[mplaczek]

Hi, newbie here asking a 'quick' question....
I have a 67 GT500 clone over here in the UK. I'm restoring it with the following in mind:

1) classic looks and styling inside and out
2) appropriate sounding engine/exhaust
3) most important... she needs to be safe and reliable

As the cloning was pretty much done by a previous owner... I'm not going to roll back the clock, I'm finishing the cloning job.

At the moment it has a 390 block in it... it is not in the best state, so I really have two options... recondition the 390 or get myself a ford racing crate engine for a roughly similar price.
At the moment I'm leaning toward the crate engine for reliability reasons... as far as I'm concerned, I want this car on the road to be able to enjoy driving her!

So, my question.... can a 351 be dressed up to look the part, and can it ever sound like a big block? If not... are there any other alternatives?

Thanks in advance for an suggestions.

[460brevill]

build your 390 you would be supprized at what you can get out of it.

[Horseshoeing]

Dump the 390 and get a 427 or a 429.

[nba1341]

u could stroke the 351 to 427

[Horseshoeing]

Your right. The 390 is too tight of a fit. The 351W would make a better motor.

[69fastback]

The 390 is a pain to find parts for and build up. There is nothing that sounds like a solid cammed big block though, and a 351W will not sound like one, but a high compression 351W sounds pretty good IMO.

[Grimmy]

I wouldn't stroke the 351 to 427 as you are taking the engine to its limits and that, in my mind at least, is not conducive to longevity or reliability. the rumble you are looking for will be found in the cams. However with petrol at the prices that it is for you guys you might not want to go too extreme with the cams. Any way you go with it though, a Shelby clone in the UK is nothing to shake a stick at.

Do me a favor though, when you finish this project go show petespug what a Mustang is capable of.

[mplaczek]

Thanks for the replies guys, lots to think about....

It would be nice to have a good reliable engine... easy to get parts for, a little lighter than a 427/428....

but at the same time... when you see a GT500, it conjures up certain expectations, when you open the hood you expect to see something special, and when you turn the ignition key, you expect to feel and hear a big block!

I'll see what we can come up with and keep you all updated.

Grimmy... happy to share the mustang experience with petespug or anyone else that needs to be... 'educated'

I tried to post a pic... but it seems I need to be over a day old on the forum to post... I'll try again later today

thanks for the help once again!

[460brevill]

he has a 390 with bell and trans .good place to start.i have built some powerful 390 s.you can get all the parts you need.

[mplaczek]

Hopefully this will work now....



Here she is.... look good from the outside, but lurking within a few safety problems and nastiness... soon to be remedied!

[TheUNZippee!]

That's a kick ass car man. As the others stated here, I also suggest a built 351W.

[built351w]

As long as you build the 390 mellow it will be plenty reliable. Sure they arn't as easy to find parts for as the small blocks but for christ sakes you have a big block mustang, why make it a small block? especially if it's a gt500 clone..... sorry that just seams wrong to me. A 390 with a nice cam and some roller rockers will be reliable as 351w with the same mods. Forget about stroking a windsor to a 427, you'll have yourself an expensive time bomb.

You can get all you need for a 390 on summtracing.com

[460brevill]

built 351w said it.!!!!!!

[Spiderz]

If you build the 351w and want to stroke it, I myself wouldn't go any further than 408

[Horseshoeing]

Originally Posted by mplaczek Hopefully this will work now.... Here she is.... look good from the outside, but lurking within a few safety problems and nastiness... soon to be remedied!

I am not a big block fan, but with that car I would put a 427 in her. Make it look or close to stock. Forget the 390. Don't throw it away. Just sell it with the car when you or if you sell it.

[nba1341]

damn that car is nice those people are even talking about it in the picture

[CR70fastback]

Hey with a car that nice you cannot disapoint the people make they puppy drive and sound mean but you have to keep the driveability. My only advice is don't go too crazy even though it is easy to do

[Grimmy]

Before you even think about touching the engine, there are a few things you need to adress first. You need a bigger spoiler, much bigger, you need some neon lights and you need a big ass sticker on the windshield that says mustang in kanji.

[built351w]

Originally Posted by Grimmy Before you even think about touching the engine, there are a few things you need to adress first. You need a bigger spoiler, much bigger, you need some neon lights and you need a big ass sticker on the windshield that says mustang in kanji.

Yeah I forgot to mention those things in my post, i just kinda figured those go without saying you know??? Some sweet anime stickers going down the side would be awesome as well..... :award

[mplaczek]

Ahh great... thanks for the styling tips guys ... yeah, the kanji will need to be in an old style font in keeping with the classic styling... I can see it now... :wink

I've had a look at crate engines on a few sites...
Hypothetically, if the current 390 is toast... and I want to find a new big block crate engine to look the part in a GT500... where should I look?

Many sites have impressive spec engines with big cubes, but based around a 351... and the odd big block I have seen are crazy powerful and appropriately expensive.

I want a good sounding and looking engine, the car needs to be drivable and certainly not a pussycat... but I don't need to tear my head off when I leave a set of traffic lights!!