W for a 351C along with some cash. The Cleveland has much better higher horsepower potential.

Then again, you should see what the swap cost for 351W to 429/460 would cost although the Big Block motor would immediately cause you to swap transmissions.

[6pack]

Would a 351w really be a good engine choice for mud racing? I have a lot of respect for the 351. I just don't see it being a good choice for mud running. They don't have much by way of low down torque which I think would be needed for mud racing, especially in a truck. Agree with Old Wizard. Go Big Block.