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Originally Posted by 88convert351m  I was wondering if anyone knows all the little details that i will have to do to swap over my 88 convertable Lx to a 5.8 GT. The car has already been cut and wired for a carberator. The 351m is a 1979 F-350 motor. I already know i have to replace the rear end and convert the car from 4 to 5 lug. The car had a 5 speed in it so i will run a 4 speed behind the 5.8. I don't know any good spots to look for mustang parts so if anyone knows of any let me know. |
This is a very interesting swap. There are a bunch of different articles that have detailed the swap. I guess my first question is why the 351M?
Fox-style Big Block motor mounts will work, but there are no header options. This means custom headers == very $$$.
Why not use a 351W. You'll be into it less when you factor in the headers.
According to my research, someone on StangNet said, "Secondly, the oil pan has to be a rear sump pan. A cleveland pan will fit, but needs some modifying. It'll require cutting and welding a slight half-circle indentation into the forward half."
Here's another excellent post:
"A 351 Modified will cost at least twice as much to build, ending up with an engine that has a narrower power band, lower overall horsepower, and a much higher amount of weight compared to its 302 or Windsor counterparts. And this is all just in relation to the engine itself, not to mention how much work is involved in PROPERLY mounting such a useless beast of an engine in what should be a nimble street or strip performance vehicle like the fox-body.
Is the 351M all bad? NO. This engine can be used efficiently in some towing situations due to its ability to provide decent amounts of torque in a safe way. (When I say “safe”, I am referring to its low stock compression ratio which allows the engine to run at a usable torque level for a long period of time on pump gas.) This power plant can also perform in high or low levels of temperature for extended periods, making it a good economical, truck engine……exactly what ford designed it for.
So to compromise your car and your wallet just to be different would not be recommended to anyone reading this.(For some reason I think the person this reply is actually intended for may have their mind already set on this ridiculous decision though.) If you are someone looking for a good engine to swap into your fox-body, choose a 351w due to its low weight, high horsepower potential, avalibility of aftermarket parts, and parts specifically intended for swap into a fox-body. You will save money and blow the doors off of anyone with a 351 Modified in their sad car, but then again a STOCK 302 will most likely achieve this same feat.
Even if someone has a 351M that they invested the multiples of thousands of dollars it would take to get some horsepower out of it, you can sleep peacefully knowing that just a few bolt-on engine upgrades will allow you to most likely run much faster than any 351M out there.
As far as just doing this to be “different”, you’ll be different alright. You will be one of the only “Swapped-Engine” Fox-Bodies that will be getting passed by stock Camaros……not exactly the type of “different” that I would like to have under my belt, but that is just my opinion. Seriously folks, if you’re considering putting a 351M in a car that just doesn’t want one…don’t , I mean a stock 5.0 will almost certainly out perform this engine in almost every way."
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