is it possible for me to drop a 1989 ford 460 big block into my 1952 ford F2 ?
and still have the wires in the cab work for me if i try to hook everything up properly?

 

Welcome to FTE.

Remember unless you change a lot of stuff that 89 460 should be Fuel injected so your going to need all the computer controls and wiring to make it work

As to your base question Lets move this to the truck specific forum your truck fits and see if anyone has experience with that swap that can help you out.

 

Hello and welcome to FTE!

I have a 390/C6 combination in my 51 that is fantastic! It fits, it works, but it takes some doing - nothing tremendously challenging, but some work.

One nice thing about Fat Fendered Bonus Built trucks is that you can do almost anything with them as long as you have a big enough hammer (and in some cases I'm not kidding - like door adjustment).

Your 460 will fit, but you are going to need to drop a transmission that will fit as well. This will require some pretty aggressive modifiactions (if not outward deletion) of the stock transmission cross member. Also, of course drive shaft mods. Gonna put a 9" in the back?

Also, you will have to install the 460 motor mount system. So you have some work to do and little room to do it. Also, I would consider going to a carb and aluminum intake maniford for both weight and Pollution, computer ellimination.

Peripherals are a problem that have little room, but can be done. For example: throttle linkage, heater outlet location, transmission shift, brake and clutch pedals - that kind of stuff.

There have been a few discussions about this conversion here, and if you want opinions and experience on your conversion, this is the place.

If you have ANY questions about wiring or electrical components, I will try my best to be helpfull. You might want to check out my galleries about engine swaps and electrical conversions.

Short answer - yes you can do it and yes we can tell you how.

Here are a couple of links on previous conversions you might want to look at:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...y-do-i-go.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...on-mounts.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...-51-f-1-a.html

OBTW you might want to note a few of the names in these links as well and feel free to e-mail them. Until you get 25 posts, you can't "Private Message" folks here.

Good luck with your project!

 

There is an old saying that anything is possible with enough time and money!

No engine transplant is a drop in; usually every connection (fuel, water, electrical and engine /trans controls) will be in a different location. The 460 by is very physical size creates its own problems and fuel injection will only complicate things, (2 fold) this is not for the faint of heart but far from impossible.

This is the wiring required for Fuel Injection by one of the guys on here.

51 wiring.jpg

 

Hey Old...don't forget that bigger hammer.....tee hee. Sam is the guy who needs to chime in here on the 460

 

Yeh, but I have the luxury of working on a 55 and not a 51.. the 55 engine bay is amazingly huge. I did have to make a custom radiator and mount location and squeeze in electric fans to make it fit tho.. can't imagine how tight it must be in the 48-52 nosecone..

oh, and be careful.. I 'lucked' out. I put the engine on the chassis without the cab or rad mount installed (my first dark side foray) and didn't consider these other factors early enough..

Sam

 

My biggest concern with doing an engine swap like this is the suspension. My '49 F-2 has the stock flat 6 with 4 speed transmission, it is by no means a rocket, more like a rock. But there has been times when I've gone around a unsuspected sharp turn in a country road and the old beast got a little scary. Nothing deadly but still a little unnerving. These old trucks have a fairly high center of gravity and narrow wheel base and weren't made for high speed driving. I can only imagine how my truck would handle if it had a monster V8. I would strongly suggest a better front end swap along with the engine swap. The Jag front end swap sounds like the easiest to do, almost a bolt in. Do a Google search of this site (Since you don't have enough posts to use this boards search feature) for "jag" and "ifs".

 

absolutely agree there.. these were not engineered for highway or high speed (above 50) driving.. they don't have sway bars, either.. With the high center of gravity THIS is a MUST..

sam

 

thank you all,

i dont think that i am going to replace the front end, i dont have the money to do that

also the truck is mostly a show truck/weekend truck

i was going to put a 302 into it, but i wanted more HP and torque, so, i traded my car for this 460

 

Just FYI, I am running a 71 block (D1VE) and 69 heads (C9VE) which stock give 350hp. with the cam & head work, I get 435hp/492ft torque, at the flywheel on the engine dyno.

I don't think you can do that with the 89 stock heads.

sam

 

i was hoping to still have a lot of HP and torque without spending a too much money or time for that matter.

i dont know how easy or cheap it is to change the intake manifold and make it say a 4 barrel carb or something like that

 

the EFI heads change the intake runner position, so you will need a specific manifold for the later engines.. and exhaust is the same if you don't want to use the stock cast iron things.

I don't know if the 52 suspension can handle the 460 weight without modification.

Sam

 

I read an article last month in a diesel magazine on a chevelle with a twin turbo duramax in it, so I would have to say that what you want to do is definatly possible!

 

Not to discourage you, but there's alot of "thought" that need's to go into doing up one of these ol' trucks correctly and safely......anyone can throw a newer bigger motor into a old vechicle and make it work somehow.....but as has been mentioned in this thread by the guy's that have the experience, you need to look at ALL the factors that will effect the changes........frt/rear suspension, steering, handling, weight of that monster motor, (approx. 700 "plus" #'s) fully equipped.....frame strength (torque)....as well as "updating" your wiring to a 12 volt system and the list goes on.......My son and I are in the process of building our 51 f-1 with a 460/4spd. 9 in. rear, Jag IFS, frame boxing and a whole bunch of other "modern" updates, to make sure it's going to be a fast, fun and most importantly safe ride!!....As the ol' saying goes....Do it right, or don't do it at all!! I sure have appreciated all the "help" I've gotten on this site so far, with our build...there's alot of very knowledgable folks on here, that will share it with you as well...........what ever way you decide to go, just remember, for most of us it does'nt happen overnite, like we "want" it to.....it takes alot of time and $$$. but it is worth it when you get to the other end!!....good luck with your build, welcome to FTE and it's great to have another "toothy" truck in the line up!!
Doug

 

If you're still set on a modern V8 without a suspension update maybe concider a small block. If you're just looking for a nice looking truck that get out its way but not some that will win drag races a non-modified small block is the way to go.