Okay new to the site. thanks for having me.

random question which I'm guessing will have some interesting thoughts commented.

I have just purchased a 51 f1 complete truck without engine.

the last week I have been hunting for what engine I was going to put in it. my thoughts were going towards a 351 c4 setup.

unfortunately one of my friends has just totalled his 2009 nissan titan and has said I can have the engine and anything else I want from it.

just interested in what people thoughts are on this and how difficult it would be to make it happen. obviously some custom mounts but apart from that what other challenges will I face.

thanks in advance

 

The challenge will be all the wiring and computer. You're best bet would be to google search nissan 5.6 swaps. You will want to make sure once you delete a lot of the stock wiring and modules you don't need that the computer won't put the truck in a limp mode or a no start mode.

 

This breaks my heart to hear this!!
It drives me nuts when people put Chevy engines in FORD vehicles, and now a import engine in a FORD!! What's to come next??
Sorry just my 2 cents. But I can't hold back my heart ache. This day will never be forgotten.

 

Welcome to FTE

I've owned 3 Titan's, so I know that: 5.6L (339 cid) DOHC 32 valve all aluminum V8 .. 317 gross HP, 291 net HP / 5 speed A/T, Dana 44 rear axle.

A/T shift lever could be steering column mounted, or located in the console, depending on options.

LEO56F100: The Titan is NOT an import, it's made in Canton Mississippi!

Geez Louise, where is the Fusion/Lincoln MKZ made? Mexico / Where is the Edge/Lincoln MKT made? Canada.

The 1.6T & 2.0T DOHC I-4 Eco-Boosts are made in England. The F150's A/T is made in Mexico.

 

Welcome to FTE! We would love to see pictures of your truck.
As for the engine, I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination. But, you would need to do some measurements and make sure you won't have to do any firewall recesses. Will you be getting the transmission with it? How will that fit under the cab? Where will the shifter sit?
Wiring will always be a challenge.
There is room to put just about any engine in here. People on here have Chevy engines on a regular basis, one guy has a Mercedes Diesel. We say a truck for sale with an older Nissan engine in it recently. Just found the thread, but the craigslist was deleted.

If you have the skills you can do just about anything.

 

IMO it doesn't matter what engine you use, what matters is getting an old truck back on the road. That said there are easier ways to go and you may find the free engine will cost more in the end to get installed than it is worth. I would stick to a simple engine without FI if this is your first build.

 

A Nissan in an F1. I like it. It takes some heat off us darkside guys
To be serious for about twenty seven seconds, I think anything that keeps the old truck moving has to be better than having it sit there to rust away. I think that point was made earlier, but would love to see it unfold, just because it is something different.

You know, I was reading someone's post on facebook about Kustoms and traditional Kustoms. Some guy wanted to do something a bit out of the ordinary and it created a fair bit of debate. I stopped reading because, well, I am supposed to be working, so didn't get to follow it for long, and the boss was looking over my shoulder and hard as I tried, I just couldn't convince her that I was doing data entry stuff...but one guy made a comment along the lines of "this is not a traditional Kustom" whereupon someone said "well, what is a traditional Kustom?" and another suggested that there was nothing Kustom about doing the same common mods that people call traditional Kustoms.

What I think I am trying to say is: I think fresh ideas are good. Mods like this create interest, encourage debate, stir passions! Nothing wrong with people saying they hate the idea; that is their opinion. I've got a Chevy in mine, but she came to me as a Kustom already. I love it! But if I had something very original, that might be different again.

I am a big fan of guys like yourself who want to try something unique. Just put up some pictures for us!

 

^^This^^ In theory sounds like a good swap, especially having the whole vehicle to work with. Computer controlled vehicles still scare the crap out of me. Info will be more difficult to find than a late model Ford engine swap.

 

I personally wouldn't want to do it. Not because of the technical hurdles, but because it just wouldn't be right, IMO. There are plenty of used Ford and Chevy or any other domestic engines out there. It's just my personal preference.

 

I figured that thus question would have alot of for and against. as I said in my first post I was going to go with a 351 c4 setup. but I'm not leaning a little more on the nissan swap side (sorry to the non agreers) I'm wanting a challenges which obviously this will be and I have the whole nissan truck to pull whatever I want which I feel is In my advantage. I also love seeing old ratty trucks then you pop the hood to see a new shiny motor under.

I will be picking the truck up tomorrow to start taking measurements to see if I do need to alter the firewall. which would close the book on the nissan swap and go back to my original plan. thanks for all the help and comments keep then coming. as will I

 

It depends how determined you are. Well that and if youare good with electronics. Im not sure what aftermarket support the Nissan truck has. A stand-alone ECU(computer) and harness would be the best bet but maybe you can make it work. As mentioned above, deleting modules can affect the CAN system and cause errors that only software can correct, which would normally be remedied by aftermarket tunes and ECU flashes.

 

Go for it!

While I wouldn't be interested in doing it, I won't knock it. I've considered dropping an LS into a Porsche, and a BMW. Love the cars, but am not tied to keeping them original.

 

Seems to me that International Harvester, the flag waving Midwestern Fort Wayne Indiana bastion of farmers and true Americans started using the Nissan sd33 6 cyl diesel in their scout models in 1976. In 1980 they stopped using the sd33 and went to another diesel, the Nissan sd33t, which luckily for me was turbocharged. As for my builds, I use what is cheap, handy and available. Maybe it's just me, but I would seriously look into just putting a carb on your buddy's Nissan engine and skipping all those wires and computers. If it was a stromberg 97 you could put an oil bath air cleaner on it!

 

I don't care what engine you use. Just don't do another 350/350 swap. I like the road less traveled. The Nissan sounds like a great swap. Something different for a change. I don't mean to pick on chevy I really like the LS engine and think it is a cool swap too. But if your not gonna be different imo keep it all fomoco.

 

Couldn't agree more. I don't understand the attraction to put a SBC in a ford. . That motor is in no way better than a 302 or 351 in fact it's a worse design. The LS is a different story