Replace 302 with 351???

[earleys94gt]

Would the swap from a 302 to a 351 be worth the time and money, or would it be better to rebuild the 302 and stick with that? I am at the point of trying to decide between the two...I would like to start the motor project this winter if possible, so getting all the b.s. out of the way now would be optimum. To anyone who has done the swap, did you use a crate 351 or get one from another vehicle i.e. older stang or truck?
Since the 302 and 351 are like brothers, would the stock suspension stand up to the 351, or would some "tweaks" be in order? Thanks!

 

[stang302v8]

i would def. stick with the 302. get it rebuilt and put whatever you want into it, they are so much snappier than a 351. 351's are really doggy off the line, i know from experience. they dont make any good power untill around 4500rpm, and are pretty much useless for performance unless on the highway. 351 clevelands are the worst. 351 windsors arent too bad. 302 is pretty much the better choice for 1/8 mile, red light to red light performance

 

[igotyofire]

eh, maybe yours wernt built right, but a 351windsor should blow the the doors off any 302. i dont know first hand but i do know its basically a 302 with a taller deck hieght and stronger block. i see no reason for it to be behind any 302 with similiar flowing heads

 

[stang302v8]

a windsor maybe. i never had or raced 351 windsors but i have owned clevlands and raced people with clevlands and they just never seemed to have any oomph for the money that was put into them

 

[Joe 5.0]

LOL

351 vs. 302

The 351 will have better torque, and much more potential.

If you are looking get 500+hp go with the 351 and stroke it. (haha)

You can make your 302 a 331 or 347 and make 400+ hp NA, but its gonna be kinda peaky compared to a 351.

 

[igotyofire]

i personally wouldn't do cleavelands, much easier to find windsor parts

 

[reddy351]

First off, if it is your second car. Do some bolt-ons and enjoy it. A lot of guys want to start throwing money at a car and then realize it's not what they were after. I would rather drive mine than watch it sit in the driveway cause I need another $200 part or something like that. Collect ALL of the necessary parts, before you turn the first wrench on your toy. The parts laying in the garage or the basement are a lot better than the parts AND the car! Drive it!!

I have built a few 351 Windsors. (302 and 351 are both Windsors. Built in Windsor, Canada.) Built alike, a 351 will pull the teeth out of a 302. All below 5000 rpm. (no expensive valvetrain parts.) All of the 302/5.0 heads work on either block. Although the 351 uses a 1/2" head bolt and the 302 uses a 3/8" (?) head bolt. No problem. Cams interchange. There are two different firing orders. No problem. Cams and heads that would be "too much" for a 302/5.0 would probably be "just right" for a 351. I would build a 351w in a minute. If you're into strokers, the 351 can be pushed out to 377/392/408/427 cid. I think someone put one over 450 cid, that's not within easy reach of most first time builders, though.

Get a roller block out of a pickup truck. Put the stroker parts in it, if you're so inclined. If not, it won't cost much more than a 5.0 to rebuild as a 351. Stroker parts should cost the same, either direction. I think that truck used a nice lower intake, so you could save a little $$$ there. There are a lot ways to do either one right. They are both Fords, after all. Hahahahahahahahaha!

351w/Mustang specific parts include headers (Cobra Mustang came w/ 351w), oil pan and pick-up(Jeg's sells these), flywheel(some aftermarket can be made to work either way) and some other minor things I can't think of, right now.

I would say to build the 351. You'll be glad you did.