i have a 1964 ford f100 stepside pick-up. I can get a chevy 454 is it a good idea to put it in. right now i have a 4 speed manual. should i go to an auto. if it's go with the 454. thanks JDNS64

 

Just a warning... It's dangerous to talk about putting a c%$vy motor in a ford around here...:-X23 keep your Ford a Ford... Easier to swap in, and you don't get dirty looks at swapmeets... If you want a big block go with a 429 or 460, or just drop in a 302/AOD combo in. Plenty of power and an overdrive automatic. Go find a mustang for sale...

Tyson

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 07-May-02 AT 09:51 PM (EST)]A Ford motor 302-460 type should be a direct bolt in swap, with the motor mounts for the particular block from a thru-1979 Ford truck. MUCH easier than trying to do the Chevy thing!!!! Sell your 454 outright, they are in demand by the Chevy crowd, and use the money to get a running Ford parts car or truck with the motor and trans you want. Around here, I seen an excellent running 69 Lincoln with a big block and automatic. It was very rusty, but went for $200 and was driven home! Deals are out there!

 

It ought to be against the law to put anything but a Ford engine in a Ford. In my opinion, it would lower the value of the truck.

 

 

DON'T put a motor in an old Ford truck that doesn't belong there! The 460 is a good substitute for the original FE series for power and durability, and parts can be had very easily. However, the switchover to a non-Ford motor is a big headache that will be tougher than you think, take longer than you want it to, and cost you more than you're willing to spend.
1. It creates extra trouble, time and cost. Engine mounts, accelerator linkage, clutch linkage, driveline type and length, speedometer ratio, ALL have to be modified and fixed. I don't think you want your truck down for that long, nor do you want to spend all the exta money!
2. It lowers any value of the truck to nil, or worse, to just scrap or parts.
3. It makes you look real funny when you talk about your pet hybrid monstrosity.
4. If you got more money and time than I think you have, put a 427 sideoiler TriPower in the thing! Talk about a sleeper! Even a 428 or a 429 would be cool, but the 427 has the panache the others don't.
5. If you really really want to do this, sell the truck to one of us and go buy a another brand of less desireable truck, and enjoy your 454.

 

Actually this reminds me [totally non ford related] of a set of very complete plans to install a toyota engine (2t series) and tranny in a 1970's MGB. While this would be a hybrid, all the hardware selected was very clear easily available bold on mounting hardware that was close to one to one conversion, minimal drilling, and I think the only thing that required welding was possibly the custom size needed for the drive shaft.

Key diffrence being is many of the's MGBs have problems over the years, among which are strange unidentifiable fluids that apear on your garage floor, ones which don't match your usual replacable fluids. additionaly, there are a surplus of used toyota engines, due to japan's policy on motor vehicels, and the major diffrence is it fuctions, vs the old bilge pump engine, which just doesn't after a while

I'm not up on chevies actually, but I know there are a few cheep engines out there that haven been reccomended in my region by my parts dealer as drop in replacements for many domestic autos, including ford trucks. v6 range though, not v8. Cost effective solution only.

Given the present cost of scrap steal, I think it would probally be more in the way of time effective to consider combing the papers for a chevy with a lame engine for viable replacement. Speaking from personal experence, I couldn't give away cars that have died from engine failure. Even in one case a 1984 buick stationwagon with a perfect body, we are talking no accidents ever, no rust, perfect uphostry, you name it. No takers, no way, no how. You'd have to check with chevy people, but I think it be a legit option in a 1977 1ton dually cab. I'd have to check and see if the old gmc van takes that style of engine... I've never owned a "chevy product" my self.

 

Zukezake: I agree with your thoughts entirely. MGs certainly are a breed of a different color, and given their propensity for problems, a Toyota swap makes sense unless you are talking a collectible one. Same with Chevy trucks. One of my best friends has a nice '65 Chevy, but he keeps it Chevy. I wouldn't recommend he put a 427 FE in it at all. Same with my Fords, I keep them Fords, mostly for collector reasons though. I cannot afford to make my trucks show quality, but I will keep them in good repair, or upgrade my '66 F-100 to '74 disc brakes, for example.
I think for our friend who started this thread, he could do better by selling the 454 and getting a good 390 or 460 with a power cam, 4V etc etc.
Just my thoughts.

 

>Zukezake: I agree with your thoughts entirely. MGs
>certainly are a breed of a different color, and given their
>propensity for problems, a Toyota swap makes sense unless
>you are talking a collectible one. Same with Chevy trucks.
>One of my best friends has a nice '65 Chevy, but he keeps it
>Chevy. I wouldn't recommend he put a 427 FE in it at all.
>Same with my Fords, I keep them Fords, mostly for collector
>reasons though. I cannot afford to make my trucks show
>quality, but I will keep them in good repair, or upgrade my
>'66 F-100 to '74 disc brakes, for example.
>I think for our friend who started this thread, he could do
>better by selling the 454 and getting a good 390 or 460 with
>a power cam, 4V etc etc.

There are those rare cases where it might be worth the trouble, but this is generally reserved for when the bolt on solution is inadaquate, unavailable, or just too damn costly. In the case of the toyota replacement for the MGB, the going rate for the engine on the retail used from japan was about $350 for a 1.8 liter, easily available, and something that actually has a very long life span. Even with the cost of the trivial mounting hardware, the end result is something that works.

I haven't priced the FE engines, for the simple reason the fact that I don't need one, mine works, and works well. It's the same as was placed in the truck in 1966, and I think after 36 years it's rather proven it selve as being a very acceptable solution. It has the qualities that I would look for in an engine, primarly being works fine after 100,000 miles, 200,000 miles, 300,000 miles... and beyond.

Unless the chevy 454 has a major redeming quality over the FE series, or unless there was already a nice set of documention of bolt on solution that would promise acceptable mouting without undue stress on areas that don't weren't designed to carry the loads, and assue proper drive shaft placement so to not prematurly wear out your universals, then I would really lean tward the stock. Even then, a non stock option with good documentation as to what mounting you would need to aquire to make this an option is a mission in it self, and the moment you start looking for a set of trivial hardware, you're looking at non-trivial costs. I'd guess that the cost in trivilaties to mount that engine in your ford would probally be equal to the cost of a chevy body that would accept it no problem, or the cost of a ford engine that wouldn't require the headache.

 

Y would you want to ruin a awsome vehicle by putting that kinda crap in americas only vehicle thats been round froim the get go of automobiles. go find yourslef as ford, you'll thank us all later for this advice.

 

Your a bit too late for advice, this thread is 7+ years old, didn't you notice the date?

 

Huh!!