I just finished the engine on my 78 Ford Bronco 4x4. Its a balanced and blueprinted 460 built for low end. It has the L&L conversion kit (which I highly recommend). It runs like a champ let me tell you. Anyway, I have a 1967 chevy nova that I grag race and I am wondering if my bronco would be a good towing truck? or should I stick with the POS suburban (:-(

Andrew

78 ford bronco 4x4
460, C6

 

What gears? How tall are the tires? How much does the trailer weigh loaded?

Off hand I'd say no problem, lots of varibles however.

BFM

 

Ya I guess that would be good info to give. It has 31x8 tires, 3.56 gears and the load is a heavy car on a steel trailer (open, not enclosed) with spair tires, fuel, tools etc.

 

In that case, pulling it won't be much of a problem. Be sure to put a tranny cooler on it.

Stopping it will be difficult part. If the trailer dosen't have brakes, get some. My 5200lb boat was all my stock brakes could handle and then some.

BFM

 

Pulling that shouldn't be any problem. We pull a 27' camper up to the river and back(about 200 mi. round trip) with ease in my stock '83. Just watch out when stopping, and like BFM said, an auxillary tranny cooler couldn't hurt.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 06-Jul-01 AT 01:53 AM (EST)[/font][p][font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 06-Jul-01 AT 01:48 AM (EST)[/font]

ok do you mind if i ask how much your L&L kit cost? just the kit, no motor, and what options you got with it. in the August Petersons, L&L has a paid endorsement in the guise of an article of doing a BB swap in a 78-79 Bronco. they actually say, and i quote, "If factory parts, brackets, and accessories were available, believe us, we would be the first to tell you about the stuff to use." idiots. its all available. but if you want to pay the $1000 they ask for the kits instead of going to the yards ... well, you decide. below is proof they are available.

http://www.projectbronco.com/Technical_Articles/installing_460.htm

i am not attacking L&L, they make great headers. but all the parts are available from other fords. you can get the rear sump pans from

http://www.jobriteauto.com/

for $135 reconditioned, with pickup and dipstick its still under $175. i know lots of people use L&L stuff, but these Stealth motor mounts from

http://performanceunlimited.com/customproducts/enginemount.html

have twice as much rubber on them and are cheaper and drop onto the stock M perches in our 78-79's. i am just saying, there are lotsa ways besides laying out $1000 to L&L to get your 460 in ... oh, and if i just had that motor built, i would not use it to haul stuff just because it could, especially if you have a POS Suburban. it seems an engine has only so much to give. i would rather have it give it to me on the trail than have it churn its guts out hauling stuff around and performing at the upper limits of its capabilities as a tow truck, besides the longer wheel base of the burban will ride better. JMHO, AXE

 

I got the brackets, headers, oil pan and mounts from l&l. That cost me about $900. I went with chasis exit instead of fender exit headers - tight fit but i didnt want to cut up the fenders. The pulleys came from a salvage yard. The stuff was expensive but the warranty on the headers sold me on them (lifetime against rust and everything else), and the brackets, pan and mounts impressed me... good quality. Its a nice looking set up when I got done. Dual exhaust with walker dynomax mufflers, edelbrock intake and 650cfm 4barrel. It sounds wonderful!

 

i guess i got lucky. i got an 87 460 from a truck and it has all the stuff i need. the only bracket i ordered was for the alternator cause the old cast one also held the smog pump. it had the rear sump pan and truck exhaust manifold. i am going to use the Stealth mounts from http://performanceunlimited.com/customproducts/enginemount.html
they just look better and stronger. plus i get most of my stuff either locally or from http://www.jobriteauto.com/. but its slowly coming along. i am trying to decide what to do with the 460 i got. either rebuild or just drop it in. i havent had a chance to even check compression on it yet. yeah yeah should have dont that before i bought it. but at the price i paid, even if i rebuild it (.030", 268H cam, high volume oil pump, high flo water pump, d0ve-c heads maybe) i will still come out ahead. AXE