Wow I haven't updated this since July, here is a shot from a few months ago with my grandson at the wheel. Saving up for the interior and a small sound system at the moment.Only driving when the weather and work permits. I need to do the window fuzzies this weekend.
Haven't updated in a long time now. Just thought I would post a pic of me and my son at the Burnout 14".
Just got the notification on this thread, so I thought I might post up a picture of my son's 64.... http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg64/JMD_LCMS/Projects/64 Falcon/DSCN1251.jpg Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Just was wondering if anyone had any pictures of a 64 falcon with a 351w in it without shaving the towers or changing out the original suspension. I don't want to go the MII route....
No pics, but I've seen it done. A guy I used to know shoehorned a 351W into a '64 Falcon using mostly stock parts with unaltered shock towers and OEM suspension. The catch is exhaust manifolds; he used 62-63 Fairlane 221 V8 manifolds which cleared everything (barely), but they were so restrictive they choked the motor pretty badly. The car never performed up to expectations. Spark plug access wasn't good either. Good luck finding the manifolds these days, but I wouldn't recommend trying this. If I were doing this, I'd look into changing the stock springs/shocks out for coilovers as these are generally smaller diameter. Relocate the upper mount away from the motor as far as you can, you could then notch the towers enough to possibly allow for bigger manifolds, or at least a set of custom headers. While I much prefer a 351W over a stroker 302, this is a place where the stroker motor makes sense... The first-generation Falcon/Comet engine compartment is a bit more than 1" narrower than the Mustang, but that 1" really makes a difference....
351W will go in a stock Falcon. The hardest part is exhaust. Some guys say that hedman mid length early Mustang 351W headers fit, others say not without denting both tubes AND the firewall.
I have some pics of hedders installed in my 64. Used Heddman 3/4 length Mustang 351 swap hedders. Had to cut and modify them to fit in Falcon. I think the Mustang engine compartment is longer than Falcon. Had to shorten overall length to fit. Plug access sucks. Clutch linkage pita too.
Speedracer6 thanks a hell of a lot for those pictures! Thats what I have been looking for, looks tighter than hell in that engine bay and that's a mustang. So with my Falcon there will be less clearance.
Crazy Steve, I may consider the coilovers, just trying to reduce cost to add more to the engine build. Hence a vain attempt at trying to retain the stock OEM suspension and shock towers. I definitley do not want to restrict the engine in any type of fashion. I was looking into the cost of a stroker vs the 351 and thought maybe I could swing the 351 for less, barring that I kept my old suspension which looks like it may be out. I will do some research and look into the cost... -Mark
Don, From what I have gathered the 351 will fit but there will be issues with the exhaust as you stated . I was hoping that stock manifolds would squeeze in there without any serious modifications to the towers. I know with headers depending on the part number/application you can run into some snags. I seen a pair of Hedmanns not sure of the part number dump right on top the pittman arm yikes...? I remember my Dad telling me his buddy put a 351 into a 64 falcon back in the late 60's but the guy has since passed away, so I can't ask him how he did it. My Dad's memory isn't so good anymore. I remember him ( my Dad's buddy)coming to me in the mid 90's telling me he had a 5.0 motor that would fit in my Falcon but I didn't have the cash at the time to move forward with it, so I finally got around to dropping the old 260 in there and now want to upgrade a bit. Thanks, Mark
Oh ok I must have misread. Just out of curiosity did you run a spacer between the carb and intake? Any steering issues? Nice Falcon by the way! Thanks, Mark
No spacer, Edelbrock Performer with 750 Holley. Hood scoop is from when i had tunnel ram on a 289. Steering is 65 Falcon linkage with original 6cyl box, Granada spindles. Have some bumpsteer issues because of the spindles. Stock front suspension with dropped upper a arms. Tired v-8 springs, no sway bar. Front end alignment was real pain, can't get at upper control arm bolts with headers installed.
You can retrofit camber adjusters on the lower control arms, from a later model Mustang. That lessens the need to go at the upper control arm bolts. Very minor welding and slotting is required. They are available in the aftermarket. Early Falcons (not sure when this stopped) had adjustable strut rods. That takes care of caster fine tuning.
Your set up sounds just like mine except for the spindles, original 6 cyclinder springs and I added a sway bar. Thanks, Mark
How on earth are you guys tolerating the handling with those soft springs? I still run a 6 on my '60. It took 560in-lb coils, and a 1" front bar to get it dialed-in.
My suspension is pretty solid. Does a straight line as well as can be expected and I don't take any corners hard. Only accelerate hard occasionally in a straight line, most of the time I just cruise it 30-40 mph, which makes avoiding any serious bumps or pot holes easier. No serious bounce on dips either.
Plenty of em I just try to stay out of their way... But really no problems, actually I think the weight difference of the straight six and 260 is about 80lbs, so the springs actually hold up well.
Ok guys got a question, hoping someone can help me out. Here's the deal my 260 has been cutting off at stops and sometimes even turning, engine would just die out. Coming home one day I heard it spit out the carb, payed off the throttle and got back in it and made it home. So one...I changed the coil and since it was a used 600cfm Edelbrock I picked up for $40 bucks bolted it on and off I went. Lasted 4 years with not one problem.So I figure since it was used I got my money's worth and yanked it off and replaced with 500cfm Edelbrock. Took it to a show about two months ago round trip about a 100 mikes are so no problems and way better throttle response until two weeks ago. Symptom returned, yanked original distributor out was a little sloppy, got with GMC Bubba and shipped it out to him. Which brings he to thus weekend, wanted to take it to a show so I bought a "new" Specter from Orileys. Set the points, set engine to TDC. Pulled a #1 plug and made sure it was up. Even through on a new Accel coil and wire set and the engine is running really rough, plugs are new but upon pulling a few they revealed a black soot. No oil just black discoloration, the engine is also spitting through the carb with a slight flame. Timing light revealed that at TDC engine would barely idle, advance 6 degrees got it to stay on, anymore and it pings and spits through the carb. I done re stabbed the carb several times and it drop in dead center on the number one each time and the same results. A test light when poked through the plug wire on distributor cap would show that only 4 cylinders were firing. My 7 ,2, 5 and 4 don't seem to be firing. Points are set at 15 and I tried two different distributor caps and even put new plugs. Same results? I stumped, could the Distributir be bad out the box? Sorry for the long description but I wanted to give the details.Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated. Mark
Well picked up a 351W for my 64, don't want to install an MII right now so gonna give shot at notching the center rib only on the shock tower. Hope I can shoe horn in it there without to many complications....
If you just replaced the plug wires and it won't run recheck the firing order on the cap. 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 counter clockwise.
Thanks I got it worked out. Haven't installed the reworked original distributor yet but I will. That little old 260 is running good for now. Better throttle response with the smaller 500cfm carb and dialed in the timing. Now on to notching the towers for the 351W.
Before you start chopping the car up for the 351, you are aware that Ford built different bodies for the '63-65 Falcon 6 and V8 cars, right? The V8 cars used much thicker gauge metal in the frame rails, rockers, and shock towers plus had torque boxes connecting the frame rails and rockers together to take the added power and weight of the V8. A 289/302 can be a bit iffy into a 6 cylinder car, a 351 definitely so. Upper control arms pulling out of the shock towers and frame cracking has been known to occur. Ford did the same thing with the first-generation Mustangs (6 and V8 bodies), as well as the early Comets. Mercury switched to all 'V8' bodies for the Comet in '64 as the much stiffer V8 shell reduced NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) markedly and made for a quieter, better-handling vehicle.
Steve, Thanks for the info, now that opened another can of worms for me. My car came with the 6. Not sure if it was originally that way from the factory but my Dad bought the car with the 6 in it back in early 80's. I added the V8/260 and it's not making tons of power but the towers and UCA's have seem to be holding up well after beefing up the suspension for the V8....
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