Howdy, first i'd like to say that this forum is an excellent wealth of info to all ford/ Merc boys and gals out there!.............BUT there are a few questions I have on an engine swap I have in mind. I pose the question...a 1985 351W paired to a 84 5spd, in place of a 66 300 and a t18. I gotta ask where i can get the motor mounts and parts for the engine/tranny swap. Also were their any problems that were encountered with the engine/tranny swap. And I am right to assume a new drive shaft is in order.

On another note did Ford make a 5 spd (manual) truck tranny in 84?? All I can think of is the T5, and that T5 isn't gonna cut the mustard with the 351! (although a "friend" told me a performance clutch would off set the eventual slip from the extra torque) .

All i am really looking for is an OD gear cus the t18 and 3.70 rearend were killing me! So any 4 spd standard will do in this application.

Thank guys, I've seen u work the magic helping other guys, hope you can do the same for me

OOHHH yeah, it's on a 66 Merc 1/2ton, if ya didn't notice the name lol

 

Your best bet would be to find a 73-79 model donor truck or hit the junkyards. Your driveshaft may need to be cut to fit. MIne did when I swapped from a 300 to 390.

Pull your 3.70 pumpkin and get a 3.5 or lower to help your mpg and driveability. I would put a C6 or AOD behind it personally but a toploader 4 speed may work on the Windsor.

 

Firstly! Welcome to FTE, Aye! As I read your post you have a 6 cylinder with a 4 speed granny trans and you are concerned about fuel mileage! Swapping in another engine and the cost of all that in a effort to improve mileage is unlikley to produce the results you are hoping for. Besides, why would you want to change a fairly rare truck (Mercury) into something everyone else has? I respectfully suggest you consider keeping the truck close to what you have and work to improve on the 6. Install a dual exhaust manifold and less restrictive muffler. Install an electronic ignition (Pertronix or Duraspark II). Do some head work to get improved breathing. If your six is really tired swap in a 300 with fuel injection from a later model van. I sure as heck would not do what you are considering doing in a quest for better fuel mileage. IMHO!

 

LOL I know what u mean about the fuel mileage but i think i just said it wrong! I'd like to keep the existing diff. but i just wanna get a tranny with an OD so that i'm not turning massive RPMs on the highway, as I'd be turning high RPMs with or without the 300. and ahhh yes the beloved 300, I love that engine but i want to keep that engine for a rebuild (thinking about giving it the good old clifford 6=8 treatment) but i got a line on a recently rebuilt 351, (as I am still in my youthful years) that I can use to stomp some ricerocket ***! but believe me Once I'm done University, that babys gonna get the full treatment, and the I6 WILL be back!

Thx for the replies guys, and hey! More the merrier, if u got a take on all this drop a line!

 

I agree. Keep the merc truck stock and orgianal as possible. If you want a racing truck get an old Ford there cheap and easy to come by. Your merc will be worth more if you keep it stock. Get a Ford to mod out and restore your merc. They are rare and proably very valuavle cause theres none left.

 

I just want to emphasize what has been already said. Treat that old Merc' with dignity. Good originals are hard to come by. 73-79 F150's are all over and you can do some awsome stuff with them. Maybe even lift them up and drive over some import jobs!

 

I cannot agree more with keeping it original. I would do safety modifications, such as dual master cylinder and disk brakes, possibly a conversion to automatic, but I wouldn't make any irreversible changes.

 

Hey thx guys for the posts. Well it looks overwhelming, you guys want it to stay original! Can't help but feel the heat for even thinking about it! I agree when I can find the time i will make a truly storming 6 (with all the original parts)

 

If you are only looking for an overdrive gear. it might be easier to get one from Gear Vendors or US Gear. They both make one the main difference between them is that one will shift under acceleration the other you have to lift off the throtle to get to go into gear. If you are not towing you it should not make much difference which one you get. The other thing you could do is change the rear gearing. I am running 3.03 in mine and my 72 had 2.73 but that was paired with a 302. I have a 240 with a three speed with overdrive (stock) I was really impressed with the difference the overdrive made once I got it working. Finding a 38 year old overdrive solenoid was fun though.

 

Yeah plus finding aftermarket parts for a merc will be impossible. Get a mid-70's Ford and you can pick up any part just about from autozone. and theres tons of aftermaerket stuff for it. I would not reccomend getting a 70's chevy, even if its a good deal. The 70's were GM's lowest point for quailty, often you find them completey rusted through and weak as cardboard. Thats a Chevy for ya.

 

This will be an odd post for me, since I usually encourage keeping things original in old Fords, and abhor cross-breeding brand-x junk into them.

But.. when I decided I was gonna build myself a truck after nearly having a heart attack looking at the $50,000 price tag on a new Ford, (which was 80% made out of plastic,) I chose a Mercury on purpose.

Those outside of Canada might not realize that about half the Fords in Canada before 1969 were Mercurys, so they are not so rare here. But they will hold their value better because if you ever go to sell one, you can sell it to an American for a premium price.

So I chose one that was not really hard to come by, a '64 LWB, and am now in the process of building a Ford(Mercury) truck the way I want one, for my own use. I can pour a heck of a lot of cash into it and still come up smelling like a rose compared to $50,000 for plastic junk.

An original stocker three-on the tree six Mercury is, at best, of limited use for practical purposes. You can't get out on the freeway and do 70 in it without wondering just when you might throw a rod. And a three on the tree, is, lets face it, a pain in the butt in stop and go traffic. 64 (or 66's for that matter) Mercurys are not like Shelby convertibles, rare and valuable. Just a smidge more valuable, stock or not, than a Ford.

And worth less (OR WORTHLESS) with a brand X motor,BTW so keep a Ford in that Ford.

My $0.02

RF

 

Hey Ringo, i gotta ask where abouts are u in Alberta, cuz i'm one of those Sherwood Park dudes! There any slick clubs up here in alberta??? Wouldn't mind joining something!

Oh...and where did this talk of chevies come from????????? only 351 I know is the windsor, cleveland and (gasp) the 351M/400.....and well....they're all fords!!! Hey post if you know any better then me, but I've never heard of a 351 chevy......and I mean I'm not a big chevy fan, chevys got it's place...but it is NOT UNDER THE HOOD OF MY TRUCK! with respect to any classic car owner that maintains, restores, and loves their respected brands)

moving on there are alota mercs up here, but the parts are 100% interchangable with the fords of the same year, except for badging and such, are they not?

 

I'm in L.A.!

yes that's right, Lethbridge, Alberta

I dunno where the brand X talk came from, but that always gets me riled.

There are probably two dozen Mercs on the roads in and around Lethbridge as we speak, definitely more Mercs around than Fords of 46-68 vintage... who wants to fix up a Ford?

Yes the Mercs of our years are completely interchangable with Ford parts with the exception of the VIN plates, fender badges, horn ring emblem, the hood letters, the tailgates, and the stock hubcaps.

The only Slick club here is the Slick 60's, I am the lone Albertan headed for Slickstock this year. I know of at least half a dozen more Slick owners in Alberta ,tho,so we'll build 'er up,,,,Show them Brand X'ers what a real truck looks like, soon!



RF