Best Practical Engine Swap

M

MurphyJ

Senior Member
I am giving very serious consideration of replacing my old and very tired
223 cu.in 6 cyl. engine with something more modern and efficient. I believe that engine swaps like I'm thinking about have been done a zillion times and there are many proven examples that folks have enjoyed. I don't wish to go the big block hot rod route, just want a sweet running reliable daily grocery getter. Does anyone have any such experience to share or can direct me to a publication that deals with such swaps. Thanks for any help.
 
We need to know the year and model of car and the current transmission. Hard to make good suggestions otherwise.
 
The 300 straight six, a 302 or 351 would be my initial suggestions. They could be paired with a manual or automatic transmission, with or without overdrive according to your preference.
 
The engine bay in that truck is like the Grand Canyon! Mount kits for any small block Ford and FE are readily available making any of those choices a virtual bolt-in. If you are adventuresome look at a Coyote and manual from a late model Mustang or F150 with an automatic behind it. Pricey but can't beat the performance, reliability, and drivability!
 
If your not looking for more performance, just rebuild the 223 6 cyl. Will be easier, and probably cheaper, plus you have everything original. Just my thoughts.


Sal
 
First of all, there a few things to consider here. #1, how much money do you want to spend? #2 How much work do you want to do, and how much time do you want to spend doing this? #3 How much do you want to modify the truck? #4 How is this truck going to be driven, and how many miles a year?
Okay, the easiest, and most sensible is do a QUALITY rebuild on the original engine, (not a half-_ _ _ed back yard job), and spend the rest of the money installing some kind of an overdrive, upgrading the brakes and suspension, upgrading the electrical and lighting system, and installing a new heat-A/C system. Why A/C? so you don't always need a passenger riding along wiping the windows clean when it's raining or foggy.
If you insist on an engine swap, consider the following, DON' T install an old dinosaur engine (you already have that) like a y-block, FE or a a gas-hog 240-300. All of them costly to rebuild, and then fit them in with the accompanying transmission, which will also have to be rebuilt. Plus you will have to again upgrade all of the components.
If you MUST do an engine swap, a Windsor is the best choice, as parts are as readily available, and almost as cheap as the other belly-button motor. Again, consider the upgrades to the rest of the truck, including the transmission. And then, where is this Windsor engine and trans going to come from? A used one? Now you have to rebuild them also. Not cheap. A "good" used one? There is no such thing. Used is used, it's crap. And don't even think about a Modular, or Coyote, the price of admission is astronomical.
If you insist of doing a swap, as much as I hate saying this, a chev is the best, and cheapest, and easiest to do. The necessary parts are everywhere, and are as cheap new as Ford parts are used. Plus, the general public will love you for using America's "best" engine. You, know, talk is cheap, and opinions are like, well you know, but the actual execution of something like this is different, and requires some sensible thought beforehand.
 
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mine is not a truck,its a 55 ford 2 door station wagon.It origionally had a 272 with a standard 3 speed coluum shift. I removed the 272 and installed a SB 302.I also removed the standard ****** and put in a C4 automatic. I Had to do a few modifications like changing motor mounts and drive line.Other than that,it was a pretty easy swap.
 
As you stated, you have a car. He has a truck. Different scenario. The car has a front sump, with a 3 point mounting set-up. The truck is a rear sump with a 4 point mount set-up. Although sump position is not a real concern on a truck, the mount set-up is more so. Obviously, all of this can be dealt with, but re-read his original posting, and then re-read mine as well.
 
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Speedway Motors has the mounts you need for the swap give them a call they can walk you through what you need they have been around almost 60 years,1981 and later 302 aka 5.0's have the oil pan you will want for the swap. Because of your trucks rear end ratio with the Six I would run an AOD from 1989-93 these have a .67 Overdrive and are non-computer.
 
Late model 5.0 with AOD trans. and 5.0 Mustang fuel injection or Holley TBI which is the
way I went.
 
More advice from the local Y block lover. Go re-read post eleven. That guy has been around almost as long as me, I have never read poor advice from him. Speedway motors catalog needs to be handy. They also offer advice right on the pages of the parts you will need. If you want all bolt on, look in to Chassis Engineering, out of Iowa. Both places are good people to buy parts from.
 
I don't know why I continually get involved, but, Okay, you buy a "kit" from Speedway. So now, where does this engine and trans magically appear from? A junkyard? Give me a break. All the bolts gone. Some parts gone. Things broken. What condition? They are always good. Then why are they junk? Same as a "buddies" engine. Everyone has at least one. I personally have over a dozen. They are all junk, most are y-blocks. Nobody wants to buy them. Why am I saving them? ANYTHING can be fixed with money.So now you have to rebuild this engine and trans, then install it. Now comes the fun stuff. hooking up the rest of the drive line. New driveshaft, and usually a rear end too. Don't forget to rebuild that too. Next, building a wiring system to adapt the new engine, and as long as you are at it, rewire the entire truck. Might as well do all the lights as well, the originals are like candles. Now may as well upgrade the brakes and steering and suspension to take advantage of the new "power". How about the cooling system next? New radiator, hoses etc. Oh, and now we have to have one of those electric fan setups too. Now how are you going to connect the trans to the steering column? Oh that's right, you already replaced the clunky old steering gear because of the needed turn signals, and wipers etc. How is this new steering gear going to work? A conversion to power gear? I hope you got all the accessories with the "new" engine, or else you will have to buy, and hook up an accessory pulley system too. Oh, and lets not forget the new exhaust system as well. If you stop right here, you will have 20K at least invested, but don't stop now.Keep going with the rest of the truck. How much money do you have, and how much time do you have left?
Yes, you still can build something "on the cheap", but it's no longer practical in today's traffic, it's not safe by any stretch of the imagination, and also, in many cases illegal as hell. And it surely won't be as much fun to drive as you remember it from when you were a kid.
And as for experience, it's safe to assume everyone on this site is pretty much an old fart, and the saying comes to mind, "the older I gets, the faster I was".
I started working in the garages in 1958, many years in many shops, 30 years in new car dealerships, and the rest in independent shops. I was a manager for 20 of those years. I forgot more than I now know. When I try to do something anymore, I look like Rodney Dangerfield building a model airplane in the Easy Money movie. I have built countless cars for countless people, including myself. The few things I did remember though are, it's always easier to talk about it than doing it, it always costs more than you think, never hack anything, it will bite you in the butt big time, and I don't look at anything with rose-colored glasses. I still stand by my original post.
 
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Don’t put a Chevy engine in it. There’s no need to feel bad about yourself for the rest of your life...or be embarrassed every time you get together with other Ford guys. It seems to be acceptable with pre war cars but with post war it’s not that far from putting a sbc in a Mustang.
 
I've done both SBC and SBF in old Fords and found it about the same amount of work. The SBC is NOT a "bolt in". The SBF is smaller width wise and about 100 lbs. lighter. As to the length there's not much difference. The trucks have a lot of room under hood.
 
Here are some pictures of a SBF in a '88 Ranger. Very small engine bay and everything fits. The headers are for a '65 Mustang and clear the steering. Try that with a SBC!
 

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