hello all i've search on this swap. i have a pretty good idea on all the items i need to complete this but the only thing i haven't seen is what headers will fit? i have a great running FE motor not sure if its 390 or 428 haven't checked the stroke but it does have the Cobra jet heads on it. i'm pulling it out of my 61 F250 Mud truck and building a more universal trail/mud truck out of a 78 F150 shortbed that is street legal. i have headers on the motor now but not sure if they will work in the 78. they are hedmen headers p#89120 they are for 76 F250 4x4.

So far my list of items are:

Frame horn mounts FE or inline 6 i still need to find

FE Bellhousing which i have.

headers if mine dont fit.

i think its going to be pretty easy but please correct me if i'm wrong and if there is anything else i need.

the 78 is a 4 speed same as the 61

thanks for the help

 

I just got done swapping out a small block for a 352 in my 78 F 250 4x4 and it went in easily. I only needed an FE frame horn on the driver side and slightly modified the passenger side frame horn. I used hooker headers for an early-mid 70s F250. I just have to use a mini starter and the header collector on the driver side is very close to the front driveshaft

 

Alright thanks my main concern was the frame width if it was goin to be an issue with the headers. Well looks like ill start unbolting

 

They should fit. The frame doesn't change as far as I know just the engine mount perches, which the headers are designed to fit around.

 

You'll be glad you did it

 

Alright guys thanks for the input ill get to work on the swap. My 77 F150 has a built 351M in it and love it but this motor has ten times the amount of power I'm sure ill love it in the short bed ill get some pics up of the rides soon

 

So the swap is done have the motor ready to fire just my headers wont fit they are hitting the front drive shaft. You guys know of anyone else doing this swap and found a set of headers that fit? i searched for it first but there is 30 pages of posts id have to go through.

 

I used headman's on my truck. Think I ordered them for a 76 with a 360 only issues I had was their real close to the starter & I had to heat them up to bend the drivers side in cuz it was rubbing the drive shaft

 

Alright those are the ones i have now. Funny you said that i just got off the phone with my buddy we are going to try the rose bud trick also. see what happens

 

I used a torch & a cumalong to the passenger frame rail. I just bent it enough to clear so it didn't kink the hell out of the hedder tube

 

Alright was able to work on it tonight. i had to drop the whole drive shaft out put a few bolts into the header in to hold it up went to see how much i was going to have to work with and wont be able to do anything about it. its right where the yoke is no bending could fix this. the ones i have are Hedman street hedders 89120. they are for 76 Ford F250 4X4 4 speed. to me they seem like they hang down low compared to the ones on my 77 F150. i'm thinkin i might be stuck with the stock manifolds

 

I dont know this but did the 76 F150s come with a married or divorced Transfer case?

 

Married I believe. Theres no shame in running manifolds

 

I'm not to worried about the manifolds you got to do what your got to do. the only thing i was thinking is if the 1/2 ton in the 76 year had married transfer if those headers might be a better fit since its pretty much the same set up with the drive shaft and all

 

Alright guys another problem! got headers that fit so if any one needs to know hedman #89180 fits perfect. now my new problem i'm suprised i didnt catch this earlier i'm an idiot but is there different flywheels for these motors? the one thats on there now is rubbing on the bellhousing