This is my first post. I'd like to say I've read this forum a fair amount and appreciate the collective knowledge and experience of the members.

There is a ton of information on 460 swaps and I believe much of it is bad. I'd like to get the information only from people who have actually completed the swap; not info from someone's brother-in-law's buddy or some other third hand information.

Let me start by listing what I believe to be true regarding V-8 engined trucks, and those with direct experience can correct any misconceptions that I have.

TOWERS and MOTOR MOUNTS:

All factory High-boy trucks used FE series 360 V-8's, except the early 1977 trucks which came with 351M and 400 V-8's. In 1977.5 Ford switched to the Low-boy models (which continued through 1978 & 1979).

A 460 swap in a High-boy with a factory FE engine will require new frame mounted towers and new rubber motor mounts. An early 1977 High-boy truck with a 335 series engine can use the existing frame towers but requires new rubber motor mounts. (Note: These towers [if you can find them] can be used in any High-boy truck for a 460 swap but requires new rubber motor mounts.

A 460 swap into a Low-boy, with the 335 series engine, can use the existing frame mounted towers with new rubber mounts.

BELLHOUSING, FLYWHEEL & CLUTCH:

The FE series engines use a different bolt pattern than the 460. The 335 series engines have the same bolt pattern as the 460 and those bellhousings can be used in a 460 swap. However the 460's crankshaft flange protrudes further from that that same flange in the 351M or 400. The input shaft from either a BW T-18 or NP 435 would bottom out against the crankshaft when using a bellhousing from a 335 series engine. Therefore it requires either a spacer plate between the engine and bellhousing if using a 460 flywheel and clutch. Or (assuming an internally balanced 460), you can use eliminate the spacer plate if you use a flywheel and clutch from a 360 or 390 FE series engine.

OTHER ISSUES:

I'm not sure about fan shroud fitment (whice combinations work and which don't).

I'm also unsure as far as exhaust manifolds or engine accessory brackets.

So, once again please correct any mis-statements I've made. Thanks!

 

You don't need to change the towers in a High Boy that had a fe, to put a 385 series in. L&L or Transdapt make nice rubber sets for them.
Engine accessory brackets depend on the exact truck you are working on. Let us know what you are intending to do and with what year truck & motor. So accurate imfo can be given by someone who has done what you intend to do.

 

Wow, one response!

I think you're wrong.

If you go to L&L's website they offer complete conversion kits to put a 429/460 into either a High-boy or a Low-boy truck.

If you look at the individual kit contents, the High-boy kits come with frame mounted towers while the Low-boy kits do not. I doubt they would include those if they weren't required.

 

it might help if you repost a shorter question. a lot of people will not read a long post like that. then if they do and see " I think you are wrong" they will just hit the back button without answering you.

what year is your truck? what engine/trans does it have now? what car/truck did you get the 460 from. do you plan to use headers?

make it easy to read and you will get more responses. after all this is something (posting on forums) people do for fun, if it starts to look like work a lot of them wont be interested.

good luck, my buddy has a 460 in his 4x4. it has home made frame stands just a piece of square tubing and some plate that bolts on to the motor mounts that came with the engine on one end and to the stock frame holes on the other. 10 bucks worth of steel.

 

Blackfoot,
You are correct. The 351M / 400 towers will work with the 460. FE towers will not. I used the clutch-flywheel kit from L&L in my swap. I am running the NP 435 trans. I believe the balancing changed from internal to external in 79 so it depends on which block you have, my was a 75 or a D1 block. I run L&L fenderwell exit headers so I can't comment on exhaust manifolds. If you want to keep it stock looking I recommend finding the large 4 core (row) radiator. On my 76 f150 I had to cut a hole through the front crossmember to get the lower radiator hose to the water pump. I also used March crank and water pump pulleys.
Hope this helps.

 

Brown 79,

I appreciate your comments, and I understand your points. I actually have a few of these trucks:

A 1973 F-250 4x4 that I completely restored about 20 years ago. It currently has a 428 with CJ heads and intake and NP 435.

The 428 has been a disappointing engine. I'm considering repowering with a 390 or a 460.

A 1978 F-250 4x4 (400/4 spd) which I bought this past summer. This truck has lots of miles and the body is atrocious. However it drives surprisingly well for such a high mileage truck that's been lifted about six inches. I'm in the process of acquiring a donor truck to harvest all the sheetmetal and interior parts from. When I have it apart I am considering swapping in a 460.

 

I have heard but cannot confirm that 460 van manifolds will work for the swap. I used the L+L headers when I installed my 429. I also used the complete L+L install kit, mounts, brackets and pulleys, putting mine in.

I have also heard that you can use 360 motor mounts with 351M/400 stock towers on a 429/460 but one of the holes in the motor mount needs to be re-drilled for the motor side.

For the fan shroud I used the stock 400 fan shroud. A little grinding on the shroud for clearance by the A/C compressor pulley and it fit fine.

 

Ranger,

How do you like your L&L headers? The reason I ask is every set I've ever bought has leaked. Sometimes at the cylinder heads(s), more frequently at the collector(s). L&L uses a 1/2" flange so that should drastically reduce leaks at the heads, but even so, I'm not sure I'm ready to try them again.

 

It's been a while and I'm sure someone has done it more recently and can say for sure but as I remember we just moved one or both of the towers to a different set of holes in the frame and used the L&L motor mounts. We may have notched the holes some too. His truck was a HB but I don't remember the exact year and that truck is long gone.

 

My L&L headers have now lasted 16 years. They dont look the greatest but no rust through or gasket leaks at the manifold. Their kit is great. I bought it after I tried to do a weekend swap from a 79 2wd to a 79 4wd. (took a month) The pan is a FOMOCO part the rest is made by them. I bought the parts from them direct over the phone. Nice people. None of the components I purchased from them have failed. Well worth the price.

 

For the 78 (77.5-79)you just need the motor mounts, dont need to do anything to the towers.

 

Thanks for the info.

Different subject...

How does one send a PM on this forum? Perhaps as I'm a newbie I can't do that, but I wanted to PM Ranger and can't figure out how that's done.

Thanks.

 

[
OTHER ISSUES:

I'm not sure about fan shroud fitment (whice combinations work and which don't).

I'm also unsure as far as exhaust manifolds or engine accessory brackets.

So, once again please correct any mis-statements I've made. Thanks![/quote]



My fan shroud out of the 400m auto worked with no modification
accessory brackets were a huge problem....I had 4 different sets all hit something (I have AC) another case for L&L.

My stock 3 row radiator out of the 400m worked great for 10 years now it is time to be rodded or replaced.

 

I put a 460 in a 77 f100 that originaly had a 360 in it. I did swap the trans and transfer case from a 78 that had a 351m. My concern was were to get the motor mounts from without paying what L&L wanted for a pair. I had a guy that owned a local auto parts store tell me that if I got a set of motor mounts for a 65 360/390 ford farlane they would work by turning the mounts so that two of the bolt holes line up on the 460 it would set right in place in the stock towers. I did and it worked out just fine. I only paid like $30 bucks for the motor mounts. But now thats been some years back so I dont know what those mounts would cost now.