Amateur hour has made it back out to the garage to turn money into headaches and bloody knuckles.

I have a 51 that has a volare front suspension fused in. I'm in the process of taking out the big block ford to replace it with something smaller. I am about to pull the trigger on getting a 302 AOD combo from blue monkey performance but it is a lot of money to spend all at once for me. so I was just looking to see if anyone else out there has a volare front end with a small block ford in it. if there were issues with the mounts, clearance with the steering linkage, and what oil pan set up fits best. or any other issues I don't know to look for yet. I'm doing all this to make the truck more user friendly, safer and less of a jig saw puzzle. not so much of a "wow you fit that in there" like it is now. any help appreciated.

 

so for I have turned this into.........





this

 

Notes on a Volare Front Clip Install On A 1953 F-100 - Ford-Trucks.com
Don't know if this will help or not since a different year. Pretty truck by the way.

 

I put a 302 in my 51 panel with a volare, offset the engine 1" to passenger side. Used a front sump oilpan and a shorty oil filter.

 

gdub. was the offset to clear the steering box or headers from the steering column. also do you think any other sump configuration would make things easier? oh also what set up did you use for the engine mounts. I was looking at the tubular ones like you can find on summit racing or speedway. sorry for all the questions but it would make things so so much less worrisome for me.

 

The offset was for clearance, I just have the stock exhaust manifolds on mine but you can use shorty headers. I really don't know if the other sump configurations would make a lot of difference, I guess it would depend on how high or low you want to set your engine. My motor mounts are homemade from pieces of the original transmission cross-member.

 

Geoff

the 302 will fit with room to throw a cat in beside it... you will need to offset for clearance on the steering box and watch header clearance. I think most folks use a rear sump to get the engine a little lower in the frame. That volare cross member is deep front to back.

I did a big block and it did fit... but had some clearance issues. 302 is a bit smaller. The engine mount on passenger side is a simple fit, the drivers side is a cobbled up affair due to the steering box sitting right where you want to be with the mount... Nothing a little fabrication can't cure...

Gud luck with it... and a sweet looking truck you have.

later
John

 

Thank you for the help guys. I think I'm going to give it a go. throwing cats in the engine bay it is. One more question on this offset. I take it the idea is to get the engine and the transmission offset the same to keep them aligned with the frame rails, but what then happens to the rear end. is it necessary to offset that as well or is it ok to have the drive shaft in there crooked to make of the difference?

 

Geoff... the engine/trans and the differential do not have to be on the same offset...BUT THEY DO NEED TO BE PARALLEL... see linked article on drive line phasing...

The engine/trans need to be parallel to the frame rails... the differential does also... but they do not have be be the same in offset

DRIVE LINE PHASING

later
John

 

that was very well put together John. clears things right up.

 

My set up is in a '55, so different but no offset, front sump pan, long tube early Mustang headers and fabricated frame mounts with stock engine mounts.

 

Biggest problem I had was with oil filter clearance...even with a two inch offset to the passenger side. I did manage to find a shorty oil filter that would work, however, and could have gone with a remote oil filter conversion as a last resort.