dropping a 390/C6 into into my 65 f100. i have heard of people doing this with the whole assembly together (engine+trans+headers). Anybody have any tips? I do have an engine leveler/tilter. Came out with the trans and most of the original manifolds pretty easily.

 

Maybe a bit more info would help with effective responses. Like do you have the radiator support still in the truck? Fenders still installed? Using just a back yard cherry picker to drop it home?

 

fenders and radiator support are on. using a cherry picker with a leveling attachment. motor came out with no fuss using same setup.

 

No tips other than just reverse the removal procedure to put it back in.

I've only done this once, and that was with a 289 and a C6 into a 66 Mustang. Sure made the job a lot easier than installing the engine and transmission seperately.

I think I'd want to make sure my engine crane could handle the weight of an FE and tranny together, but as yours already removed the two together, I guess you're OK.

Wait.... I do have a tip. First time I used an engine leveler (a great thing to have!) I raised the engine up, and when I went to roll the crane backwards, the tip of the crane boom was so close to the garage ceiling I couldn't get past a fluorescent light fixture.

Could roll the car back as it was up on jack stands so I could get underneath it to unbolt things. I finally removed the fluorescent tubes and bent the shade up to get past it. So make sure you have enough room to make the lift.

And that does remind me.... You may need to raise your truck up off the floor a bit as the engine/tranny will point down quite a bit as you lower the engine in. You don't want the transmission tail to hit the floor before you get to the point you want to start leveling things out.

Make sure the crane legs are extended enough so the crane won't tip forward, and have a helper around to help guide things in. In fact if nothing else, the helper can just watch so he/she can alert you if things start to go wrong.

 

i know the trans will go in no prob. it was more the headers i was concerned with. truck has pretty good clearance. i had to lower truck last time to get motor over radiator support.

 

It seems like more work, but I find I save a lot of time and effort pulling the grill and radiator support.

Especially installing the headers for the first time, it's real simple to walk right in there and adjust as needed.

 

on my 68 put engine in then headers from underneth , make sure you put starter in BEFORE headers !

 

PULL THE FRONT CLIP!!! 8 BOLTS! and a few electrical connectors

 

I agree with Redmanbob pull front clip.




This was going into a 4wd I had the headers but left them off. I think the front drive line would have had to been dropped as the headers were a tight fit there when I went to install them.
Try and have a helper but if you cant take your time it can be done without a helper too.