1978 Ford LTD Country Squire

All it would take to wake up the 351 is to put a good dual exhaust on it. You would suddenly have at least the horse power of the 400.

 

I'd think you'd want to advance the valve timing to get back some gas mileage, too. Maybe swap on a gear & chain set from a '71 400. That's assuming your jurisdiction's emissions regs will allow you to do this.

My original point was that in original, stock condition a buyer might find the 351 to be a less-than-sterling performer when it comes to the task of pulling around a wagon weighing in the neighborhood of 4800 lbs. He might want to take the time, effort, and cost required to improve the performance into consideration, when deciding on whether and how much to bid on it.

 

The 351M and 351C were both in pickups for MANY years. There is no reason whatsoever to think the 351 is somehow inadequate in this car.

BTW, the car is featured now on Bring A Trailer.

http://bringatrailer.com/2013/12/17/1978-ford-country-squire/

 

Did you mean the 351W? I honestly don't recall the 351C (Cleveland) being in a truck, the Windsor yes. Dad's 77 Ford Camper van had the 351W, not the 351M/400. It was far from "performance' all smogged out from the factory but it did move the tank very well so I agree that a 351 would move this land barge wagon. I had a 78 LTD wagon with the 400, it did the trick, got you from point A to B, had a few other 351/400 smog motors also. All ran well but were "slower' and gas pigs when it came down to the bottom line. Dual exhaust on or even muffler bearings will not give these motors a blast of pee and vinegar to make it worth the expense.

If it runs fine, leave it alone and it will do well so long as you take care of it but don't waist $ on a dream of performance or gas millage.

 

$7200 reserve met with a half day left!

 

The only "truck" the 351C was a factory install on was the Ranchero. I think, generally speaking, vans got the 351W, pickups (after '76) and Broncos (after '77) got the 351M.

I wouldn't spend a whole lot of money trying to squeeze extra ponies out of the 351M, either, but I'd bet that, if you were handy enough to do the work yourself, a few low-buck performance modifications would make that car much more enjoyable to drive.

I mentioned my '76 Torino before. Its 351M was adequate, but I think the car was just about at the weight limit at which that engine would be happy.

It's entirely possible that some people, depending on terrain, driving style, and expectations, would find the CS with stock 351M a perfectly fine driver. However, I think it's likely that a lot of people would find it somewhat lacking. Now, I've never driven a car exactly like this, so I'm only guestimating from the experience I do have.

 

Yeah, I meant Windsor, but it doesn't matter. None of us are going to end up with this wagon, anyway.

 

Sold for $7331.

 

I almost bid on this one, wish I had.