Hi im new to the site and kinda new to my truck(even tho its been in the family more than 20 years). I have a 49 F-1 with a flathead v8 that is not the numbers-matching engine. i think my dad had a bigger one installed when the orignal one lost compression, but didnt keep the orignal one. Basically what im wanting to know is if there is a straightfoward way to mount a 302 or 351 in this truck without hacking up the frame or doing any major modifications that i couldnt reverse and put the flathead back in if i wanted to. Just wondering if anyone has done something like this...i searched around on the site some and didnt find much.
TIA

 

Look in the tech articles on this site. I remember reading one that explains how this is done. I took out the destroyed flathead out of my 55, and put a 302 in. The only modifications to speak of were the motor mounts, and the tranny mounts. There were a few things I had to grind and snip, but the 302 is purring great.

 

>Look in the tech articles on this site. I remember reading
>one that explains how this is done. I took out the destroyed
>flathead out of my 55, and put a 302 in. The only
>modifications to speak of were the motor mounts, and the
>tranny mounts. There were a few things I had to grind and
>snip, but the 302 is purring great.
hmm all i saw in there was stuff on installing a 5.0 in a 60's truck. guess ill just have to do my own fabricating n stuff

 

I know a guy in Edmonton that put a 302 in his '52. You'll want to use a different tranny if your goal is to improve driveability. Plan to take off the sheet metal, then lift the cab off (4 guys can do it easily).

I think you'll find you need to remove the existing tranny crossmember and replace it where needed with an aftermarket one.

You'll need to do something with the radiator - replace, cap off one inlet and one outlet, etc. The stock radiator (in good condition) is more than adequate to keep a 302 or 351 cool. The flathead with a truck radiator holds 5 gallons of coolant.

Re: Numbers matching - if it is a late model flathead with water outlets at the front of the heads, it IS a numbers matching motor. Ford didn't put the serial number on the engine as they were considered expendable. The only number to match is 98RC or 98HC for a half-ton 8 or 6 cylinder flathead.

 

I just installed a 302 in my '55 F-250. I bought engine/tranny cross-members and mounts at No Limit and then added an auto U-joint and tranny spline.

It all bolted right up and then some welding. Hardest thing was the headers.

 

>I know a guy in Edmonton that put a 302 in his '52. You'll
>want to use a different tranny if your goal is to improve
>driveability. Plan to take off the sheet metal, then lift
>the cab off (4 guys can do it easily).
>
>I think you'll find you need to remove the existing tranny
>crossmember and replace it where needed with an aftermarket
>one.
>
>You'll need to do something with the radiator - replace, cap
>off one inlet and one outlet, etc. The stock radiator (in
>good condition) is more than adequate to keep a 302 or 351
>cool. The flathead with a truck radiator holds 5 gallons of
>coolant.
>
>Re: Numbers matching - if it is a late model flathead with
>water outlets at the front of the heads, it IS a numbers
>matching motor. Ford didn't put the serial number on the
>engine as they were considered expendable. The only number
>to match is 98RC or 98HC for a half-ton 8 or 6 cylinder
>flathead.
well the numbers matching thing is cool :-) it does have the water outlets at the front of the heads...one on each bank. Any way of telling what size flathead is in there?

 

What engine? It's hard to tell because Ford made the parts interchangable and often the heads have been swapped. The only way to tell for sure is to pull a head and measure the stroke.

Look on the heads for one of the following casting numbers: 8BA, 8RT, EAB, 8CM, EAC, 8EQ, etc. Generally the Fords were 239 cid, the Mercurys were 255 cid and the big truck/Lincoln engines were 337 cid.

You might also look on the block - rear passenger side on the intake manifold flat for a number/letter combination that will indicate when your engine was assembled. This site might help answer some of your questions. Have fun.... tim

http://silverstone.fortunecity.com/chicane/425/