info needed on 351 cleveland

I have a 351 cleveland in a 89 fox body mustang that yanks the wheels about 3 ft. off the ground and runs 11.9. I would like to know exactly how big and bad can i actually make this motor? I would appreciate any advice/info that anybody has to offer.

Thanks, TattooShane

Shane,

The real question is not how big and "bad", but how much money do you have to spend? The Cleveland is a remarkable engine. It can make tons of power and live.

While jerking the front wheels in the air is "cool", it's neither a measure of a good race car, nor is it "prudent". All that motion "up" is wasted motion that could go "forward" instead. 11.90s for a Fox body is okay, but not "setting the world on fire". We have guys doing that with 302s...

A Cleveland making enough low-end torque to pull the wheels, is probably either a 2-bbl. headed engine or geared to the teeth. If it has 2-bbl. heads, upper RPM power is compromised. However, not all is lost. By gearing it "taller" and enhancing the potential of those heads, 600 HP isn't out of the question (race ONLY).

A 4-bbl. headed engine will make much more high-end power. The factory heads, though, need a bunch of work to "modernize" them. If you could luck-out and trip over a paitr of "Yates" heads (cup cars use them), you'ld be in high cotton!

Figure out a budget and get back with us. We can steer you in the right direction.

Jim