351 Cleveland Vs. 390

jbracken · 08-08-2001, 12:18 PM

I currently have a rebuilt 351 Cleveland in my '67 Fastback, with an estimated 430 horsepower. My friend has just recieved an extra 390 with a purchase of a truck and is willing to give it to me, in a rebuild needed state. My question is should I sell the 351 and use the money to rebuild this 390 and stick it in the car? Or am I better off with the Cleveland? Are the hp and torque specs close to the same if warmed up? Will I have a hard time sticking the 390 in? Part selection? Any input would be great.

Thanks

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Gearhead999 · 08-08-2001, 08:09 PM

The 390 will fit the 67. It came in a 67. The 390 is a great grunt engine. Lots of torque low in the rpm range. All the older T-birds had them. Plenty of parts around. Everything including 428 parts fit on and in it.

I think your 351C is a much higher rpm engine and more responsive then your run of the mill 390. Lighter too.

[This message has been edited by Gearhead999 (edited 08-08-2001).]

thunderbolt · 08-08-2001, 08:46 PM

How do you like to drive. Like lots of rpm's and high reving sound? Do you like lots of low end grunt? I see these two engines as totaly different in driving style. A well built 351C that wants to rev will put out lots of power but probably be a bit short on the off the line power. Just the opposite would be true of the FE bigblock.
If it were me, I would stick with the 351C. You won't get enought money for it to rebuild the 390 with any power anyway.

macx · 08-12-2001, 12:00 AM

I'd agree with the advice to stick with the 351C. I owned a 64 300 hp 390 and had friends with GT390 Mustangs - good torque but not willing revvers. But, had another friend with a wickedly fast 428 CJ 69, but that's a considerable step up from a 390, unless you go the full route with like CJ heads (hard to find decent shape) or Edelbrock heads, you can make a 410 out of a 390 w/a 428 crank, but it will cost a lot to get real power out of it. If you want a little better throttle response out of your Cleveland, you might consider a set of Aussie 2bbl closed chamber heads from www.powerheads.com. The 390 also is a heavy motor for that car and it's not very stiff chassis. Weiand Stealth intakes are good hi end performers yet still have good street torque, and there's always aftermarket efi to beef up throttle response even more, w/o losing power (for use on a 4bbl intake) and retrofit hydraulic roller lifters from Crane giving you great cam choices.

macx · 08-12-2001, 12:04 AM

PS - considering that light of a car, you might be better off keeping your (obviously?) 4bbl heads and going hydr roller cam with the retrofit lifters and an efi system like DFI or Holley - those beef up the bottom end quite a bit and wouldn't lose anything on the upper end. If you've got a stick, an aluminum flywheel lets the engine rev quicker, too, as it doesn't have to accelerate as much mass like in a heavy flywheel. I don't believe you could make a 390 nearly as responsive a motor without a lot of spending.

jbracken · 08-13-2001, 10:15 AM

Hey guys, thanks for the helpful responses. I guess sticking with the Cleveland was the better idea all along. I am too poor to build up either engine more right now anyway, so the Cleveland will be my engine for a long time. I still need to do some body work before it is legal so I should be worring about that right now.

08-08-2001, 12:18 PM	#1
jbracken Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Tooele, Utah USA Posts: 3	351 Cleveland Vs. 390 I currently have a rebuilt 351 Cleveland in my '67 Fastback, with an estimated 430 horsepower. My friend has just recieved an extra 390 with a purchase of a truck and is willing to give it to me, in a rebuild needed state. My question is should I sell the 351 and use the money to rebuild this 390 and stick it in the car? Or am I better off with the Cleveland? Are the hp and torque specs close to the same if warmed up? Will I have a hard time sticking the 390 in? Part selection? Any input would be great. Thanks ------------------

08-08-2001, 08:09 PM	#2
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	The 390 will fit the 67. It came in a 67. The 390 is a great grunt engine. Lots of torque low in the rpm range. All the older T-birds had them. Plenty of parts around. Everything including 428 parts fit on and in it. I think your 351C is a much higher rpm engine and more responsive then your run of the mill 390. Lighter too. [This message has been edited by Gearhead999 (edited 08-08-2001).]

08-08-2001, 08:46 PM	#3
thunderbolt Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 380	How do you like to drive. Like lots of rpm's and high reving sound? Do you like lots of low end grunt? I see these two engines as totaly different in driving style. A well built 351C that wants to rev will put out lots of power but probably be a bit short on the off the line power. Just the opposite would be true of the FE bigblock. If it were me, I would stick with the 351C. You won't get enought money for it to rebuild the 390 with any power anyway.

08-12-2001, 12:00 AM	#4
macx Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Gordonville MO USA Posts: 448	I'd agree with the advice to stick with the 351C. I owned a 64 300 hp 390 and had friends with GT390 Mustangs - good torque but not willing revvers. But, had another friend with a wickedly fast 428 CJ 69, but that's a considerable step up from a 390, unless you go the full route with like CJ heads (hard to find decent shape) or Edelbrock heads, you can make a 410 out of a 390 w/a 428 crank, but it will cost a lot to get real power out of it. If you want a little better throttle response out of your Cleveland, you might consider a set of Aussie 2bbl closed chamber heads from www.powerheads.com. The 390 also is a heavy motor for that car and it's not very stiff chassis. Weiand Stealth intakes are good hi end performers yet still have good street torque, and there's always aftermarket efi to beef up throttle response even more, w/o losing power (for use on a 4bbl intake) and retrofit hydraulic roller lifters from Crane giving you great cam choices.

08-12-2001, 12:04 AM	#5
macx Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Gordonville MO USA Posts: 448	PS - considering that light of a car, you might be better off keeping your (obviously?) 4bbl heads and going hydr roller cam with the retrofit lifters and an efi system like DFI or Holley - those beef up the bottom end quite a bit and wouldn't lose anything on the upper end. If you've got a stick, an aluminum flywheel lets the engine rev quicker, too, as it doesn't have to accelerate as much mass like in a heavy flywheel. I don't believe you could make a 390 nearly as responsive a motor without a lot of spending.

08-13-2001, 10:15 AM	#6
jbracken Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Tooele, Utah USA Posts: 3	Hey guys, thanks for the helpful responses. I guess sticking with the Cleveland was the better idea all along. I am too poor to build up either engine more right now anyway, so the Cleveland will be my engine for a long time. I still need to do some body work before it is legal so I should be worring about that right now.