I'm gonna restore my first pickup for my boy, a 1966 F-100. It has an inline 6 and three on the tree. I want to put a V8 in it, and keep the three speed. Any ideas what the best fit would be?? I thought a 289 is a good fit, but don't know how hard it would be to make it bolt up. I'd appreciate any feedback

 

Hey D, good luck with the resto, you can search on this forum using "engine swap" or similar wording

 

Yes, the best fit, cheap and easy, is a 390. It is almost original. If you are truly restoring the truck, it can't have a sbf. Purists might say you have to keep the six.
Eric

 

Inline six is the same bell pattern as a small block. 289,302,351C 351W.

you will need an entire new bell for a FE swap.

To mount the engine you will need the correct 302,351M400 engine perches from a later truck up until 79.

You will also need to pay attention to the year of the engine block so it will have the clutch boss. After 80 this casting is not present. The 289 may not have this mount as it was a car only casting.

302 is a good choice for a starter. Plus all the hedders and other parts up to 79 are interchangeable.


You did not mention if the six was a 240 or a 300? The 300 will make more power and more torque than the 289/302 with some upgrades. There are speed goodies in the form of intakes, carb, and camshafts. Plus some chevy parts in the mix makes a killer six.

The 240 can be a 300 with just a crank rods an piston swap. reuse of the 240 head with the 300 rotating assembly will give you a 9.1 Compression ratio. doing this you have no drive line changes or issues.

Garbz

 

Troublemaker



































just kiddin ya dave

Welcome to FTE

 

Welcome to FTE.

Just my two cents as a former teen driver and now father of teens. I'd leave that six right where it is, and if I changed anything, I'd put a Mazda 5 speed behind it. The engine has plenty of power for that truck, and the closer gear splits and OD would allow it to run with traffic no problem.

Brakes, tires and steering gear, along with 3 point belts if you can swing it.

jmo, ymmv, good luck with it.

 

Might as well make it a V8, us kids are going to race whatever we have and you might as well let him win!

 

Just put this 14 cylinder in it.

 

I Know your joshing me but you can install a set of SBC or BBC chevy rocker arms on the 240/300 head.

They are higher ratio and make for higher lift without changing the cam.

You can do stock 1 to 6 or even roller 1 to 7s and gain a ****load of oomph from just this change.

About the cheapest thing you can do to your ford. Do this and add a offy and a 390 holley efi cast hedders and it will run rings around a 302.

Garbz

 

Guess what i'm gonna do to my tan work truck!

 

Heck Yea! Now if only a custom stroker crank was not so expensive.....

Garbz

 

289: 1963/68 misc Passenger Cars/Ranchero's & 1966/68 Bronco's.

 

Here's a new idea: I have a deal on a 1971 F-100 with a 302 and a 4-speed with a pretty good body. Can I take that 302, put it in my 66 with a three speed? I have a 75 Highboy(our old fencing pickup) with a new 390 in it. My plan was to restore the Highboy, but the body and pretty much everything else is not worth putting all the money into. I want to take the 390 and put into the 71 F-100 with 4-speed, and restore it. Any thoughts?

 

Thanks for the info, I think I have the right direction now. I may ask for more advice as I go. Hope you don't mind

 

Early Broncos are cars...........even sez so in the ford parts manuals.......

Garbz