302 in a 33/34 pickup

Agree with the work to keep a flatmotor, however if he must change think of a nice 4.2 GM v6, all you need today. And go to our cousin HAMB for advice ect. Newc
 
I fitted a 99a engine into my 33,fitted straight in ,used a 4in crank, stock cam and 97 carb, it will run all day at 50-55 mph pulling a caravan ,by all day I mean a 7000klm trip out to Ayers rock and back,look up where that is,
I dont know how good it would go if I did not pull the caravan but I bet with a 3.25 rear it would go great,not as good a an OHV engine ,but way good enough for me.
Lawrie
 
Lawrie, my stock 280 in my truck is another example of just what you can expect from a well built Flathead. This former 276 street rod engine was converted back to stock with a .020" over bore new Egge pistons stock EAB cam 2GC carb abd a Chevy dist by Richard, Coupled to a T-170 trans and Spicer 44A 3.73 rear, It will cruise down the road at 70 and climb most hills in Vermont in OD, I personally think converting it to an engine management system. would make it the perfect street engine. Truck weighs 3800 lbs and ya can't break anything.
 
I own a 32 Ford that has a 302 in it. They are too long and you need to cut the firewall back and use an electric fan. Looks awful. As everyone else has said, the Chevy is a better choice actually, or a Buick.
 
Busting transmissions and rears is teenager stuff. I drove a 40 ford everyday with a chevy adapted to the stock driveline and never broke a transmission or rear axle and I drove it the same way as I would if it had a flathead.....like a normal person.

The tire burning A-hole is TV make believe.
 
Please don't install a V-6 or a 302.
It will destroy the value of your car, unless it's a rat rod.
In that case, it's already devalued.
 
Ron Pilger said:
I sold a very nice 33 pickup to a longtime friend. Though it stings a fair bit, this fellow has no flathead experience and has decided he wants to stuff a 302 into the original chassis. Jack does not own or operate a computer so i agreed to posting/posing this question on his behalf: What will the most serious fitting obstacles be in this transformation? Any advice, based on personal experience, (other than please don't do it)? Thx. in advance.
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Many years ago, I did a 289 conversion, and I assume the 302 is about the same. From my vague memory, I don't recall problems, just 'stuff' to deal with. I never butchered the firewall, just a gentle push with a portapower. Not even visible, when done. As for the front, pulleys and belts, I found stuff in the junkyard that enabled the 'so-called' length problem. In other words, I didn't have a length problem, with the 'right parts'. This was back at a time when the junk yards were full of 60's ford products to pick off of, and I have no idea what I used. I recall exhaust and steering interference, and I searched for exhaust manifolds that were more friendly. I did a steering modification. And, I made the oil filter work, but, in the end, I remoted the oil filter after the first oil change.
I made my own bracket to relocate the alternator.
I liked the result. I've read that the SBF is lighter than the SBC, and I appreciated that. And, the SBF rev's freely, so having very low gears in the car meant that the engine was happy running at a higher rpm.
I eventually removed some spring leaves, to get the springs working with less weight.
Just opinion and long-ago experience.


(BTW, I once did a SBC conversion in a 33/34, with 39 trans, and did that same 'trick' with the porta-power. Just a small push, which is not visible. No firewall mods.)
 
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cas3 said:
if he's gonna strip out all the original stuff, he might want to put in a battery pack and prius drive train, because if not,...we only got 12 years left ya know:eek:
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I know you are joking but I also see your point, Why we are there lets change the body to make it more streamlined and lets not forget a more comfortable modern interior . Make sure you leave the FORD badge on the front so that people know its a ford

Ok each to their own I'll shut up now.....
 
We have a small block Ford in a 34 Pickup. It has 380,000 miles on it with that combination. To shorten the combination and not have to cut the firewall use a late model
5.0 and either get an explorer motor or use the explorer front dress. The timing cover,
water pump and dampner. It shortens the motor up quite a bit.
We are running the 5.0 with a T-5 and nine inch Ford rear end.
Great combination.
I can't figure out how to post pictures, but I can email or text them to you.
 
Dodge said:
We have a small block Ford in a 34 Pickup. It has 380,000 miles on it with that combination. To shorten the combination and not have to cut the firewall use a late model
5.0 and either get an explorer motor or use the explorer front dress. The timing cover,
water pump and dampner. It shortens the motor up quite a bit.
We are running the 5.0 with a T-5 and nine inch Ford rear end.
Great combination.
I can't figure out how to post pictures, but I can email or text them to you.[/QUOTE

Did someone forget to tell you a Ford in a Ford swap can’t be done?

878955-F8-E155-4-B90-8564-A60-B6-A99-A2-D8.jpg

BE6-CABC2-4-E28-4-E08-A1-F8-13-D28-E6065-B2.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Explorer timing cover and water pump is the way to go gang. They used this setup on Mustangs, Thunderbirds and Cougars of the same vintage. Only caveat is you must run an electric fuel pump because the the fuel pump drive being eliminated is where Ford saved nearly 2” of engine length. Ford literally made millions of these 5.0’s shorties so getting them new or used should be no problem.

Same with a rear sump oil pan. Millions of them too and the OP’s friend probably already has a rear sump pan because Ford hasn’t made a front sump 302 since 1979.

The 302 Ford WILL be much lighter than the chubby and you WON’T have distributor to firewall problems.

If your easier to access than a chevrolet oil filter gets too close to the frame rail there is a 90 degree adapter for less than $50 with which you can swing your filter away from the frame, engine mount and exhaust manifold.

Things have changed since 1955 fellas. We don’t have to keep committing the same sins of the past.
 
Dodge said:
We have a small block Ford in a 34 Pickup. It has 380,000 miles on it with that combination. To shorten the combination and not have to cut the firewall use a late model
5.0 and either get an explorer motor or use the explorer front dress. The timing cover,
water pump and dampner. It shortens the motor up quite a bit.
We are running the 5.0 with a T-5 and nine inch Ford rear end.
Great combination.
I can't figure out how to post pictures, but I can email or text them to you.
Click to expand...

P.S. go to Postimages.com. Your pictures can be pulled over from there and simply choose the “hot links for forums” option after you download the pictures you want. Paste them right here and you’ll be fine.
 
Interesting and informative thread. If your looking for some torque, I installed a 351 W in my 1937 Tudor and it was a bit of a challenge. A 351 W will cause one to think and plan ahead for sure.
If I were doing a pickup using todays engine's, I would try using a ford eco boost 4 cylinder. Small overall size and they have plenty of HP and Torque.
 
A lot of this Ford in a Ford talk doesn't mention what has to be done to the frame, rear drive, and front wishbone. Any of them can be made to fit but it is still a lot of work. It's also not a traditional hot rod. It's a modern monkey motion street rod.


I'll stick with the original small block, the flathead V8. What can be easier than that? Just repair what needs to be repaired.
 
when I go to car shows I wont even vote for anyone who destroys a ford with a sbc in It keep the flatty they can be made to make good H/P and look great easy to fix when needed and you will still be money ahead
 
Sure you can put a Ford in a Ford, I have done it many times! I have several 5.0s in early Fords, a 5.0 FI in a Focus, and 351W in a Focus and a 460 in a 65 Comet. But the issue is it is not a simple drop in by any stretch and it does damage the vehicle in the process. I am NOT a Chevy fan in anything, including a Chevy! But if you want a simple install and little to no modification to the car/truck it is going into, a SBC is the way to go. If it is a nice vehicle that someone might want to restore back to a flathead at some future date, a Ford engine is not the way to go. My point is it should stay a flathead, if than is not going to happen the next best solution is to install a SBC. If it is forever going to be a Street Rod then install whatever, my selection in that case would be a SBF.
 
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