I need to warn ya'll that this will have some bad grammar and some sentences just won't flow well.. My excuse is heavy pain meds ... motorcycle accidents suck!!

Help! This will be my first project car and I want to do it slow & right. I am about to acquire an 84 ltd that has a 3.8l V6 w/ an AOD trans. The car has been sitting since mid 98 due to "either a blown head gasket or a cracked block." I have no interest to rebuilding the stock motor but that car had the option for a 302. I was recently talking w/ a few mechanic buddies about my idea of buying a 302 & keeping it stock when they told me a 351 Windsor was the way to go. They said it was a better motor to start with, and that it would be a better platform for future upgrades as well. I was told the 351 would take up the same space as a 302 which, from the little bit I've read doesn't make sense (wider block, right?) Going with the 351w train of thought would I want to stick with the AOD trans in the car or would the likes of the Aode and e40d be better for the task?

anywho, sorry for the quadruple whammy,
chris  

I would go with a 351W and keep the AOD. The 351W is about inch taller than the 302 and is wider.  In my 65 Stang, the 351W is noticeably wider.  

Thanks for the tip.. have you got any more? I've done a lot of reading over the weekend and I was thinking of keeping the aod but possibly beefing it up w/ aode (?) parts. (I've got two diff ford tranny books and they list the parts which can be used to upgrade the aod.) Mind listing the parts you've used and the specifics of your engine?  

I have a Lentech AOD.  It has held up for more than 6 years now.  I would try to get the parts from Lentech, they really know their stuff.

My current engine set-up is a 70 351W block, CHP 408 assembly, Victor Jr. heads, Victor Intake, 750 Mighty Demon Carb. and a Novi 2000 blow through carb set-up.  

ooooer! Did you run it before you had the blower? I'm curious about what speed that combo garnered @ the track. I'm looking to do  14-15 second e.t.s with a stock(ish) motor. My car weighs about 3000 lbs and I think 300hp/300lb-ft will get me there with a reinforced aod w/ the wider gear ratio from an e-series van.

Thanks for your input
Chris  

I'm building a similar car like yours. A 1979 Ford Fairmont 4 door sedan with a 351W and 5 speed trans with an 8.8 Rear axle with a 3.73 gear. Love them sleepers! A 351 is definitely the better way to go. It fits in the same space as the 5.0 with more torque and horsepower on tap and uses the same mounts. Just be sure to get all the related belt drive brackets and pulleys for the accessories you'll be running (alternator, power steering, A/C, etc). 5.0 brackets won't work due to the taller deck of the 351W. Also, pick up a double hump oil pan and pickup for the 351 to fit your chassis as the 5.0 pan won't work, either. Good luck!  

Well I had a better opportunity come up, a '61 Ford Galaxie, you can read about it here: http://forums.carcraft.com/70/6358633/ford/ive-picked-up-a-new-project/index.html

and here:

http://www.cardomain.com/id/chris_az  

"I'm building a similar car like yours. A 1979 Ford Fairmont 4 door sedan with a 351W and 5 speed trans with an 8.8 Rear axle with a 3.73 gear. Love them sleepers! A 351 is definitely the better way to go. It fits in the same space as the 5.0 with more torque and horsepower on tap and uses the same mounts. Just be sure to get all the related belt drive brackets and pulleys for the accessories you'll be running (alternator, power steering, A/C, etc). 5.0 brackets won't work due to the taller deck of the 351W. Also, pick up a double hump oil pan and pickup for the 351 to fit your chassis as the 5.0 pan won't work, either." Good luck!  


Hey your car sounds a lot like mine. I'd like to hear more about it. Is it carbed?  

Yes, it will be carbed. I will probably run a 600 CFM Holley for now and upgrade to a 750 when I cam it up and change the heads later. What have you got?  

Well not exactly the same but they are both four doors and have five speeds. Mine is actually a Zephyr but same difference. Mine is a 302 fuel injected with a t-5 trans. I have gt40p heads 1.7 roller rockers and an E-303 cam. It also has 4.10:1 gears in a 95 mustang rear with a powertrax locker and 31 spline Strange axles. I'm in the process now of installing a twin turbo kit. I also installed a 91 mustang dash, bucket seats and console in it.