Club Cobra - #$%$#@& Ford Engines

After the week I have endured with the 1969 351W in my cobra I am tempted to revert back to small block Chevys just because they are so much easier to get parts for. I gotta share the story.

It all started when I first fired up my new engine. I had purchased the complete engine from a local bone yard to rebuild. I shoulda been suspicious when the harmonic balancer and several other external parts came in a box but I trusted them (big mistake). I noticed a "vibration" in the motor that became worse with acceleration. I couldn't find the cause but suspected either a mismatched damper or flywheel so finally I decided to begin double checking casting numbers, etc. By accident I noticed that the number cast into the damper was C90E6316D. Upon checking I found that the proper number for a 1969 351W damper should be C90E6316E. I mean, how much difference could ONE little letter make? Well, the damper on my 351 should be on a 302 instead. The counter weight was off as well as the timing mark.

I call a well known Ford bone yard and spell out the part number I need. The guy assures me he has one in stock and will send it overnight air because I MUST have my cobra running by the weekend. The new damper arrives and lo and behold he has sent me another "D" damper. I call him. He swears it came off a 351, he pulled the damper personally, and it "looked" right. HAHAHA. Turns out that someone had stuck a pair of 351W valve covers on a 302 engine and dropped it into the 1969 Fairlane originally equipped with a 351W. Of course, 1969 was the only year Ford used a 3 bolt damper on the 351W. Now I have to wait another 4 days to receive the correct "E" damper that he SWEARS he found today. I am now ready to put a gun to both HIS head and mine.

I considered going with a Fluidamper but they only produce one that uses the 4 bolt pulley. Of course, my 1969 motor takes a 3 bolt pulley and the 4 bolt crank pulleys don't line up with the stock 1969 water pump pully. In order to use the Fluidamper, I would have to have a set of custom pulleys made by March at a cost of well over $100. Is anyone beginning to notice that I have become truly aggravated by this time? I really wonder why Ford, in their infinite wisdom, chose to make so many different parts for so many engines over the years while making so few of the parts interchangeable. Small block Chevys are certainly much simpler to fool with, not to mention cheaper to build because of the parts swap capabilities. I am about ready to pull out what little hair I have remaining on my head.

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! You know, now that I have all this out in the open I actually feel a little better. This week I fix the damper vibration, next week I begin the swap to a dual quad intake setup, more parts swapping headaches for sure.