Need motor advice on 54 Coupe

59Bisquik

59Bisquik

Junior Member
Hi everyone, I am a returning member that used to be pretty active on the old site. I am working on a 54 Customline Coupe. I have done a frame off with Granada brakes and spindles, Cavalier rack and pinion, AOD ****** and a 8.8 rear end with disc brakes, 3.55's with limited slip and Posies super slide springs. I am getting ready to drop an engine in. I was thinking a 302 with a carb. I am looking for something simple and will work on a budget, and hook to my AOD. I am not looking for a drag car, just a reliable powertrain for cruising and the occasional trip to Vegas or Laughlin. What years or models would be the best to look into for an engine donor? Am I stuck with manifolds or shorties? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Man, Your frame and suspension work looks great. Was it mine, I would do a 302 with a carb, or an aftermarket fuel injection system. Keep us posted with more photos and future plans. I love the 52, 53, and 54 Fords. You don't see enough of this vintage around the shows or cruise ins.
 
I am looking to do a carb since its quick and easy. I just did a 4.0L Explorer motor swap into my Bronco II, its not that I dont know how to do it, I just dont want to add a computer, HP fuel pump and return lines etc. Just a simple carb motor.

Thanks for the compliments on the frame. I have some great body mods in store for her too. Satin black paint with the old skool hand painted pinstrips. I have 54 Merc side chrome spears for the quarter panels, the bullet Olds tailight lenses. I wanna get her up and running soon!
 
Sounds like a fun project. I like the Old School Concept. The satin black will look great. I'm doing a 69 Torino GT, right now. I want to do mine as a driver, no trailer queen. Old cars are to be enjoyed and driven. Have fun and get satisfaction out of doing it the way you want, not how someone else says it should be.
 
Lookin real good. The same powertrain is going in my 56. Just make sure that the cable for the throttle pressure is adjusted properly, or you can kiss the ****** by, by. Go to the HAMB 52-56 Ford car group, as there are a good bunch of guys on there with a lot of knowledge. :D
 
I used to have a 54 Club Coupe a few years back. It had a 302/C4 out of a Ranchero,I think it was a 1976.The guy I bought it from used the stock motor mounts he said.He told me they laid right on the crossmember so he just drilled a hole through both of them and used a through bolt to mount it.It had the original rear dump exhausts.He also had to run an electric fan.Also shortened the driveshaft.Sorry I don't remember much else.I just bought it because I got a deal on it and resold it.I think the 302 carb idea is the best.
By the way, great job so far.Looks great.
 
Welcome back Bisquick, you were missed. I had a 302 in a 54 years ago. I used tri Y headers meant for an early model Mustang, the bottoms needed some rework. If you plan of being in the desert, think about satin white to reflect heat. A black car can be a bear.
 
Y-Block!!!The last few years people have started realizing that these are great motors,especially in 50s cars/trucks.There are now plenty of parts,both stock and hot rod including adapters for later transmissions,available for these engines.Any of the later Y-blocks are a bolt-in for a 54.And you would have something different than all the common cars that have SBCs or Windsor engines.
Just my humble opinion.
 
This may be a good time to tell you about the picture. The numbers are duct tape, the car ran the 130 club at the USFRA event last September. I drove the car 1650 miles to get there, ran 128.397 in one mile, and had enough left over to go back this year and try again for 130. Y blocks RULE!
 
The Y block's, especially the late 292, 312's that were used in the Ford light trucks up through 1964 are hard engines to beat. I have ran many of them over 200,000. with very little trouble. Put a set of T-Bird valve covers on em and they look pretty spiffy in the engine compartment.
The 302's w/C4 trans will bolt right into the fifty model Fords. You will have to use a Bronco pan, an electric fuel pump, relocate the lower radiator tube to the right side or use a cross over pipe. I have a 56 Bird with a '68 302 & C4 trans.. makes a nice upgrade.
The Y blocks got a bad reputation because people did not understand that you had to use detergent oil in them or else the oil passages plugged up, which required the addition of an external oil pipe to the rocker arms.
 
I already have the AOD, will a Y-block mate up? I am looking for something that is a simple bolt up and relatively inexpensive to obtain and modify a bit. Working on a budget to get her up and running soon!

As for the Windsor and the AOD, I already have a set of custom mounts, so it will bolt right in.

If I get the 302... what is the best model or year to pull it from? Are there any preferable ones? Anything that comes with aluminum heads, maybe get a EFI engine and yank the injector and electronics?
 
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As far as the 302 is concerned, try to get aone with roller camshaft. Seems to me it was around 85, but not sure of thr year. Now for the 52-56 Ford cars on the HAMB. Near the top of the main page is a column that says COMMUNITY.Hit that and atab will drop down. Hit Social Groups, and look in that page. It will be listed there some place. If you have a problem, just PM me.
 
Seems to me, the 302s used in 68 Mustangs were the highest compression of the early 302s. A Y block would be very cool with a 4 bbl. carb and some headers.
 
A "Y" block would be nice, but also a HO302 is an easy, cheap swap with plenty of power. Love the '54 coupe. You'll have to let us know how the Cavalier rack works out. I've toyed with the idea for my '56.
 
59Bisquik said:
Hi everyone, I am a returning member that used to be pretty active on the old site. I am working on a 54 Customline Coupe. I have done a frame off with Granada brakes and spindles, Cavalier rack and pinion, AOD ****** and a 8.8 rear end with disc brakes, 3.55's with limited slip and Posies super slide springs. I am getting ready to drop an engine in. I was thinking a 302 with a carb. I am looking for something simple and will work on a budget, and hook to my AOD. I am not looking for a drag car, just a reliable powertrain for cruising and the occasional trip to Vegas or Laughlin. What years or models would be the best to look into for an engine donor? Am I stuck with manifolds or shorties? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Ford10-1.jpg

Frame01.jpg

064-2.jpg

072.jpg

074.jpg
Click to expand...
looks great I have a lot of questions, I am doing the same stuffs, just finiched w/79 T-bird Disc., man they work great!!!
e-mail me or call 325at668at1015ask for Ron it me. Thanks Again...Great CAr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Just picked up a 302 with EFI from a 93 Bronco. I am going to convert it to a carb and stuff it in my coupe. My question is, is there a way to use the factory distributor? Can I run the TFI as a stand alone or do I need to swap out the distributor? Thanks!
 
If you plan to convert that motor to a carb, there is an HEI available that I heard good reports about. I have seen them new in the box at swap meets for 139.00
 
I stripped down the engine today. Good news...roller cam, bad news...the water pump and timing cover are cracked. Something else to snag off ebay I guess!
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