WINDSOR SMALLBLOCK TALK

[bear351c 10,270]

$750 - $7500 for a Windsor. Everything else is easy, bit of wiring, extend the steel fuel line, etc. 6 cyl crossflow radiator in good nick will cool a 351 Clevo, with stock fan and shroud. 

....and set some more money aside for tyres....

[gerg 10,871]

Putting a V8 in an Aussie Falcon is pretty easy. Just engine mount plates and not sure about crossmember with a C4 but can't be too hard. Everything else should just drop in. Exhausts will be much easier with a Windsor, they are a lot smaller than a Clevo.

Like Bear said, the range of cost is a big one because there are so many ways to go (wreckers engine, stock rebuilt, mild/moderate build, extreme build). Just remember that the more you spend on getting horsepower, the more you will spend on the rest of the car for it to handle it.

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[BSC 24 1]

Hi men thanks for your responses it was as I expected not really going to know the damage until I get it done I guess? I’m looking at the following engine thoughts on what else I may need:

 

Windsor motor out of a XR two door Falcon imported from the USA has been bored out 30 thou which makes it a 306 has alloy edelbrock heads a trickflow rollacam edelbrock manifold 700 double pumper carb with extractors new starter motor alternator dizzy also has electronic msd ignition. The gear box is a fresh c4 with a shift kit and a 3500 stall converter

[deankxf 20,288]

On 8/30/2021 at 9:54 PM, BSC 24 said:

Hi all I’m a novice and seeking some advice. I have an XE S Pack and I am just about to convert the stock engine to a 302 W. I have a  C4 Trans and it’s a nice package but I was trying to get a rough idea of what the changeover would cost? 

 

3 hours ago, BSC 24 said:

Hi men thanks for your responses it was as I expected not really going to know the damage until I get it done I guess? I’m looking at the following engine thoughts on what else I may need:

 

Windsor motor out of a XR two door Falcon imported from the USA has been bored out 30 thou which makes it a 306 has alloy edelbrock heads a trickflow rollacam edelbrock manifold 700 double pumper carb with extractors new starter motor alternator dizzy also has electronic msd ignition. The gear box is a fresh c4 with a shift kit and a 3500 stall converter

 

not sure about windsor into XE, i would expect very similar to cleveland. 

you'll need a C4 specific gear shifter compared to the 6cyl one. the tailshaft from the 6cyl will fit, the speedo sender will need a C4 specific gear fitted for the diff ratio you are keeping.

 

V8 XA to XE base mounts will allow the engine to bolt up directly (6cyl ones unbolt from the cross member and V8 ones bolt in place)
radiator hoses might need  to use a join in the top hose, but the bottom might fit depending on water pump you have. 

 

you'll need to research which extractors fit those heads and then into XA to XE 

 

accelerator cable from the 6cyl can reach if you get the right carby bracket that pulls from the rear of the engine otherwise you'll need a longer XE V8 cable that pulls from the front. 

 

wiring wise you'll have to see if the C4 has the inhibitor switch on it, there would be a short loom adapter back 30yrs ago, but you'll probably have to cut and join wires to suit (3 for the speedo will remain same) 2 thinner wires for reverse lights, 2 larger ones are neutral/park wires. 

 

unwrapping the tape of the engine wires (oil pressure, temp, ign, alternator etc) will usually reach everything on a cleveland V8 i assume a windsor will be similar. 

you'll be figuring out some slight differences, but i reckon that will be most of it. 

 

(you can convert a cleveland V8 into a 6cyl XE over a weekend if you have everything ... i did it 25yrs ago with a fairlane donor car) 

[BSC 24 1]

On 8/31/2021 at 7:23 PM, BSC 24 said:

Hi men thanks for your responses it was as I expected not really going to know the damage until I get it done I guess? I’m looking at the following engine thoughts on what else I may need:

 

Windsor motor out of a XR two door Falcon imported from the USA has been bored out 30 thou which makes it a 306 has alloy edelbrock heads a trickflow rollacam edelbrock manifold 700 double pumper carb with extractors new starter motor alternator dizzy also has electronic msd ignition. The gear box is a fresh c4 with a shift kit and a 3500 stall converter

 

[BSC 24 1]

Thanks for your advice I really appreciate it. Would I be able to use the same diff in the XE now ? Would I also need to upgrade the running gear to accommodate for the increase in hp? 

[gerg 10,871]

The stock diff will be a 25 spline, 2-pinion open centre with a 2.92 or 2.78 ratio, and drum brakes. Not exactly up to the punishment of a built V8 and stout manual box.

Depending on how strict your motor certification rules are, you may or may not need discs in the back as they were mandatory on XD and XE V8 models, along with LSD. I converted mine to a 302 and did this diff swap.

I would strongly advise getting the later, beefier 28-spline axle diff and LSD, as well as the disc brakes. EA-ED should bolt straight in. Mine still runs 25 spline and the axles are starting to twist (had one out the other day).

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[deankxf 20,288]

19 hours ago, BSC 24 said:

Thanks for your advice I really appreciate it. Would I be able to use the same diff in the XE now ? Would I also need to upgrade the running gear to accommodate for the increase in hp? 

depends what you are doing with it. 

i still reckon the diffs are pretty strong unless doing a burnout spinning one wheel(center gets hot and the spider gear pins break then the gears go crumble)

My mate's and My brothers 302s and My Dad's 351 customline all had 25 spline drum brake diffs without LSD and didn't break anything. 

 

if you are going to hoon it all the time it will probably break. (also depends what condition it's in right now) 

also.. by leaving the stock diff in when first get it going, you can decide if you do or don't like the ratio.. then choose the next diff based on what you want out of it. (engine that revs to 7000rpm won't like a 2.77 ratio, and a engine that doesn't rev past 5000rpm won't really like 3.45ratio either. 

[CHESTNUTXE 7,311]

its hard to go past 3.00.1 diff ratio with either man or auto,as for std diffs i once bought what i was told a 28 spline lsd 3.23 ed sedan diff and it turned out just to be a stocker ea ghia diff lsd with 25 spline axles,i found this out after i put it behind a stout 351c and top loader,i never had a problem with it and used to dump the clutch every day in a xe sedan,a 302w should be fine with a std diff just change yur ratio to 2.92 or 3.08 forget 3.23 or 3.45 it just dont like it with a 1.1 final drive ratio.been there done that plenty of times,unless you fit a t5 or 4 speed auto.