Im new to the site and don't know how this works but i have a question about my 1979 Ford Ranger. I need a new motor and found one but its a 1987 460. Will it mount to my transmission and motor mounts?

 

Welcome to FTE. Lots of good people here.
What motor/trans is in your truck now and is it 2 or 4 wheel drive?

 

It is a 4 wheel drive and had a 351w then I put in a 400m. Want to make sure the 87 460 will mount up the same

 

No, a 460 won't be a bolt in because you have a 4WD.
It will bolt to the tranny but you'll need to get engine swap adapter mounts to bolt the engine in.
Ford never offered the 460 in 4WD trucks until the mid 80's and from the firewall forward, the frames are different between 2 and 4 WD. The 2WD mounts won't bolt to the 4WD frame.

 

you know any good place or website to get them?

 

are you sure it is a 351w?

 

im pretty sure it was but its been awhile since I had that motor in it. It was my Dads, then he passed away and I was young when I took the motor out and just went off what my step father said when we took it out. We bought the 400m used from another guy and put it in it then starter went out and radiator was stolen and its been sitting tell now. The 400m may still turn over but I found this 460 in running shape for 200 bucks from a friend so I thought it be cheaper to put the running motor in then to try figuring out whats wrong with the other.
Btw we never had the 400m all the way done so I never heard it start up just crank over never heard it actually fire up.

 

Seriously, look into getting the 400 running first.
What are your plans for the truck?
If it's going to be a daily driver, definitely look into getting the 400 running. Swapping the 460 can start getting expensive, the conversion mounts are expensive then you have the exhaust to deal with plus all the brackets etc.
The cost starts to mount pretty quick.
However, if this is going to be a project and time and money aren't as big a consideration, then go for it.

 

I want to redo the whole truck over time, it isn't something imma do fast just step by step first i just want to get a good running motor in it. then move on to the cosmetics. Eventually I want to do the work to switch to a diesel so i can use it as a daily driver and it do better on gas, but that is going to be later in life. I never plan to sell the truck bc it was my fathers. So putting more money in it than it is worth doesn't matter to me. But i looked up the engine swap adapter mounts and they were a little over 100 bucks. Is there going to be more work than i think when it comes to mounting it to the frame and tranny?

 

 

Actually, that's not a bad looking truck. Looks like a good start.
As for not caring what it costs, I can sympathize. I'm in the middle of my own project that has a lot of $entimental value.
Not trying to discourage you at all but it wouldn't take much to at least check the 400 out and see what kind of shape its in. If its in decent shape, I would use it and save the rest of the money for other parts.
Because, no mater what, puting in the 460 is going to run some money. In any engine swap it's not necessarily the mounts that cost, it's going to be all the little nickle and dime things that will annoy you and start to add up. Getting the engine in is the easy part. It's getting it to run and be reliable, that's the hard part.

 

Thanks you guys yall been a lot of help. I'm gonna look at the 400 see what it will take. the only reason i want the 460 is because it is already running so I figure it be easier to get running in my old truck.

 

If you took out a 351 and dropped in a 400 without changing anything, you had a 351M, not a "W". Anyway, yes, get the 400 fired up first. Frame stands, accessory brackets, exhaust, etc. ...it's all different on the 460.

You look like you have a good starter kit. Keep us posted on the progress.

 

Thanks will do. I will post pics of motor tomorrow and see what y'all think.

 

Does this distributor look right? not very clear. this is on the 400m