Best factory 351W Block.
 

I am looking for a 351W block to rebuild for when I blow up my 302 this season. Which block is the best and why?

Thanks,

69-70 are great but slightly smaller deck height 71-74 are the ones i look for. try and get one with all the excessories and hardware with it. I always look for a vehicle that has been rear ended also look at trucks and station wagons before pulling from a car. if you want a roller like 86 up but i cant remember.

351 Block Castings

C9OE-8 69-70
DZAE-BA 71-73
D4AE-DA
D4AE-AA both 74-78 -deck height increased to 9.503
D9AE-ED 79-82
E3AE-BA 83-93 -change to external one piece rear main seal
F4AE-?? 94-98 -change to block for roller lifters

Deck height:

69-73 9.480"
74-up 9.503"

69-76 heads all use 1.85 and 1.54 valves with 60cc chambers.
69-78 heads all use rail rockers.
69-74 heads had L shaped water passages with 16 bolt intakes.
77-up heads used 302 size 1.78 and 1.45 valves with 69cc chambers.
79-up heads used pedestal mount rocker arms.
75-up heads had square shaped water passages same as 302 with 12 bolt intake.

Thanks for that great info!!!!!

Looks like I want the 351W out of a ford lightning cause it is a roller motor.

I plan on getting it rebuilt with 10.5 to 1 compression. Then get my Canfield heads port matched to a trick flow R intake manifold.

Cant wait. Well hell i gotta blow this one up 1st.

69 351W blocks are supost to be the strongest from what I've heard.

The late model ones are really great though, with their roller cams and one piece rear-main seals


-Josh, aka the tireburner

E3AE-BA 83-93 -change to external one piece rear main seal

Some '83 trucks (cars?) had the 2 piece seal

If it were me, I would get an earlier block and convert it to roller. All you have to do is drill and tap two holes in the lifter gallery to bolt down the "spider" as I call it. The older blocks are stronger. And I prefer the two piece rear seal.

Thats good to know, Thanks!!