[jim_howard_pdx]

At our you pick it auto recyclers here in Oregon, they charge 300 for an engine with transmission. Look for a 351W with an AOD, or T-5. Then it is all together and you have everything to do the conversion you are planning. Plus if you decide to shoe horn the 351 W into your engine bay, you will have some extra grin time coming.

Just do a cam change, and inspect the main and rod bearings. If worn, replace. If the journals show wear, sell the engine to recoup the cost of the transmission. The 351 windsor will make an extra 100 hp over the 5.0 if you use a dye grinder to cut out the exhaust bulge and smooth the port floor and sides of casting flaws and gubbers. I like to enlarge the intake ports to the felpro 1250 gasket on stock ford heads. I also enlarge the exhaust ports to the felpro graphite gasket. This will get you about 335 hp from the 351, but with almost 80 more ft lbs of torque from 2,500 to 5,500 rpm.

Choose a cam that fits your driving. Don't go hog wild on a cam, cause 351 cast pistons are JUNK. They will not take much more than 350 hp before they detonate your engine. I know cause I detonated one. The piston skirt went away, the pin boss collapsed, the piston cracked in half and seized in the block, the rod pulled free hit the camshaft and bent it, then the rod cap broke and the rod exited my oil pan taking out my part of my power steering components. All this in about 1.5 seconds time. By the time I heard the parts go, I just had time to look out the back window and watch that rod bounce along the highway.

FOUND ON ROAD DEAD

But it did get me started to a fully balanced and blueprinted 351 that is a total blast on the road. I can beat a new Corvette to 100 by over 20 car lengths. This is DOMINANCE. I can even take a Z06, but not by 20. Much too close. That 6 speed and 3.55 gears in the Z06 has a big advantage over a C-4 with 3.25 rear gears.