Looking for engine swap ideas

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nothuntersmith@reddit

the first thing people always do when they get an old car is destroy it. i bet you could have made that motor run. I have taken many cars sitting for decades untouched and driven them home. watch vice grip garage and put it back together for as cheap as possible.

don’t get it right, just get it running. or else you will sell it and regret it for your entire life

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Antgnzls@reddit (OP)

I’ve seen just about everything Derek has done and I am a big fan of it. I tried just about all I could so far in trying to get it freed up turning over. My plan is to get it on the stand and tear it apart and go from there. Just getting ideas on what can be done.

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nothuntersmith@reddit

How’s it going then?

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Working-Run-6476@reddit

302 from a 90s mustang and slap a carb on it

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Shouty_Dibnah@reddit

I’d go for something fun like a 406 Tri Power FE motor or something.

Also, let’s talk about the bug?

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Antgnzls@reddit (OP)

Haha. It’s a 68 convertible I just sold it waiting on buyer to pick up

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invictus81@reddit

It’s probably not what you’re looking for but what if you do a full on electric conversion? Lots of room to work with.

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MegaBusKillsPeople@reddit

WAY TO HEAVY OF A CAR for a useful conversion.

I've done 3 electric conversions, they were all in cars that weighed less than 2500 pounds

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crazyabootmycollies@reddit

Yes and no. Depends on your area’s charging infrastructure and how you intend on using the car. There’s a company in Melbourne, AU that does electric Land Rover conversions to much acclaim.

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TheGrandMasterFox@reddit

Smokey Yunick did a diesel electric Eldorado back in the mid seventies - Deutz 2cyl charging a trunk full of batteries and an electric forklift motor mounted to the TH400... Had it wired to run the generator and batteries in series when accelerating, It weighed around 4 tons and had similar performance to the big block Cadillac smog dog and twice the mpg, only problem was your luggage had to go on the roof.

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crazyabootmycollies@reddit

Thankfully electric drive trains have evolved significantly. OP’s isn’t the ideal candidate for an electric convert with highway worthy range, but if they live somewhere with a half decent charging infrastructure and they wanted a unique commuter/show car, it could work.

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kcgreaser@reddit

Its ford. A 302 is an easy inexpensive engine. Find a late 90s ford explorer. From that you can get a v8, auto transmission, 8.8 rear end with DISC BRAKES. Stopping these old tanks is important...

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WaffleMan17@reddit

I’m down with the 302 idea! As in, Coyote 5.0 (302 ci)

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kcgreaser@reddit

Lol. I said inexpensive...

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who_even_cares35@reddit

Absolutely agree brakes should always be first priority with these old girls. If I was doing a full-on swap like that, I'd probably come far enough forward to where the transmission got me five gears or more. Might even come all the way up and go with an ecoboost.

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surroundedbyidioms@reddit

4cyl turbo...

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ratrodder49@reddit

Ecoboost would be neat, my immediate thought was a five liter and a E4OD lol

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MeasurementIll2019@reddit

A 302 was my first thought as well.

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Hungry-King-1842@reddit

I’d keep it a Y block.

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SEIF-CHAN@reddit

Ford V10 for an excursion, i believe ,dumb,stupid, unique.

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bribassguy06@reddit

Twin turbo eco boost

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D4rkr4in@reddit

K swap

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Mcfragger@reddit

L5P diesel

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virtualracer@reddit

Barra I6

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foamtest@reddit

Any of the ford 351s. Get a Windsor if you want a small block bold pattern and a modified if you want a big block bolt pattern

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Middle-Meet20@reddit

Ls you can source that from any junkyard for dirt cheap and they have a bunch of parts

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Jack_Jackerson@reddit

VTEC

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2jzpoweredgamer666@reddit

431 stroked gen 3 392 hemi.

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skapmannen@reddit

I recommend keeping it an y-block car. You have facory dual exhaust manifolds, which are a little rare, and late style distributor, so getting it running nice is just a matter of adjusting, once you get it running. Nothing compares to the sound of a well adjusted y-block. Parts are easy to find if you know where to look and what to look for, but wont be as cheap as a junkyard 302/351/ls/etc of course. I recommend joining the Ford Y-Block Facebook group. There are a lot of knowleage people and master builders who have built powerfull race engines and turbo y blocks for 50 years. Also a lot of usefull tips and tricks, and where to get parts

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Gostaverling@reddit

292 is a Y block, those are all pretty interchangeable to my knowledge. So a 312 or 352 should all bolt up really easily.

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skapmannen@reddit

Y block comes in 2 families, lincoln and ford. Ford y blocks are the 239, 256, 272, 292 and 312, while the lincoln y blocks are the 279, 302, 317, 332, 341 and 368. Pretty much no parts are interchangeable between the 2, and the bellhousing pattern is different. The lincoln blocks was only used in lincolns and large trucks, f700+

In the fords, the 1954 239s are different than the rest, while 1955 239s have inteechangeable parts with the rest.

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Agroman1963@reddit

Go full insanity and stick an Aston Martin aml v-12 in there. Still a Ford developed engine!

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truckerslife@reddit

Edsel wanted to be ahead of the times in everything.

2 options come to mind to keep it in line with that

1) look into Edison motors out of Canada and try to get a diesel electric hybrid kit.

The motor and drive train is electric. But it has an onboard diesel engine acting as a generator.

2) twin turbo ecoboost all wheel drive.

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Life_Beach3686@reddit

Do t leave it stock

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Sammakkoh@reddit

Ecoboost

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Primary-Space@reddit

If you want a diesel, go with the Cummins R2.8 engine. If you want gas, go with a 460. There's adapters out there to hook up either motor to transmissions, it's a matter of how many gears you want and if you want manual or auto.

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lazinessloop@reddit

K24A2 👍🏽

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lazinessloop@reddit

Why Are You Booing Me? I'm Right

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bigboyjak@reddit

The correct answer

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mmarkomarko@reddit

Tesla plaid for the lolz?

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Redneckwithwifi@reddit

7.3 IDI, confuse everyone

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hotrods1970@reddit

My 2 cents. It will depend on your intended use for the car. Is it going to be a restoration or a restomod, or just a driver? Restoration - rebuild the original engine and trans. Have the heads updated with hard valve seats for unleaded gas and a more modern cam for better run ability with modern fuels. Restomod- Coyote with Ford or Holley Terminator X stand alone system. This will give you great MPGs and way more power, combined with touring capable reliability. Driver - 351W with AOD trans that has been bullet proofed. Pair this with a stand alone fuel injection system like Holley Sniper 2 or Edelbrock TBI system. You will have good power, reliability from the EFI, and cheap parts from the 351.

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KnownSoldier04@reddit

Do you want to sell it down the line or recovering money isn’t on your mind?

Because I see many suggesting cool swaps but they’d reduce any resale value and also collectibility in a low production vehicle. (Less than 8000)

If it’s a numbers matching car, (and it likely is, given mileage, engine size and state of the body) you should definitely seriously consider reviving the old engine over any swap.

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Antgnzls@reddit (OP)

I’d much rather rebuild the engine but not sure what I’ll find once I actually get it apart fully. Just kinda getting a feel for what’s possible if can’t be done.

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KnownSoldier04@reddit

Unless you have a hole on the side of the block, or its cracked, it’s still rebuildable, and if you’re pulling it, you shouldn’t just do a partial rebuild anyway.

Is the tranny a 2 or 3 speed?

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Antgnzls@reddit (OP)

It is 2 speed

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KnownSoldier04@reddit

Cool,

Your best option IMO, is finding a running y-block and putting it in. As others have said, they could be found relatively cheap, and it’s a drop in replacement While you slowly rebuild the original.

I’m not that well versed in Fords but their bolt patterns aren’t nearly as universal as Chevy.

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KnownSoldier04@reddit

Unless you have a hole on the side of the block, or its cracked, it’s still rebuildable, and if you’re pulling it, you shouldn’t just do a partial rebuild anyway.

Is the tranny a 2 or 3 speed?

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ihavenoidea81@reddit

2JZ

/s

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OneArmedNoodler@reddit

Ecoboost. Piss off the purists.

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uglyugly1@reddit

Any Y block will drop in place of another Y block. Used ones are dirt cheap. You could probably get a running 292 out of a truck for a couple hundred bucks.

If that's a factory 4 barrel, the intake and distributor are pricey, so make sure you hang onto it.

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hotrodford@reddit

Yep just sold a known runner 292 out of a truck for 400 bucks. Nice clean engine.

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uglyugly1@reddit

I just bought one for 200, with a good 3 speed transmission and clutch on it. The engine is in questionable condition, but I really wanted the trans and clutch.

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whalesalad@reddit

7.3 godzilla

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rhetorial_human@reddit

360 fe with a c6 automatic. just remember to NOT use OEM exhaust manifolds. that should last you for another 50 years.

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isitb33r30yet@reddit

Any FE v8 would be nice

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v8packard@reddit

As far as I know the bell housing pattern was only used by Y blocks, no other Ford engines. But, there were a lot of Y blocks. The 292 was used in US production until 1966, and in South America until the 1980s. The 312 was made from 1956 to 1960.

If you are going to change the trans, too, you can do many different engines. I recently saw a running 4 barrel 352 with what the guy said was a C4 sell for $400. What do you really like?

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auggie5@reddit

Cummins

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fmlyjwls@reddit

FE bolts in with factory parts.

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Beukers@reddit

Electric swap it? You have enough space for battery's

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Bob_Pthhpth@reddit

302 or 351 would be ideal for ease of parts. Of course, if you don’t mind losing a lot of power those 300 I6s are damn near indestructible.

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Chemistry-Least@reddit

It’s funny how the Edsel was such a flop but I have always wanted one. Just think they look so cool.

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West-Librarian-7504@reddit

Shoulder angel: 302, maybe some fab work to throw a more powerful Coyote 5.0 in it (probably more material on these swaps)

Shoulder devil: Supercharged LSA 6.2L Crate Motor (herecy)

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savvy0351@reddit

4bt probably never done. Also do flat black with copper plating in place of chrome. Basically have the chrome guys stop at the coppering step instead of moving on to the nickel and chrome steps.

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joeyjoeskullcracker@reddit

Take that engine out and pull all of the rod caps out. Knock all the pistons out one by one.

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evil_lies@reddit

4bt Cummins

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FloridaHeat2023@reddit

People make fun on a LS 6.0, with a reliable 4L80E behind it, but it's a solid, reliable power-train, and relatively cheap. You'll get instant starts in any weather, decent fuel efficiency for a heavy car, and overdrive capabilities.

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Nickelsass@reddit

When engineers actually GAVE you room to work. Possibilities are endless.

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LuigiMinestrone@reddit

4bt Cummins, it will be a pig but it will turn heads lol

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navlgazer9@reddit

Easiest swap is find another Y block

Or rebuild yours if you got time

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Special-Catch-8947@reddit

Plaid with matching paint.

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sticks-in-spokes@reddit

HELLCAT ENGINE🗣️🗣️

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Gorlock_@reddit

351w is cheap and easy with all the aftermarket of the pushrod 5.0 cars.

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413mopar@reddit

This . 351w .

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kcgreaser@reddit

100% yes. Keeping it correct as it came from the factory or hop up motors from the 50s is whole itch to scratch. Id like to know what the builder is trying to accomplish.

I like driving these damn things

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Antgnzls@reddit (OP)

Trying to keep it as original as possible

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Joiner2008@reddit

So why not pull the 292 first to try to rebuild it

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sladebonge@reddit

Anything but an LS swap. It's so lame and tired.

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J9nnY77@reddit

2jayzeee best engine eva bro

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carguy82j@reddit

7.3l Gas Godzilla

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Alarming_General@reddit

302?

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kcgreaser@reddit

292 and 312 y blocks are getting scarce but they're still out there. I believe flathead jack had parts available for those engines

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Tronkfool@reddit

Put in an LS, I dare you

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knife_go_live@reddit

Hellcat.

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sTrekker11@reddit

12 valve Cummins.

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The_Phroug@reddit

ford 302 would be my go-to, however if i wanted to make things a lil nasty i would slip a coyote in it, granted more expensive by quite a bit, but it would be fun

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hiroshimasteel@reddit

Edsel people are typically an older crowd that really like originality. The value of these cars can be pretty drastically affected by what motor you decide to go back with. If that doesn’t bother you, my grandfather has a big block ford in his and my uncle has a FE. The big block is definitely the better of those two options. A 302 or even a 350 Chevrolet would get it going for much cheaper than the y block/MEL/FE or big block. Just depends on what your goals for the car are and how much money and time you want to put in.

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