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Old 10-10-2011, 02:10 PM   #1
bills1020
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Default 351 Cleveland Heads ?

Hi guys. I'm just getting started on a 56 pickup. It came with a 351 Cleveland (1970) 4 barrel motor. I have heard the 2 bbl heads are more suitable for a street motor. Is this true ? If so, does someone make a 4 bbl intake for the 2bbl heads ? Do they take different exhaust manifolds ? A supplier shows headers for the 351 in a 56 pickup but is specifies 4bbl.

If someone could educate me on the heads I would greatly appreciate it.
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Old 10-11-2011, 08:54 AM   #2
Dave72dt
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

I believe Edelbrock makes a 4bbl for the 2bbl heads. Had a 351C-4bbl in a 74 Ranchero GT, had excellent street manners as far as I was concerned. Might have been a bit soft on torque on the bottom end compared to higher RPM but not that bad either.
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Old 10-11-2011, 09:01 AM   #3
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

The 2bbl heads are better on the street, just need to get pistons that will bump the compression up to 9.5 : 1. The intakes are available, found a real nice one on the HAMB for under 100, they are out there used and new. The 4bbl exhaust (cast) don't seal up at all on the 2bbl heads. Good 2bbl exhaust are hard to come by. Sanderson sells headers plus an adaptor to put them on a 2bbl head.

Now having said all of that, you have the 4bbl motor, run it, just put some gears in the thing if you want it to be fast on the low end (3:90/4:11 with an AOD).
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Old 10-11-2011, 10:00 AM   #4
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

My 69 Torino has a 72 351c with the 2 barrel heads. It has a Offenhauser 4 barrel intake on it. The rear gears are 3.00 to 1. It doesn't have much low end torque, but it will really take off at the high end. I will probablly change it out to a 3.73: 1 in the future. The intakes are out there, but I don't know how hard they are to find.
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Old 10-11-2011, 08:27 PM   #5
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

If you want a daily driver/cruiser, your best bet would be the 2bbl heads with a really mild cam and as mentioned before, some pistons that would raise the compression to 9.5:1.
Now if you would want to have some fun, 4bbl is the way to go! Ok, you will not have much torque below 2500rpm...but with the right combo of pistons/cam/intake/headers and a compression ratio of about 10.5 to 11:1 you'd have one heck of a sleeper.

They call my '55 the big block Chevelle killer. And for good reason. If you'd like to build a Cleveland that kicks butt...let me know. I can give you some specs.
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Old 10-12-2011, 07:44 AM   #6
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

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I sent you a pm with my info. Thanks, Paul
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Old 10-20-2011, 12:50 PM   #7
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

Today eveyone bad mouths a 4V cleveland. That's cuz they weren't around when it was built and they don't know any better! Your '70 engine, if it's an original small chamber (quench) head has close to an 11 to 1 compression ratio. Compared to a '69 4V windsor in the same size car the difference is night and day for performance. I ran several different combos 35 years ago in a '67 Mustang. The best performing combo for me was using flat top flycut pistons, '72 open chamber 4V heads, the compression ratio was 8.9 to 1, a Crane blueprint Ford '72 Cobra Jet cam, an Edelbrock 180 degree (todays performer series) intake manifold, hooker 1 3/4" equal length headers, a reworked factory holley from a '67 390 gt (600 cfm), a reworked ford single point dist., a factory ford 10" torque convertor from a '72 CJ 351 Mustang in a reworked C-6 trans. The car had a 3.93 rearend ratio and weighed 3175 lbs. Driven non-aggressively the car would get 17 mpg. Driven hard on a drag strip with 10" slicks it ran consistant times of 12.96 seconds
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Old 11-14-2011, 01:59 AM   #8
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

Years ago I had a 1970 351 4bbl motor out of a Ranchero with an Edelbrock 4bbl manafold with the closed chamber heads. A lot of people say that the 2bbl is better on the street. With the FMX auto trans this engine was a real " stump puller "
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Old 11-14-2011, 09:04 AM   #9
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

it wasnt so much the power it was the fact the c wasnt a good design.if you didnt keep the oil changed the bottom end was gone at 70,000.the guides were gone earlier than that and they would crack across the exhaust seat.the tall block 351m was awful.having said that some did get service out of their clevelands.
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Old 11-21-2011, 11:47 AM   #10
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

Austrailian 302C heads were the best of both worlds.They had 2 barrel ports and valves but were 4 barrel high compression castings,so you could use 4 barrel headers.
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Old 11-22-2011, 07:41 AM   #11
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

With all the Alum Heads out there now for the Cleveland the price is good on a set of Austrailian 2Barrel heads. I'd go that wrought and sell the 4 barrel heads,should be able to get more for them than you pay for the Aussy heads. Lot's of guys looking for the 4 barrel heads to redo for use on a 302W and make a Fake Boss or 351W which is the best way to go for a Cleveland Head they call it the Clever.
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Old 11-01-2013, 01:07 PM   #12
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

Oops

I see this was an old post

Please disregard
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Old 05-06-2014, 11:22 PM   #13
73-stang
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Smile Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

I just got a 73 mustang with a 351 Cleveland, it has a cam, holly deliminator intake with a 600 holly carb, i was wanting to put new heads on it how can i tell if its a 2 valve or a 4 valve heads? Will the 4 valve heads bolt to the block? Will my intake and exhaust fit if i get 4 valve heads? Let me know what you guys think thanks!
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Old 05-06-2014, 11:36 PM   #14
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by 73-stang View Post
I just got a 73 mustang with a 351 Cleveland, it has a cam, holly deliminator intake with a 600 holly carb, i was wanting to put new heads on it how can i tell if its a 2 valve or a 4 valve heads? Will the 4 valve heads bolt to the block? Will my intake and exhaust fit if i get 4 valve heads? Let me know what you guys think thanks!
================================================== ====



Just to help clarifi, (4v or 2v heads), the V don't mean Valves
it means Venturi, which stands for 2 brl (venturi) or 4 brl (venturi)
so , in other words, the heads are stamped for 2 brl or 4 brl Carb.

The 2v or 4v heads will both fit the same.













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Old 05-08-2014, 11:55 PM   #15
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Default Re: 351 Cleveland Heads ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by darrell View Post
it wasnt so much the power it was the fact the c wasnt a good design.if you didnt keep the oil changed the bottom end was gone at 70,000.the guides were gone earlier than that and they would crack across the exhaust seat.
Oh man, I'm glad this thread popped back up. It's saving my butt big time. I'd found a low mileage Pantera and was bugging the wife to let us get it. I can just see her screaming divorce if the engine went belly up on us. Thanks, guys.
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