Hey guys I am looking at buying a 97 6 cyl body with a 351 windsor motor that is bored 30 over, w 305 cams and springs, an edelbrock intake mani, shorty headers, SINGLE flowmaster exhaust, and 20" wheels. Now I know roughly what this should put down, and went on a test drive today. It seemed very slow for a 351 windsor. I spun all of first, only spun a little in second and no spinning in third, and it had bald tired. The idle is nice and smooth, its not leaking, smoking, overheating etc. Do you think a single exhaust, and 20" chrome wheels will make the much difference? I don't want to buy it and be disappointed. I tested the car today and looking at making a decision tomorrow, Thanks for any fast help!
351 WINDSOR QUESTIONS! NEED HELP!!
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ChillPhatCat
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
That sounds like an abomination... stupid question, did you actually look under the hood and confirm that it's a 351 or just take his word?
What qualifies as dissapointing you? That it won't give you the SOTP feel you want or that it won't put down big numbers? The exhaust setup sounds like a disaster and the wheels are probably attrocious. On the bright side, you can usually get good money for big stupid chrome rims. Those wheels will make it easier to spin the tires too. (spinning tires is a useless measure of performance) A bad exhaust like that might rob the motor of 20-30 hp depending on tubing size and engine output.
My opinion... the owner has no friggin clue how to build a car... I just don't understand why anybody would leave the single exhaust setup on that car, going to the trouble of dropping in a built v8.
What qualifies as dissapointing you? That it won't give you the SOTP feel you want or that it won't put down big numbers? The exhaust setup sounds like a disaster and the wheels are probably attrocious. On the bright side, you can usually get good money for big stupid chrome rims. Those wheels will make it easier to spin the tires too. (spinning tires is a useless measure of performance) A bad exhaust like that might rob the motor of 20-30 hp depending on tubing size and engine output.
My opinion... the owner has no friggin clue how to build a car... I just don't understand why anybody would leave the single exhaust setup on that car, going to the trouble of dropping in a built v8.
68stang351
Founding Member
It sounds like they retained the original 6 cylinder exhaust. That has to be hurting a windsor a lot. I bet it's a project car that someone didn't want to finish.
Also it could just be an old low compression truck motor too. But I agree with ChillPhatCat, you need to verify it's a 351w before you buy it. The easiest way to tell is to look at the front of the block just below the intake. The bottom of the intake should sit about an inch higher than where the distributor goes into the block, on a 302 it will be almost flush. Also you can look at the bottom bolt of the thermostat housing. On a 351w, you can get a socket on that bolt, because it sits above the water pump/timing cover. On a 302 you'll have to use a wrench because it sits down behind the water pump and part of the timing cover. These are easy things to clue you in on the taller deck height of a windsor.
Oh, and you'll probably get more info in the 5.0 forum rather than 4.6.
Also it could just be an old low compression truck motor too. But I agree with ChillPhatCat, you need to verify it's a 351w before you buy it. The easiest way to tell is to look at the front of the block just below the intake. The bottom of the intake should sit about an inch higher than where the distributor goes into the block, on a 302 it will be almost flush. Also you can look at the bottom bolt of the thermostat housing. On a 351w, you can get a socket on that bolt, because it sits above the water pump/timing cover. On a 302 you'll have to use a wrench because it sits down behind the water pump and part of the timing cover. These are easy things to clue you in on the taller deck height of a windsor.
Oh, and you'll probably get more info in the 5.0 forum rather than 4.6.
That sounds like an abomination... stupid question, did you actually look under the hood and confirm that it's a 351 or just take his word?
What qualifies as dissapointing you? That it won't give you the SOTP feel you want or that it won't put down big numbers? The exhaust setup sounds like a disaster and the wheels are probably attrocious. On the bright side, you can usually get good money for big stupid chrome rims. Those wheels will make it easier to spin the tires too. (spinning tires is a useless measure of performance) A bad exhaust like that might rob the motor of 20-30 hp depending on tubing size and engine output.
My opinion... the owner has no friggin clue how to build a car... I just don't understand why anybody would leave the single exhaust setup on that car, going to the trouble of dropping in a built v8.
First off as you can probably tell, I am fairly new to muscle cars and v8s, I'm just getting into them. But I did some research on the Windsor and how to tell if it was one, and one of the tips of a Windsor vs. a Cleveland is that it will have 6 bolts on the valve cover which it does. I had a buddy of mine w me that is very familiar with Mustangs and different muscle motors and he confirmed it was a Windsor, and I trust him.
I qualify disappointing by how slow it is right now, just guessing I think it MIGHT run a 15 seconds. He said he wanted to do single exhaust to keep it quieter, he actually had it put on and didn't just keep it from when it was a v6, it is Flowmaster system and he went from Shorty headers to a single flowmaster!
....He thinks the 20's look good and they look absolutely horrible. Only thing I am worried about is it not being a true Windsor I guess, because if it is then it should perform right?
I have a picture that I am looking at on my phone and the bottom of the filter is prob an inch or so above the bottom of where the distributor mounts.
trinity_gt
10 Year Member
A 351C-4V wouldn't be a bad motor to have...
Perhaps I'm being obtuse but I think the concern is whether or not the engine between the shock towers is a 351W or a 302, both of which are Windsor engines. Since both use (or can use) the same head the number of valve cover bolts may not tell you much. The 351W has a higher deck height (to allow for the 1/2-inch longer stroke.) You need to look for the deck height differences as mentioned above.
A single exhaust is really going to choke that motor and hurt power production although low RPM torque should still be decent. It's possible the car still has the open-diff 7.5" rear axle which I believe was a 2.73:1 ratio which will definitely sap liveliness. When you say it spins in first, is it lighting both tires or just one?
20" wheels huh?
to that guy...
trinity_gt
10 Year Member
If it's got a 2.73 rear gear it's going to feel soft and those heavy 20" wheels are going to exacerbate the problem.
Okay, they're 26" wheels but...
68stang351
Founding Member
Its hard to tell from that angle. Do you have a front pic?
The Performer RPM intake should say 351w on it but I can't tell if it does or not.
Looks like it might be wide enough to be a windsor though.
The Performer RPM intake should say 351w on it but I can't tell if it does or not.
Looks like it might be wide enough to be a windsor though.
ChillPhatCat
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
A single exhaust is really going to choke that motor and hurt power production although low RPM torque should still be decent. It's possible the car still has the open-diff 7.5" rear axle which I believe was a 2.73:1 ratio which will definitely sap liveliness. When you say it spins in first, is it lighting both tires or just one?
20" wheels huh?
Agree on all points, it could very well be a decently powered motor, bogged down by 2.73's, choked by a ridiculous exhaust and overloaded with 20" wheels.
Put some 3.73/4.10's & posi in there, 17" wheels and long tube headers and I bet it'll be a totally different car.
flstang65
10 Year Member
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