351 Headers

scbronco · Nov 9, 2011

this may have been addressed before, but are headers interchangeable between 302 and 351? ive got a line for a set of long tubes cheap that came off a 302, but i have a 351, wanna make sure they are gonna work before i drop the dough...

beernut · Nov 9, 2011

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Need to know what heads they were connected to and which heads you have.

-bn

scbronco · Nov 9, 2011

its a 351W, dont know out of what, everything appears to be factory. beyond that, i just dont know...

barronj · Nov 9, 2011

If you get them to fit, please have the thread turned in to a sticky (ie top of page) thread. This would be a rare feat.

The 351 will push the heads higher and wider in the engine bay.

How much are you spending on the headers? How much will it cost to have your exhaust refitted to the new design?

Is your current exhaust worth anything? Sell it, and instead of buying the headers you don't know to work, buy the BC Broncos headers & exhaust. Done once, done right.

beernut said:
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Need to know what heads they were connected to and which heads you have.

-bn

Can you elaborate on what you mean by this?

Small block ford heads, the windsor family, can be used on either the 302 or the 351. Headbolts are different sizes, but all exhaust ports have the same bolt pattern (excluding yates heads, and TFS highports have raised ports (but these still use the same bolt pattern))

RustyShackelfor · Nov 9, 2011

they bolt up fine, with the higher and wider 351, they might not end up at the right place.

beernut · Nov 9, 2011

barronj said:
Can you elaborate on what you mean by this?

Small block ford heads, the windsor family, can be used on either the 302 or the 351. Headbolts are different sizes, but all exhaust ports have the same bolt pattern (excluding yates heads, and TFS highports have raised ports (but these still use the same bolt pattern))

Pretty sure that if he was running gt-40 P heads or aftermarket heads that you would need a different set of headers. That's why I asked for clarification.

However, as RustyShackelfor pointed out they may sit up higher and may need to be modified.

barronj · Nov 10, 2011

beernut said:
Pretty sure that if he was running gt-40 P heads or aftermarket heads that you would need a different set of headers. That's why I asked for clarification.

However, as RustyShackelfor pointed out they may sit up higher and may need to be modified.

For all practical intents & purposes, there's not a set of aftermarket heads that necessitate one long tube header from another.

Nobody makes a long tube header for the gt40P head, not for the bronco, and not for any car, that I know of.

Back to my point of buying the BC Bronco headers once & being done with it, they have re-engineered their header (shorty though) to accomodate the P head. They're the only company to do that as well, unless Bronco Hut's headers accomodate that too.

To your point, or Rusty's, of them being modified, how much modification is going to be worth it? I've had to modify clutch linkages to accomodate Heddman headers (302, installed on a 302) designed for our trucks. That was a hassle.

RustyShackelfor · Nov 10, 2011

depends really on what he can afford

70_Steve · Nov 10, 2011

I bought a set of long tube header from Duffs (could never remember, but found the receipt a couple days ago) about 12 years ago for my 302. Don't know who the original manufacturer was.

I did have fitment issues when I tried to install them on my 351 (with stock heads). The collector flanges hit the inside of the frame and the clutch equalizer bar hit one of the tubes. I called around looking for different style headers, or headers specifically made for a 351 in a Bronco.

I finally called Toms Bronco Parts, and by chance, wound up talking with Tom. I explained the situation, and was interested in the design of his headers. He said don't bother with new headers, and that they run into fitment issues all the time when installing 351s. His suggestion was to just bend the headers to make them fit. He says they do that all the time.

So... I let the engine idle for a few minutes, to heat up the header tubes, jammed a 2x4 between the collector and frame, and pried away. I was able to gain about 1 1/2" clearance that way, and also almost eliminated my clutch linkage issue. I bent the top of the equalizer bar about 3/4" and have been running that way for about 8 years with no problems.

blubuckaroo · Nov 10, 2011

289-351 it makes no difference. The headers will fit the heads. The limiting factor on a SBF won't be the headers. It'ds the exhaust port in the head. The deck hight of the block may make the headers a bit close to the body but a 1" body lift should take care of that.

DirtDonk · Nov 10, 2011

scbronco, are the headers you have a line on specifically for an Early Bronco too?
To me that would be the major deciding factor. No matter what engine, if it's not designed for an EB, then the chance of it fitting at all goes way down.

There are certain header designs too, such as the old Blackjack brand, that won't work with a 351 at all due to the height. The tubes fro cylinders 1 and 2 run UNDER the engine mount tower on the frame, so have little to no upward mobility.

Just some other things to look out for.

Paul

Canuck · Nov 11, 2011

I have a set of 361W heads from a 70 mustang on my 302. I had to buy J bends , chop the collectors from another set of headers and tig welded my own set. As was stated previously , I had no luck finding 1 5/8 tube headers that just bolt straight up, my heads are ported out, so a set of 1 5/8 ceramic shorties would be nice.

351 Headers

scbronco

Full Member

beernut

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scbronco

Full Member

barronj

Bronco Guru

RustyShackelfor

Bronco Guru

beernut

Full Member

barronj

Bronco Guru

RustyShackelfor

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70_Steve

Old Guy

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey

DirtDonk

Bronco Guru

Canuck

Full Member

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