It's finally happening
 

Most of you don't remember but some time ago I started my project, a 1986 LX coupe. I haven't been on here in a while but that's another story. I'm finally on my way to a toy that I've been trying to finish for a year or two. I'm gonna try to put a picture of the engine in this posting. Right now, I'm degreeing the cam but the crank bolt was boogered up and I'm headed for town for a new one to finish that. I WILL have it finished by Fun Ford Weekend in L.A. this fall. I plan to meet my oldest son there for to see what the fuss is all about. Actually, I'm trying to get this ready by the Dallas event but it'll be close.
What's it got, a 351C, a .579, .588 Comp hydraulic roller with dished Probe forged pistons (gotta use pump gas ya know), 4 bbl heads, Holley 670, CPR long tubes are on the way, Tremec TKO 600 stiitng in the floor right now. Oh, and a 100 shot of ZEX joose. Anyway, why the Cleveland? cause I had two of em and needed to get the mess out of the way. Here's the pics. . . I hope

Re: It's finally happening
 

Hey, Clevelands run ......cant wait to hear how hard she does run when you get it all together.
Ryan

Re: It's finally happening
 

I'm really hoping for around 380-400 horses but I'll wait till it actually happens to make that claim. With juice, I figure 500 isn't out of the question. There's a guy here in Amarillo who can dyno it but he charges $650 to do it and this ole boy can think of a lot of other things to do with that much money. I'm not gonna get hung up on horsepower figures, this is my mid-life crisis toy and it's more for fun than racing. With any luck at all, I'll get to see how hard it runs in L.A.
Does anyone know if there's a class this thing will fit into during the Fun Ford Weekends? Not going for prizes but I'm hoping to at least run it a few times to see what it will do.

Re: It's finally happening
 

Here's the car it's goin into. Don't laugh at the wheels, I have a set of polished Bullitts on the way as we speak. Gawdawful color but I can change that when I hit the lottery.

Re: It's finally happening
 

Congrats Medik! Looking good! Glad its finally coming around! good to see you again! :D
TNT :)

Re: It's finally happening
 

r ur bullitts 4 or 5 lug? and does the car have 4 or 5 lug? :D

Re: It's finally happening
 

They're 5 lug. I bought a set of PBR brakes, spindles, rotors and all off a 2001 for the front and a set of Moser axles for the rear. Still gotta get the drums for that but I stil have some engine building to do this week. Some day I'll go for the rear disks but for now, the budget won't go there.

Re: It's finally happening
 

you can drop a 351c in a fox body?

Re: It's finally happening
 

Sure can. actually this is the second one I've done. The first was for my youngest son back some years ago. Basically here's what you need. Oil pan for a Fox body: Canton, Moroso and probably a couple of other companies make them for a couple hundred bux. I used a Moroso the last time, Canton this time. Personally, the Canton would be my choice if I had to do the first one over again.
Motor mounts. Don't buy the rediculously expensive "conversion" mounts. Add a 3/4" spacer to a set of small block mounts. They go between the block and the mounts. Stock 351C exhaust manifolds will work but you'll need to change out the steering shaft with one like Flaming River as the rubber biscuit on the stock one will rub on the exhaust manifolds. You can do custom headers but it costs a bit more. I paid $559 for mine through CPR. Hedman makes them for about $400 and Hooker has some as well. I used a stock C-6 auto last time and a Tremec TKO 600 this time.The driveshaft had to be shortened the last time but I'm not sure if it was the transmission length or the engine but I think the block is the same dimensionally as a 302 (mounting points)
FYI, a 351C is a small block so transmissions, bellhousings etc from a 5.0 work fine. I did have to get a 5.0 flywheel because the stock cleveland flywheel is larger and the bellhousing to fit the Tremec TKO will only fit the 157 tooth flywheel. (starter alignment issues)
The neatest thing about this swap is the sound it makes. I truly like the sound a healthy five-oh makes but let's face it . . you heard one, you've heard em all. Any mustang owner worth spit can instantly tell a five litre rev up without ever seeing the thing. The sound is unique in the hot rod world. Stomp a foot full of Cleveland and anyone hearing it first are usually surprised when they see what made the noise. Not saying it's better or worse, just wildly different. This usually gets me accusations of bowtie transplants and such.
Like I said before, why i did it tis time was simple. I had two of them and needed to clear out some junk. Might as well build one good one out of the pair. Weight wise, a Cleveland is about 100 pounds heavier than a 5.0. I figure with the tubular K-member, the aluminum intake and lighter headers, I've saved the 100 pounds so handling should be close to normal if there is such a thing. Anyway, I can ramble on for hours like this but I'll shut up now. By the way. . .anyone who tells you that you can't get bucketloads of torque out of a set of 4 bbl heads (as opposed to the 2 bbl versions) never drove one! My last venture would pull from 40 to 80 mph in 4 seconds. (give or take a half second) That was in third gear in the C6. 3:27 gears and standard T/C.

Re: It's finally happening
 

Nice cleveland. My dad is a big fan of clevelands he has a 71 2v. I am a little surprised that you are only running a 670 crab with 4 bbl heads. The ports on those are bigger than on my cobra jet. Should be alot of fun. You can run in car in the bracket classes that fun ford has either street ford or quick ford. I don't think there is a heads up class for you though. I hope to run my CJ in the street ford class at the fun ford in Fontana my dad is going to run his cleveland also. I am assuming you are talking about the fontana race when you say LA. So maybe i will see you there.

Re: It's finally happening
 

About three and a half weeks ago, I was at a place called Dreamchaser performance (first class operation I might add) and while waiting to talk to the feller who owns the place I was invited in to watch a final pull on the dyno for one of his customers. Among the parameters he monitors while dyno tuning is total CFM. I questioned him about this because outside of the 370 horses the engine was making, (350 chevy) I noticed over to one side the CFM indicator only showed 400 CFM (total)
I asked him if that was indeed all the air that engine used and he said yes, that engine, today, only took 400 cfm to pull that horsepower. I also found out from a different machine shop that he had recently pulled 738 horses out of an engine and only pulled 620 cfm.
Both operators told me the same thing. . . it takes a lot less carburetor than most folks think to make big numbers.
I talked with both for a while and after hearing what I was putting together, they both suggested I stick with around 600-650 cfm. This would allow for two things. Efficiency and streetability. The smaller venturies would improve signal strength through the fuel discharges. Less bogging, snappier throttle response and since 99 percent of my driving will be on the street, I chose the 670.
I guess that is the place. September is the one thing I am sure of. . .I think. Anyway, my son says it's right off 15 near the fairgrounds.

Re: It's finally happening
 

That is pretty interesting about the carb. All I really know about it is what i read on other ford web sites and guys with 4bbl clevelands usally carb the hell out of them because of the big ports and valves. I bet they would be intrested to know what you just posted.

The fun ford is oct 1 and 2. It is going to be at the Califronia speedway. They just took part of the parking lot and made it into a drag race track. It really sucked at first because you where littleraly racing in the parking lot so it was slow. It was just supposed to be for street racing. Over the last few years though they turned it into a real drag strip and hold scationed events for different organizations. So it has become alot better.