[DeTomaso] To sleeve or not to sleeve

[Dan]

Will, thank you for the detailed "how to" for the conversion. I've been wondering about this.
Does this Dart block work with Cleveland or Windsor heads?
The Winged Warrior was last using 2bbl heads, so it has 2bbl headers and intake but the spring seats are recessed after just 900 miles, possibly from too much spring pressure (that builder used triple springs). So those are junk now (two machine shop opinions). 
I have the Armando 10, 9, 8 or whatever quart oilpan for the Cleveland. Is that what you mean or a Windsor oilpan?
And does the stock Cleveland dipstick accurate?
What is the bulkhead reduction kit?
I don't care about the stock "look" for the water inlet / thermostat housing being a "small challenge" sounds a little daunting.
Are those the biggest challenges for the conversion?

Dan


-----Original Message-----
From: Will Kooiman <will.kooiman at gmail.com> 
Sent: Sunday, November 6, 2022 6:28 AM
To: Charles Engles <cengles at cox.net>; 'Ken Green' <kenn_green at yahoo.com>; 'Dan' <dan at excaliburre.com>; detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] To sleeve or not to sleeve

Hi Chuck,

True.  The 9.2" deck height Dart block is similar enough to a 351C that you could do this swap and most people wouldn't notice.

351C headers fit perfectly.

The bellhousing is the same, so the ZF bolts up with no changes.

The Dart block is beefier.  The block bulges out a bit at the cylinders, plus there are some stiffening ribs.  I had to grind on the motor mounts to get them to fit.  Not a big deal - maybe 1/4" of aluminum removed in a non-critical area.

You need a 351W style oil pan, but if you're doing an Armando pan, it's not a big deal.  One plus is you can run a one-piece 351W oil pan gasket.

The China wall is 351W style, which juts out a bit, whereas a 351C juts inward.  One again, not a big deal.  You just screw a small piece of aluminum to the bottom of the intake, and it seals just fine.  I learned that trick from Tom Upton.

351W and 351C distributors are the same.  The only difference is the gear.  So, buy a 351W gear for your 351C distributor, and you're done.

The water neck/thermostat housing can be a small challenge.  I already had A3 heads with water coming out the front of the heads and a remote thermostat, so mine was easy.  If you want to retain the stock look, you have to figure this one out.

You can use off-the-shelf 302/5.0, 351W camshafts, but multiply lifts by (1.73/1.6) to get the true lift.  I ran a Ford Motorsports X303 for a while, but finally had one custom made for my combination (from Brent Lykins - very happy with this camshaft).

You have to use a 351W timing cover, fuel pump, and water pump.

The stock Pantera dipstick fits in a 351W timing cover.  It was nice to not have to figure that one out.

I have a bulkhead reduction kit, which relocates the a/c compressor and alternator down and to the passenger's side.  It fits the Dart block.

The Dart block accepts factory roller camshafts - with that sheet metal retainer.  So, you can use factory hydraulic roller lifters if you want.

Will.