My Daddywagon

YES!!!

 

I like it!

 

This is cylinder #8 of my lightning motor and is pretty representative if all the piston tops. I am gonna clean them up as much as I can and reseal the engine with some valve seals and gaskets. I’m not gonna tear it down completely. Just gaskets and hope for the best. I have been driving the 302 pretty hard. I can only imagine what a good engine would be like. My 302 pulls hard and I can dump the clutch with the rpms elevated and spin both rear tires, but it smokes because it needs valve seals and could probably use a timing adjustment. The extra displacement of a 351 should help. I installed a standard mustang HO camshaft. The heads have 1.72:1 ratio roller rockers which I am hoping allow more air in and out without changing valve event timing so I can maintain a smooth low idle.

 

Hard to say if you'll gain much peak horsepower with the 351. But there should be a nice bump in torque.

I'm enjoying following this build

 

Agreed on the hp and torque. And thanks for following along! So many chase numbers. For me, I am chasing a drive. I’m chasing a fast enjoyable weave through moderate traffic in a commute down interstate 95!

 

I used a golf club cleaning brush and som dish detergent to clean the piston tops.

 

Are those OEMs with that dish?

 

Yes. They are the stock cast piston in every late model 351 windsor. If I were rebuilding this one, I would bump up compression with some flat-tops with valve reliefs.

 

Okay! I am in the process of destroying this thing! I have been very bad. For the third day in a row I used the Daddywagon to commute to and from work. I am NOT babying it. Today on the way home I just made the light onto Bartram Avenue and proceeded to powerslide my left turn. It flicked to the left and I didn’t get out of it. It flicked to the right a little and finally grabbed. Eat your heart out Ken Block! On probably 5-10 occasions this week I have dumped the clutch with elevated rpms just to spin the tires leaving a light. Maybe it’s time for a gopro or other action camera.
My driving impressions are as follows. The Daddywagon corners pretty flat. On a decreasing radius right hand sweeper on ramp I felt the front break loose first. Understeer. Which is good for a street car. My powerslide earlier today was low speed cornering at the limit and mashing it... but, even though I kept my foot in it I was able to reel it in. Hung it way out to the right, snapped back to the left, little snap to the right then grab. There is a lot of stuff to tighten. The hatch is squeaking on bumps. Also passenger rear door is rattling. So that’s 2 striker adjustments. The ride is sporty bumpy but not truck horrible. The squeaks and rattles make it worse than it really is. The motor pulls well enough to 5000 rpms. The idle is just a hair bumpier than stock. I believe the 24lb injectors and accompanying mass air meter along with faulty valve seals are responsible. There is a trail of poor emissions up and down I-95.

 

There is a function in Washington DC on Dec. 16. Should I take my Daddywagon? Haha!

 

Just be careful. We'd all hate for the po-po to put an end to the D-Wag

 

Is this with the 351?

 

Yeah. I have been really aggressive lately. I don’t know how the rest of you keep calm?

This was with the poorly tuned 302. Stock, the 302 makes good torque. I’m slacking a little on the 351. I might do a weekend thrash this weekend to get the engine together.

 

My son’s name is Neil too.

 

Or is it Neil II? Haha!

 

I decided to wash it.

 

Stumbled onto this thread. This thing is amazing. Any videos?

 

Welcome. No videos yet, and I feel bad about it. I should at least have an exhaust / walk around video, right?! Definitely after the 351w swap if the swap is successful. Haha!

 

You better