Best donor drivetrain

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Apr 8, 2009 | 10:56 PM

hammerhd

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Joined: Jul 2008

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From: Houston

Best donor drivetrain

Looking for opinions on a good donor vehicle for a drivetrain for my 53 f-100 ,I want a 302 / standard trans. ,the rear end is what I'm wondering about. I can get it all separate ,but would rather get it all in 1 donor.

Thanks, hh

Apr 9, 2009 | 04:04 AM

55 f350

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Joined: Mar 2007

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From: springfield il

as much as i hate to say this as i love my cranky old flathead , find a late model injected 302 and 4 or 5 speed from a truck or mustang . mileage , decent power and dependable . i have an 88 crown vic that was free sitting in the garage that had a fuelie 302 and four speed auto i it . motor is gone to someone who needed it , i just wanted some bit's from the car . keep your eyes open and don't be afraid to stop anywhere and ask you might get an old " junker " that has been retired free , ya never know ..................

personally i got a 292 from freind stu , that needs some attention and a couple of fe's sitting if i was to need 'em , but as we all know REAL MOTORS don't have valve covers .........

Apr 9, 2009 | 06:53 AM

tacson

Cargo Master

Joined: Apr 2003

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From: Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Find a mid to late eighties Fullsize FOMOCO product (crown vic, grand marquis or towncar) or you might look for the same in a pickup up thru F250's. At the salvage yard I work at one of the parts pullers uses an 89 F250 that has a 302/5Spd and man it runs like a top. Good luck

Apr 9, 2009 | 10:37 AM

3golfjack

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Joined: Nov 2006

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From: Olive Branch,Ms

I'm going to use a 302 with a 5 speed out of a 89 F150, the rearend is a 3.55 ratio out of a 92 Ford Explorer. If you would go to the top of the page to articles/specs then go to list articles on this page find the article listed as 48 through 60 Ford F1 F100 rear axle swaps. The biggest thing on the rearend is to get one the correct width to match the F100 chassis and the gear ratio to match the motor and trans your using. The 302 motor and 5 speed trans I am using which is from a 89 f150 is mothered up with a rearend that has 3.55 ratio but the width is to wide for the F100 while the Explorer does has the correct width. When I hunted for the Explorer rearend I made sure I stayed with the 3.55 ratio.

Apr 9, 2009 | 12:55 PM

rockher_man

Elder User

Joined: Jan 2007

Posts: 789

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From: MI..."near" Dearborn...

Drivetrain...

I don't have any personal hands-on experience buildin' big-block Fords...so...

...I have too admidt...I would have really liked to go the flathead
route...especially since not too far from my house is...

Motor City Speed Equipment, Dundee Michigan, Mark Kirby

Man...nothin' sounds quite like a full-house flathead when ya
mash the skinny pedal...

...

...but since my '56 already had a '70 302 & C4 installed... & I
just happened to have a "spare" '83 Mustang 5.0 carb'd motor
on a stand in the corner of the garage...

...

...parts-is-parts...ya know?

I am looking for an AOD transmission to rebuild though...

...notice there is no "E" in my transmission discription...

I picked up a 9" rear that I was "told" came out of a '70 F100
and I'm tryin' to do a LowBuck rebuild... but...ya know...