I just picked up a 61 unibody and am in the process of trying to restore it to a street machine and need a little guidance (I'm only 17) i need to know what size motor would be best for it

 

BEST is a relative term based on your expectations, or desires. That's wide open.

I believe the real question should be what engine would be the easiest to install since 61 has an earlier style frame.

Or what would be required to install an engine other than what comes in an early style frame?

Another good question is how much do you want to spend to swap engines. Or what do you want or expect from the engine you want to upgrade to and install?

If you get away from years that are a "bolt in" installation then you will have to adapt things like transmission, engine mounting & X member system, possibly the rear axle assembly and so forth. . .

For a bolt in you are limited to a Y Block style V8 [ 239-272-292 & 312 cid] and the 223 I-6 cyl or the 261 I-6.

All the other options, such as 289, 302, 351W or the FEs' or 385 series, and so forth will require modifications.

Another question is; How much do U want to spend on an engine swapping project ?

FBp

 

More details on what you have will help. is it a F100? I6 or V8? Auto or stick?

Nothing other than the 223 I6 and the Y block V8 will just bolt in, so you'll need some welding and fabricating skills to add side motor mounts. the good news is there are a large number of kits available for this.

You said you want to build a Street Machine. That term means diffrent things to diffrent people. If you mean a custom ride that looks and sounds cool, you could either keep the Y block, or use a 302. 302s are cheap and cheap to dress up with chrome. they are also light weight so easier to work with. The other side of this is if you don't care about the looks so much and just want raw power. The big blocks are heavy and more expensive to modify, but can be built for huge power and torque. The problem there is they can snap axles, pretzle driveshafts, and buckle the body of a unibody

 

well i found a 9" rearend and i got some gearhead buddies that are gonna "help" me out im lookin for a quick truck i can get it painted fairly cheap so im not worried about that and i found a race team that will pay for half the restoration if i put their logo on my back windshield.

 

Your truck all ready has a nine inch rear, you can tuck some pretty large tires in between the rails of a uni buy paing attention to the backspace. Typically you 9" will have a 3.90 ratio if behind a six and 3.50s behind a eight.

I currently have a 63 Pro Street Uni under the knife that when complete will have a 428FE with dual carbs and a C6.

The trucks is mini tubbed and has a full aluminum bed.

Narrowed 9" 46" hub to hub with Moser custom race axles running 31x18.50x15 Hooiser Pro Street Radials.

The truck is set up for a 3" ride height and will decapitate snails.

A fast truck will need lots of modifications to bring it up to snuff. Brake upgrades will be the most important. Unless you want the gasser look which is currently growing in momentum (Street Gasser) a new front suspension is in order, of either a MII, Volare, Dakota, Aerostar or LTD. As a fast truck will not like a stock straight axle in stock trim.

As for a motor. anything but a belly button GM! There are mounts made to just about bolt any motor made by ford into the Uni via a custom crossmember or adapted to a suspension crossmember with custom plate mounts.

I reccomend a new 6.0 cammer. at 14K it wont break the budget..LOL, its all relative. speed cost money son how fast do you want to go.

Garbz

 

Does this truck run, stop and have all the pieces. Is it safe and driveable as is? Before you get to far down the dissassembly, install a big motor, route make a plan. Write it down. Why are you doing this? How much can you do yourself? Find a mentor off this or the other Ford site and get direct advice from someone that has already made most of the mistakes you are about to make. Everyone of us has a sad story to tell about good cars that we screwed up so badly that they went to the crusher. I'd hate to see your Uni go that route. Mine was a bone stock, rust free one owner 40 Ford opera coupe! Wish I still had that car.

 

Well like I said Im only 17 so I don't have 14k but I do have a friend with a 305 that came out of a mustang that i can get farely cheap. My friend just finished a 55 chevy shortbed frame off (looks real sharp) and he said he would help. The truck runs good and stops good. It has all the pieces. Safe and drivable?-yes.

 

my bad i meant 302

 

Sounds like a good deal. Your Quarter mile time won't be anything to brag about, but your Eigth mile times might be with the right gears. A good 302 can scream from 0 to 60.

If you go with the mustang's motor, get a truck's tranny to go behind it. A F100 is a couple thousand pounds heavier than a mustang, so the mustang's close ratio transmissions won't let you launch as hard from a green light. You'll need wider spaced gears to let the 302 stay in the power band longer.

Your truck may have a smaller Dana 44 instead of a 9 incher. If it does, consider converting to a modern Ford 8.8 rear end. After 1998, The explorer also comes with 3.73 gears, 31 spline axle shafts, Disk brakes, and positraction. they run you $200 bucks in a junk yard. Earlier ones use drum brakes, if converting the front to disk isn't in the budget yet.

 

Could I get a good quater out of a 351 I could probably find one. My cousin is a car dealer so he has hookups. Also I have a 79 Caddy derby car with a 455 would that fit.

 

if you want good quarter mile times, you need to start with a 428 or a 460 big block if you want to break 15 seconds without going totaly broke. Don't expect it to be cheap though. handling that kind of power down a quarter mile track needs a diffrent suspension. the solid axle and leaf spring setup is an invatation to an exciting and spectacular death.

the 351 would be a little more powerfull than the 302, But 302 may be all you need. I wouldn't run more than 300 horsepower untill the rest of the truck had some serious mods done to it. 302 can get to 300hp cheap enough and will weigh less.

And we'll all pretend you ment putting the GM 455 into a Classic Ford as a joke. haha, pretty funny.

 

do u know where i could get a 502 maybe

 

Had a chance at a couple but shied away. Most old trucks do flex at the center joint, and I am concerned that a unibody has no where to go. Anybody had a problem with this?

 

Smooth lines.

 

so a 502 is too much motor for it