Stephen67 are you planning on any power steering? Looking at your pictures I shouldn't have any trouble making mine fit. Mine is bone stock, and I'll probably run the stock exhaust manifolds so I shouldnt have too much clearance issues. I'm still in the planning phase. This will have to wait till the snow departs, the garage is too small!!

 

I am planning on power steering. Right now it's a bit like driving a bus. But I'm also doing a few other changes down the road too which will effect what powersteering unit I go with. Shouldn't be an issue.

BTW, some of us are throwing in a hydrobooster in these large trucks for better braking. Might be something to look into as the original master cylinder only has one reservoir. They require a powersteering pump though.

It was a good alternative for a brake booster on my truck since a built up 460 tends to have little vacuum, and I would like for this truck to stop. lol

 

I'm hoping to use the master cylinder and hydroboost from the axle donor, since it's all matching. I'd like to do power steering but Ill have to see what I can fit in there. Donor engine has power steering pump so Id like to utilize it.

 

Curt, I'd do everything I could to get p.s. That 460 weighs between 750 and 800 #s dressed... it's gonna put some leverage on that front end... You COULD build your biceps, but I'd opt for the power in the pump

john

 

Yeah, I concur. I drove mine a bit before working on it and despite that huge steering wheel it's still like opening and closing a giant valve on a submarine trying to get it to turn.

There are a couple different power steering options. I've yet to cross that bridge but it's certainly one that must be done in my opinion. Least if you want to daily drive it.

 

Does anyone know if the power steering kit for an F100 can be adapted? Then I could swap the box without the motor in the way. 200 mile round trip wouldn't be any fun with Armstrong steering!!!

 

Howdy,

I have a 292 Y-block I am going to use in my 55 F-600. I actually had a 460 that was in my boat but decided to dump it along with all the other OMC (marine) stuff I had.

Power steering is going to be problematic because you need to remember you have a medium duty truck (not a 1/2T pickup) I would be a little leery of using a PS box out of a small car (or a mini-pickup)

I actually drove mine with the manual steering and I didn't think it was all that bad. (and I have 9.00-20 tires)

You mentioned the other "problem". Brakes and axle. You need to ensure that you have axle gearing that won't be too low. You also have to do something about the parking brake.

I am using an E4OD automatic trans (Ford Small Block case with Y-adapter)

With the right case/bell-housing, it will bolt right up to the 460........PLUS you will have over-drive (0.71:1) which will be sorely needed with most of the really low axle ratios. (mine is 6.80:1 and I also have a 5.83/8.11 : 1 2-speed)

AND if you use a 4x4 trans from a Super-Duty truck (F450/550...or RV) you there's an OEM parking brake that bolts right on the back of the trans where the transfer case would go...... (I have one of those too)

If you have a power steering pump on the engine you can use a hydraulic boosted master cyl. I am using the hydro-boosted master cylinder from a 2005 F350. mounted so I can use the original brake pedal

Unless I can find a suitable medium duty power steering box, I am just going to stay with manual steering.

The other more important reason for using the F-350SD master cyl (or any dual circuit MC) is use a dual circuit brake system. All these old trucks had single circuit brakes.

This means all you need is one leak anywhere in the system AND YOU LOSE THE BRAKES

It scared me sufficiently to have a safer brake system.

Regards,


Rick

 

Brakes for sure will be dual circut with hydroboost. I'm planning on using the hydroboost setup along with front and rear axle from a late 70's dodge rv chassis that I have. That will give me disk brakes in the front. The rear from said rv chassis has the parking brakes in the drums like a pickup so I don't have to worry about my trans choice. I think that rear has 4:56 gears so I should be able to run 55-60 with the C6 that's behind my 460.

Maybe I'll try driving it with manual steering. If it drives ok I might leave it for now, it'll probably never have daily driver status.

 

That should work for you. You'll just need to find good wheels if you already have the Widow-Makers.


If you plan to use 8.25-20's, and a 4.56 rear, you should see around 2400 RPM at 60mph. using the info I got from another site above. (just multiply the revs per mile times your rear axle ratio to get RPM @60mph)


Got any pictures of your truck?


//

 

Just a heads up since you have a larger truck, you'll need a custom transmission crossmember.

Mid-fifty sells one for a C6, but it's for a F100, which has a different frame. I'm not sure the difference on an F500, but the F600 is about 3" more, meaning the crossmember you can buy will be about 3" too low. For mine I almost need a completely flat one. I just ended up forging the bends differently and will be adding support to that. Sorta looks like an "M" now, but will give better clearance for my exhaust.

It will also fight you for space with a brake booster under the cab, but is more than doable.


Cab and hood. Assume everything not inside the cab or the cab itself, or the hood is different. Fenders, bumpers, running boards, frame, engine, transmission, mounts, brakes, all of that will be different. I'll see if I can't find my specs that show the frame differences and what not.

But hey, on the bright side your factory suspension is enough for a 460, it's not for an F100.

 

 

Stephen67, that's good to know about the trans crossmember. I was thinking of buying one, but I think I'll just fab the whole thing.

 

here's what I did behind/under the 460/c06...easy fab work

j

https://jniolon.classicpickup.com/tr...ember/tcm.html

 

jniolon I may have to copy your trans crossmember!! Looks great!! Looking at all the pictures and reading advise, Motor and trans should fit right in, my biggest hurdle will be adapting power steering!!