351c & 400m

I am in the process of building a 1955 F-100 and converting it to 4x4. I have available to me two complete donor vehicles both 4x4's one is a Suburaban 350,700r4 combination. The other is a Ford F150 truck 4 speed with a 400M small block. Question is, I have read all of the spin I can find about the Cleveland's but before I lay down the money for the Ford I would like to hear from some of you Blue Oval guys. Plus or minus whats your take on this motor?

Thanks Roland

Here's a picture of a 1956 I built 2 years ago it was 460 Powered.

the 400 is ok as a workhorse motor .. you can get 4 barrell intakes and dress up stuff for it .. it just does`nt have a lot of performance potential although a person can make anything scat if you through enuff cash at it ..

From what I have heard the 400 only becomes a perfromance platform if it's stroked. I have never messed with one.. The 351C was a hell of a motor and it's sad the Ford didn't build it longer then they did..

Hombre;
I built one some years ago, and the thing turn in to a monster, in a good way!!!
We basically just rebuilt the motor and put a performance cam in it, and it came to life.
This thing would smoke all four tire’s on asphalt .
When I say a cam, I don’t mean one of these high
revving cams.
This cam was for torque or towing/pulling.
If it was my motor I would have put some close chambered heads off a old Cleveland instead of the open chamber heads that were on it.
Then I would have put a new intake and carb
{ Holley } and the some headers.
The compression would have jumped up a couple
of points to around 10 to 1 the H.P. would have doubled from 200 to 400 something.
These engines have Lot’s and Lots of potential.
They just make GOBS and GOBS of H.P. and torque.
They are really great motors and realy come to life with a few changes. Kurt

i would not use the 351C, its a great profarmance engine but not really suited for trucks.the 400 is a smog engine which means that it is way down on power.however it can be made into a good truck engine by using a after market timing chain set and setting it straight up or 2-4 degress advanced. all the cams come in retarted mode. offy makes a couple of intakes one is is the dual-port with either square or q-jet.just a polished combustion chambers and exhaust ports.

3-11-09...

400s can be torque monsters with a few mods. they have a super long stroke, 4" bore, 4" stroke. I think it's a good motor for a truck.

3-11-09.....