Yeah low budget. I dont remember if I said but I just got laid off again Thursday. Ghey.

I have toyed around to engine swaps but to be honest I wanted to keep everything the same and everything working. C6 and 460 isnt a simple swap. Getting it in there is no problelm. I would have a very difficult time with guages and making everything work correctly.

Not only that for as much as that power plant is going to cost I figure the engine could probably just get rebuilt. Finding a 2wd c6 would be difficult because if I got a 4x4 setup I wouldnt have a front axle and it would defeat the point of the reason for building it (because I have 90% of the parts to make the swap and lift happen).......


The only thing that is going to be costing me money is the damn engine whatever way its decided I go on that

 

meh, h.e.i. dizzy and a cheap *** sunpro 3 gauge cluster, stand alone fuel gauge, done well, it'd work for me....and i can still find 2x c-6s relatively easy.

just for gits and shiggles, where do you live? i talk to a lot of random interwebz folks and i might be able to find you a 5.4 in better shape than what you are looking at.

if i were you i'd seriously drop the idea of a 280k engine, especially since you don't know when your next real pay check will be rolling in. truck is just a toy being built on the low buck, let it sit on the back burner unless you find a better engine. 280k and supposed good compression is a hell of a leap for a guy to take when funds aren't there to blow.

 

Been doing some craigslisting and there are actually some decent deals on 460 and c6 parts.

So my question to you all is should I go carburetor if I went with this setup and what do I do about guages because I sure as hell do not want to spend the money on autometer stuff. So a new powerplant and gauges will well exceed an engine rebuild I think.

 

Hmm okay. Ill look into sunpro... ive just never done alot of this type of work. More just like lifting and building. So this is all new.

Thatd be great if you found a good engine somewhere. I live in Chelan, WA. I guess I could let it chill for a while. I just wanted to get it driving good first before I went to far into modding and building and swapping. But I guess it doesnt matter I could do that first cause the engine will get worked out eventually.

 

Amazon.com: Sunpro CP7994 Triple Gauge Kit: Automotive
$40 or less, available at most any parts stores.
Amazon.com: Sunpro CP7583 Fuel Level Sender: Automotive

Amazon.com: Sunpro CP8219 StyleLine Electrical Fuel Level Gauge - Black Dial: Automotive

 

ya 460 c6 gonna be better and cheaper to repair / replace in the longrun, sell that 5.4 for parts and the overdrive trans too them things are just trouble.

 

Should I go with a car'b 460 or a EFI?

 

if it's just a mudder i'd go carb for simplicity. efi is nice, but it adds a lot of expense and complexity to a swap, and there isn't a whole lot you can do to squeeze power out of a factory efi 460 without spending a lot of cash.

 

Yeah that makes sense. I guess I will start shopping for a swap.

Where do you buy a spline in tail shaft that uses a u-joint?

 

Last I heard Kaase never could make the all the factory gauges work with his 588" B9 in the mustang. If his shop and associated friends/vendors/engineers/etc couldn't make them all work then it stands to reason someone with admitted limited knowledge could either. Since its just a mudder/toy I'd gut the dash like I've done and rig up something like what Dan suggested. Fuel, oil pressure, water temp and volts is all you really need...a tach would be nice also.

Go carb'd. There is far more possibilities once you go that route. EFI you're painted into the 350-400hp corner until you shell out about 2-2500 for a better fuel system and computer.

You can make 400hp for $2000 or less including machine work if you want and its a very reliable package. From there it gets more expensive and the parts are more of a precise match though.

 

Yeah I am feeling pretty sold on this. I am talking to this guy right now trying to work out something so I can see it run and drive.

Parting out 1978 FORD F350, 460, auto, 2 wheel drive!

 

The rear axle in the 350 will be a D70 and will match the 8x6.5 bolt pattern of your Chebby front. Also will have better ground clearance if its a 70B. About the same if its a 70HD

 

The 460 "should" be a D1 block with D3 heads. This is probably the most common combination and is a very good starting point for a strong 350-400hp build

 

Its mine for 400 dollars if I buy it tomorrow. The whole truck as is.

Im a little worried im getting in over my head as far as money goes starting with an older engine like this as have never broken one down all the way to get it hot tanked and a rebuild it back up which is what I will want to do.

At first with standard clearance and new gaskets but later I will want to build it up to bigger HP numbers.

This is what it looks like now and I cant imagine putting it in my project looking like this



It has a carb problem is what he said.. wont start hooked up to the trunk but he hooked up a boat tank or something and it fires and he said it sounds excellent. He was told it only had some like 40,000 miles but has no proof. It looks to me like its been through more miles then that.

And honestly if I go through all that work Im not sure why I dont pull my own engine first and take it down to the block and machine it and rebuild it. It would cost probably not much more to have a solid running engine. Although it would probably cost a good bit more than a 460 to make reasonable power. 5.4s in large trucks are kind of anemic for what I want.

 

5.4 is garbage, you want the 460. take your skirt off and get it done, sell the newer engine to some sucker on craigslist.