Keeping the 351w and adding a 23 gal. Fuel tank is a no go for me, heres why, I’m not trying to make it fast or peppy, I want it to behave like the old goat that it is. 351s are notoriously hard to keep cool in broncos especially going slow in the snow (something I’ll likely do a lot of). Also I don’t want the 23 gallon tank because of how far they hang down, I think it looks awful that’s just my opinion though.
I’m not worried about hurting the value because I don’t plan on selling it, the bronco has been in my family for a long time and was designated as mine when I was a kid. It’s just a project that I’m getting closer to finally moving on. The plan is to get it up and running again with the 351w first and if I love it I’ll keep it in there, but most likely I’ll swap it. My first car was a 69 mustang with a 351w and it was fun but it got about 8mpg driving conservatively, not fun on the wallet.
The tires I will have on it will most likely be 31s or possibly 33 10.50s. I like the skinny tires.
I have talked directly with several owners of late 70s and early 80s pickups with 300s in them (2wd and 4x4 trucks) that say they get 18 mpg +. But I have also heard from plenty of people that get no better than 12 mpg with the 300/4.9 as well...
I also have read a ton about these motors and have read through just about every thread on them. Mostly I’m just looking for insight from people who actually have them or have had them in broncos. I’m curious about the differences between 200, 250, and 300 and why someone would choose one over the other.
A lot of v8 owners seem to put down the i6 based on what they’ve heard or read. But, I’m a big fan of i6s in general. I like the toughness, simplicity, and reliability..also the novelty.