I've got an F100 w/390/C6, awesome power, hysterical gas mileage. My wife came around a curve in her Explorer to find someone in her lane, so now I have an Explorer with pristine drive train and a busted body.

I'm thinking about swapping the 4.0 OHV, tranny, electronics and all into the 74 F100. Considering the 4.0 moves the Explorer fairly well, the weight of the F100 and Explorer are pretty similar, possibly the drivetrain being the difference...

Obviously this will be a project, but as I have both sitting here and not used, I have all the time in the world. The AC looks like the worst part, dash wiring may be interesting. It certainly looks like an easier swap than putting the 4.0 into my 88 Ranger.

Just for background, been working on cars since 94, swapped an AOD into my 74 Comet, been through everything except for transmissions and rear end.

I guess my question is has anyone ever attempted this before? I'm going through all of the likely hang ups, looks like I'll have plenty of room to put everything, shifter will be interesting, probably look at what it would take to put the Explorer steering column in the F100...

Feedback is appreciated. It isn't a done deal, but a serious possibility. If I can get 20mpg out of the F100 then my Ranger will probably be sold.

 

I don't think anyone has put a 4.0 Explorer motor in one of these, but I know there is someone who swapped either a 5.4 or or 4.6 into his truck from a wrecked F150.

While the swap looked killer, even the guy who did it admitted it was troublesome. I'll look and see about finding the link to that build, it may give you some ideas.

 

Sounds like a fun swap.
If you can fit that motor in while keeping the original evaporator and condenser for the a/c.
A couple custom hoses and conversion to 134 should be easy enough swap.
My EFI 300 with its HUGE intake, made me move the evaporator into the cab via, a dealer air system conversion form factory air. Though I am not done yet with the A/C portion of my conversion. I plan to use these guys for the hoses, to interface the 3 different a/c systems parts I used.
AC Hoses and Hose Kits

 

Since the Explorer is fair game, I'd build it into a capable 4x4.

Oh, it ain't blasphemous... it's still a blue oval going into a blue oval. I'm still waiting for one of us to install an LS into one of these rigs but there have been no takers... yet.

 

Just a thought but, do you think you could throw your body on that frame??? It would be a fun project and all you would really have to do is stretch the frame and fab up some body mounts. I think it would be a lot easier because the drivetrain is ment for that frame and I hate messing with heavy things like an engine and having to fab something up for the engine and transmission to sit on. If you do swap the body the hardest part would be sitting the body on fabbed body mounts.

Remember....Just a thought!

 

I just figured replacing a torque monster like a 390 with a 4.0 V6 would not be appreciated. I guess I'm used to the Mustang forums where anything less than a 5.0 is absolutely flamed.

I'd rather keep the 390, but my wallet just can't handle the driving I do and an FE. A Tremec was on the table, but I can't afford that either. My main project is a 74 Comet.

I checked the wheelbase, just ballpark measurements, the Explorer is 112 x 66, Ranger is shorter and narrower, F100 is 73 x 134.

There is a possibility of shortening the Explorer frame and mounting the Ranger body to it, should be pretty straightforward, although then I wouldn't have the 3.55 rear with discs for my Comet.

I've got another Ranger, pretty much parts only, no title, but I suppose I could call it a modified Explorer.

 

Just wait HIO...

 

Well, that brings up a different strategy and that is to section a Dentside body proportionally to fit an Explorer frame. In essence, a Ranger-size Dent.

Alternatively, section Dentside body panels to fit an Explorer body substructure. Either would be cool and the latter could be done with salvage yard body panels.

c'mom bighatchy, I'm waiting!!!

I just read up on a bunch of Coyote swaps and Ford, in my opinion, is missing the boat when it comes to retrofitting the Coyote with ease to early cars and trucks. Plus a crate Coyote is like $12,000!!! And that doesn't even include the accessories.

I think GM's LS series, as well as the aftermarket, has made it really affordable with their wiring harnesses, computer, oil pans, and front accessory drive packages to swap the LS into early GM muscle and even the 80s A-bodies (Malibu, El Camino, etc.). I've been thinking of getting the E-rod LS3 for my convertible (about $9K complete with computer, sensors, cats, etc.).

I wish Ford would have considered and designed for swappability. They could have at least designed the Coyote block with multiple bolt patterns to fit C4, C6, T5 and TKO trannies.

My apologies for the hijack. Back to the thread.

 

Either the body panels can be cut or the frame can be cut. I think it would be easiest to just cut the frame and lengthen is vs cutting the bed, shorting it, and putting it back together perfectly.

 

If I had the money I would shove my 351M into a Chevy, then I would have an excuse to build a 400 for my Ford...

If I wanted my truck to be a daily driver I would consider an LS swap.

 

Still would need to add 6 inches to the axles and steering.

I'm not looking for that big of a project. So far the plan is the rear going in my Comet, drivetrain either for sale or going in my F100 and selling the FE and C6 from it.
I'll admit, if I had money to play with the LS swaps are looking mighty tempting, but my dad's 2009 1500 doesn't get much better mileage than my 74 w/390. I rarely have to pull anything and when I did it was with that 4.0.

 

What do you mean no one has done it? Ed has had an LT1 in "red" (his '75 F-350) for years...


As for my input on the thread at hand - the 4.0's can be a good little motor, but my thought is it would be underpowered for the F-100. Plus the A4LD trans behind them were troublesome/weak so watch that if you want an auto behind it. I'd put a 5 speed behind it if you do it, but guys have been successfully putting c4's behind the 4.0's for years.

 

According to a little searching the weight difference between the Explorer and F100 could come down to which engine is installed.

I have the 5R55E, freshly rebuilt with a shift kit and a little corrective tuning.

The biggest thing that I'm concerned about right now is how much dash wiring is related to engine management, how much do I have to move to the F100.

A friend of mine was selling the truck, gave it to me a Feb of 2012, title and all, now he's wanting to keep the parts if I swap the engine, which I was planning on selling to fund this and other projects, he wants it back after I get it running and in driving order again.

Might just tell him to come get the damn thing. grrr...

 

I wonder how a 300 6 with a turbo from a 5.9 Cummins would do on mileage?

 

An LT1 isn't an LS engine.