Welcome to Club Hot Rod!  The premier site for everything to do with Hot Rod, Customs, Low Riders, Rat Rods, and more. 

  •  » Members from all over the US and the world!
  •  » Help from all over the world for your questions
  •  » Build logs for you and all members
  •  » Blogs
  •  » Image Gallery
  •  » Many thousands of members and hundreds of thousands of posts! 

YES! I want to register an account for free right now!  p.s.: For registered members this ad will NOT show

 

Thread: 1978 351M decent for a daily driver?
          
   
   

Reply To Thread
Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1
    Matt167's Avatar
    Matt167 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Prattsville
    Car Year, Make, Model: '51 Chevy Fleetline and a Ratrod project
    Posts
    4,990

    1978 351M decent for a daily driver?

     



    I have been looking for a 4x4 F-150 for a while. just found a '78 in good shape for $1k.. new interior, current inspection ect.. has a 351M/ automatic.. I know the 351 and 400M's are generally boat anchors for performance, but would it be decent as a daily driver?
    You don't know what you've got til it's gone

    Matt's 1951 Chevy Fleetline- Driver

    1967 Ford Falcon- Sold

    1930's styled hand built ratrod project

    1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle Wolfsburg Edition- sold

  2. #2
    shoprat's Avatar
    shoprat is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Orange
    Car Year, Make, Model: 57 RANCHERO
    Posts
    261

    With good maint those engines run forever. Don't know about the driveline though.
    It's 31 yrs old
    A Ranchero is NOT an El Camino

  3. #3
    Matt167's Avatar
    Matt167 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Prattsville
    Car Year, Make, Model: '51 Chevy Fleetline and a Ratrod project
    Posts
    4,990

    I think it's a C6 trans, not sure tho
    You don't know what you've got til it's gone

    Matt's 1951 Chevy Fleetline- Driver

    1967 Ford Falcon- Sold

    1930's styled hand built ratrod project

    1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle Wolfsburg Edition- sold

  4. #4
    R Pope is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Eston
    Posts
    2,270

    351M is nothing to get excited about, but they will do for a 4X4 driver. A little thirsty.

  5. #5
    techinspector1's Avatar
    techinspector1 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Zephyrhills, Florida, USA
    Car Year, Make, Model: '32 Henway
    Posts
    12,423

    Yeah, what Pope said. Do a complete tune-up and live with it.

  6. #6
    Itoldyouso's Avatar
    Itoldyouso is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    fort myers
    Car Year, Make, Model: '27 ford/'39 dodge/ '23 t
    Posts
    11,033

    Like Denny I had a 79 T Bird with a 400M in it. Had no problems to speak of outside of normal car stuff. As hop up engines parts are a little scarce, but as a DD they are fine.

    Don

  7. #7
    Matt167's Avatar
    Matt167 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Prattsville
    Car Year, Make, Model: '51 Chevy Fleetline and a Ratrod project
    Posts
    4,990

    cool.. yea, I knew they wern't good motors for performance and that they can be a little thirsty, just didn't know about the reliability part of it but it sounds like there reliable.. and it's a pretty nice truck
    You don't know what you've got til it's gone

    Matt's 1951 Chevy Fleetline- Driver

    1967 Ford Falcon- Sold

    1930's styled hand built ratrod project

    1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle Wolfsburg Edition- sold

  8. #8
    bluestang67's Avatar
    bluestang67 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    New Lenox
    Car Year, Make, Model: 67 Mstg cpe , 37 Ford Coupe
    Posts
    2,787

    Dad had a 75 Gran Torino with the 351 M that thing ran great down the road . I drove the dog snot out of it for a long time . He traded it in 83 and never had any mechanical problems one . It had over 70 K when it went in and ran as good as day one .

  9. #9
    hotrodstude is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    pendergrass
    Car Year, Make, Model: 2006,ford,f-150,v-6,5-speed manual
    Posts
    245

    most of the engines during this era generaly have the timing retarted at the timing chain install a aftermarket timing set that has key ways for advance,retard,straight up. set it at straight up you will notice a increase in power.does it have a 2vv carb on it if so get rid of that,they are bad news. if you do not have emissions inspections,if you do .do not touch the carb.

  10. #10
    spur575 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Las Cruces
    Posts
    5

    X2 on the cam timing etc. If you ever build it you can convert it to a 400 easily. the 4" stroke of the 400 can make gobs of torque.

  11. #11
    Corvette64's Avatar
    Corvette64 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Dallas
    Car Year, Make, Model: 64 Vette
    Posts
    351

    I had a 79 Ranchero with the 351M in it back in the day. I thought it was a good car. Mileage wasn't bad if I kept my foot out of it. 4x4 isn't going to help the mileage though.

  12. #12
    Matt167's Avatar
    Matt167 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Prattsville
    Car Year, Make, Model: '51 Chevy Fleetline and a Ratrod project
    Posts
    4,990

    Ended up passing on that deal,it was good and all but couldn't justify the MPG loss.. so I'm working on converting my '98 Ranger front end to a 2001-2003 Ranger front end.. brighter headlights, little better looks. also going to run a painted valance with factory Fog lights. but it'll still get 30 MPG.. I'll just live w/o 4x4
    You don't know what you've got til it's gone

    Matt's 1951 Chevy Fleetline- Driver

    1967 Ford Falcon- Sold

    1930's styled hand built ratrod project

    1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle Wolfsburg Edition- sold

Reply To Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Links monetized by VigLink