351 or Lightning

[sly]

some builders even claim that those cracks don't matter if you're not boosting it, but the builder that posted that doesn't want to even take the chance.

[Crown_Chronivic]

If its just a daily driver look into rebuilding your 302 with some mild bolt on parts. If youre going beyond the mild daily driver the 351 will comfortably put out up to 600 hp with a stock crank but youre not gonna be doing much driving it unless you got deep deep pockets or a gas card lol

[P72Ford]

I personally wouldn't run the risk of the F4, after reading some of the current issues.

I'd use a flat tappet block, link bar lifters, mild OTS cam (HO like; stock idle), TF or AFR heads (not sure if I'd go the 165/170 or 185/ 190 variety), supporting intake and fuel system modifications. Stock driveability, and significantly more power. I highly doubt that with a mild grind the fuel economy would suffer at all.

[dmccaig]

Dear Panthers,

F 4?

Flat Tappet block?

Sorry

[sly]

F4 = 1994+ (roller block)

Flat tappet = 1993 and older.

The flat tappet blocks can be pretty easily converted to roller with a couple drilled and tapped holes to hold the 302 spider and a bunch of link-bar lifters. It does require the cam/cam bearings not be installed at the time, but since you'd be changing the cam anyhow, that's not an issue.

After refreshing myself on the crack issue, It reminded me of all of that info as well.

info on that process: http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/smal...r-lifters.html

[gadget73]

Would you actually use a 302 spider with link bar lifters? Seems to me the link bars take care of holding the lifters from spinning. I'd think you would do one or the other, not both.

[sly]

Would you actually use a 302 spider with link bar lifters? Seems to me the link bars take care of holding the lifters from spinning. I'd think you would do one or the other, not both.

right... I see what it means now for which is which... Spider to use 302 roller lifters or link-bar and not have to mess with drilling at all.

[t65neon5]

longblock 351w "lightning" engine , http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...p?keyword=dfx1 .....price may vary depending on location ( I believe that one ships from Texas )

[knucklehead0202]

Beauty of the aftermarket blocks though, is that you'll never blow it up, and they can be bored out way beyond what any of us will live long enough to use up. Unless you go full retard and bore it to 4.2" the first build. Then you're just an ass. In all seriousness though, unless you're going to build a super-hardcore motor, a reman 351 shortblock should do the trick. Then just add whatever accoutrements you want and have a very peppy, and happy motor. I'm probably going to do something like a stock-block 347 with some decent aluminum heads, my cheapo typhoon intake, and a mild off the shelf cam. Probably be good for a solid 350 horsies and REAL torquey. If I can ever run one down I'd like to get one of the old Incon/DDMI twin-turbo kits they made for the fox mustang. The manifolds bolted right in place of stock mustang manifolds/headers and connect to stock downpipes. They were also Cal legal and made pretty good power for little tiny turbos. Best thing is no accessory mess, since our cars have stupid belt setups compared to the HO foxes. Otherwise I'd totally go blown. Anybody here running forced induction?

[dmccaig]

No accessory mess means I could keep my AC?

Donald

[sly]

You change out the long block. The accessories stay put.

[gadget73]

I think knucklehead was saying he was going to use a turbocharger rig vs something else because there really aren't any forced induction setups that just work with the engine accessories on a Panther. The Fox body stuff is different, but its what has all the support in the aftermarket realm.

[knucklehead0202]

I think knucklehead was saying he was going to use a turbocharger rig vs something else because there really aren't any forced induction setups that just work with the engine accessories on a Panther. The Fox body stuff is different, but its what has all the support in the aftermarket realm.

Exactly that. I've been wondering if anyone has done a functional HO accessory swap on a panther. Supercharger kits for the fox 5.0s are stupidly cheap these days and I'd rather do that than turbo, but given the sillyass double-serpentine shit mess arrangement we have, it just seems nuts. Ideally you could run a fox blower setup, using an aftermarket air-to-air intercooler and just route it right into the driver's side-pointing intake. Barring that, there are a myriad of cheap turbo setups that could be used, but I'd rather have the old-school one because they fit right in place of the headers, instead of pointing up toward the front and requiring custom-fabbed downpipes. I'm also in California though so some of the consideration is based on "smog legality"(think Hank Hill's voice there).

[sly]

The only real issues are battery relocation, wiring, and AC lines. The accessory swap is pretty straight forward after that. I think pantera77 has done it between all the swaps he's done, but I could be mistaken.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[gadget73]

I have seen it done, and I've seen a sorta-kinda not quite conversion done. Its a bit involved. THe AC plumbing is in the way and the battery needs to move firstly. I would presume custom AC lines would become involved too. Beyond that, not sure what issues may exist if adding a supercharger to the mix but there is definitely more plumbing going on there.