All, I am most familiar with the FE and 385 series engine families, not so much with the 302/5.0 Windsor series.
I have a '66 F-100 with a 460/C6 I have used for hauling and towing. Since medical issues have put me on disability, I would like to replace the drivetrain with a 302/5.0 and an automatic, and make the truck more of a daily driver.
The actual swap is not unfamiliar to me - but what I do not know is what year 302/5.0 would be suitable, or unsuitable.

I am looking for a donor car or truck, with a decent running engine so that I don't need to do head work and the like - unless it is very important for engine mileage and performance. A good example might be, from your experience, that an "RV" cam or a different timing set might be worth the investment. I am not looking for performance so much and a decent daily driver truck. It should stay a relatively simple swap.

Edit: Rear axle is a Ford 9" with 3.25 gear ratio.

However, I am sure there are things to look out for. For example, in the 385 engines, changing the timing gear in '72 or later engine will really wake it up - and I am looking for simple fixes such as that to do to the donor engine before it goes in.

As to transmissions, I would prefer to get away from the C6, mostly because I do not need the strength of a C6, and it loses a lot of power. I also don't want to mess with electronics or the issues of an AOD. A plain self shifting slushbox will do, but I don't know what the differences are. MX? FMX?

What engine\transmission would you recommend for a daily driver truck?
What modifications, if any, from factory configuration for that year would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

I'd suggest you find an early EFI F150 with an 5.0 and AOD, strip all the EFI stuff off if you're not into swapping that into your '66.. although that would be a cool project too and if you get a '90 or '91 truck for example the EFI wiring is pretty much self contained. But if you want a carb then strip the EFI off and swap the cam out for either a mild carb bumpstick like the Comp 252H or a stock F4TE truck roller cam found in all '94+ EFI motors, that cam also works very well in carbed applications. As for putting a roller cam in this early motor it should be a direct bolt in as all blocks cast after 1987 were roller ready, you will need the spider assembly, lifters and pushrods from a roller motor which is something you can salvage from a junkyard motor. Now if you were to find a '92-93 truck with a 5.0 and AOD it would have a factory roller cam but it's a tiny little thing that needs an upgrade, but that gets you a little closer, problem is finding an actual AOD and in one of these later trucks isn't as common you're more likely to find the computer controlled transmissions. At the top of the list for desirable engines would be an Explorer 5.0, these had the F4TE roller cam and GT40 heads but all of these came with the computer controlled trans as well as a more advanced EFI system so you would only be harvesting the engine itself, but it's a 300hp motor with a little more cam.

 

I think something from the 1970s might do if you want a carb and not efi.
In my own case, it's a 1974 302 with a C4 auto tranny, not an overdrive, with a comp cams 268H, .456" lift cam, a double roller timing set, and a four barrel carb. Mine is a Holley.
But you could do that with any 302, even up to the 80s or 90s.
It would be better to have flat top pistons and about 60cc heads for good compression about 9/1. The pistons would need valve reliefs.
Since your not looking for all out performance you can get rebuilt E7TE heads quite reasonably priced on Ebay. Such as this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Reconditioned-Ford-E7TE-Cylinder-Heads-302-5-0L-351W-5-8L-/181669448728?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a4c57cc18&vxp=mtrIf you wanted more power there are GT40 and GT40P heads, but that costs more.
Just avoid the old rail rockers and press in rocker studs.
If you find a 70s vehicle, it will have a C4 tranny in it.

 

Thank you for the suggestions; I'll likely be coming back here for more advice once I get on this project.