Hi I was looking to get a 73-79 F250 or F350 4x4. I want run with a 460 or 429 but I read somewhere they didn't come in 4x4s. I see a lot of 70s trucks for sale with 460s so they can't all be swaped right? I need the original motor for IM purposes. Thanks

 

The 460 was not included in any of the 4x4's. They were available in 2wd though I can't tell you which models off the top of my head. The 460 swap is very popular and not terribly hard to do. If you see a 4x4 with a 460 it's definitely a conversion.

 

Ivan,

I thought they were available in the F250 & F350 4x4s, just not the F150 4x4s.

Could be wrong though.

K.

 

I believe Ford started putting the 460's in some of the 80's 4x4's but they were never used in any of the 70's 4wd trucks, just 2wd. The other thing to remember when you see 4x4's advertised in the paper is half the people out there don't have a clue what they're talking about when it comes to engines. All they know is they put gas in it and drive. If you're going to buy a truck take some time to get familiar with the characteristics of the 460 (valve cover bolt pattern, verticle water neck, etc) so you'll know what to look for when you check them out. Around here I've seen people push 351's and 390's as 460's. And they'll argue up and down with me when I tell them otherwise.

 

1983 was the first year Ford put a 460 in a 4wd.

 

Why they put a 460 in a 2wd back in the 70s and not in the 4 wheel drives is more than I kinow. A 400 was the biggest motor you could get in a 79.. I believe the former poster is right about the 460 back in 1983. A neighbor of mine had a 350 4x4 withy the 400 in it. 4spd. He tractor pulled with a tractor all over and pulled his trailor with this truck he wish hed had a little more power. If it was me Id swap a 460 in there. youll have plenty of power and be able to pull anything. As for highboys the last year for them I believe was 1977. A friend of mine has a 77 its a highboy. But i believe thats the last year.

 

Thanks for the replies. In Alaska we have real tough IM laws. You can't have do any engine swaps unless it was offered from the factory. Same year and Model. I'm going to call and see if it matters if it is a 4x4 or 4x2.

 

I believe they didn't put them into the 4x4's to keep from fixing a bunch of broken 4x4 parts under warranty.

 

Ah, they'd have to keep US out of the 4x4's to prevent that from happening. I don't know for certain but I'll tell you it is a tight fit when you get down to the headers/exhaust setup and the power steering, at least on my truck. Still, the conversion isn't too tough, I think $200 or so from L&L for mounts and you're ready to go.

 

I am not sure what inspection you have or what IM is, but the 460 was offered from 73-79 in the 2WD trucks. So you should be able to get by with a swap in a 4x4 by being able to show it was available. Would whoever inspects it even know the difference between a big block and an FE or 400? I would think if it is stock in appearance you should be fine.

 

I have a 1973 f250 single cab long box highboy 4x4 with a 460 in it don't know if it's original though.

 

In the 70's and early 80's, very few of us had 4wd's. Around here, the only folks that had them, actually needed them. It was rare to see a new one on the lot of a dealership, and most of them were special ordered. I think it was the same everywhere, and Ford obviously didn't put a lot of emphasis on 4wd trucks back then.

Think about it. They didn't offer the two big engines, 390 & 460, in 4wd trucks. The later front disc brake caliper brackets are the same as those on big cars, yet Ford put a weak small piston caliper on 1/2 ton 4wd trucks, while putting a large piston caliper on cars. Everyone I knew that had a 2wd Ford truck, had AC, but we had to wait for months when we special ordered our 4wd trucks with AC. On one of them, we had to settle for dealer installed aftermarket AC.

My how times have changed.

 

460 WAS not available (FROM THE FACTORY) with 4WD or a Manual Trans until 1983, then only in F250/350's
No 460's available in F100's after 1976, F150's after 1979 (CA:1978). And that is all 2wd only
No 460's available in 1980/82 F250/350's, E250/350's only.
1983/97 F250/350 460's have a hydraulic clutch.

Highboy 101 https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...mpilation.html