Hello all. Basically, I am looking for advice from those that have already accomplished this and then information on parts needed. My cousin brought me her 1955 Ford country sedan wagon to get back on the road for her. I actually got the Y block running one day--I just wanted to see if it would run. My plan was to rebuild the Y block and everything else that it needed to make it a fairly dependable Sunday driver. Well, to make a long story shorter, the cost of doing a basic rebuild has risen to the point of looking at other options. So, I have read bits and pieces of converting both SBCs and SBFs into this era of car and have found mixed messages. I would like to know which type of engine will work the easiest and less expensive. I would also like to know if there are "kits" for the conversion and if so where I can find them. I have read info from years ago and those kits don't seem to exist anymore. BTW, I will be putting an auto trans behind the engine as well. Thanks
Hello, and welcome to the HAMB from East Tennessee. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that the SBC is going to be your least expensive way to go. I had a 1956 Courier, (same body style as your wagon), that I planned to stuff a 460 Ford into until I found it was actually easier to put a 500 Cadillac in it. Then I found it was even easier to put a SBC in there. Here is a link to an engine dimension chart that might help you. Courtesy of @flamedabone: https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma...nsions for the Engine Swapper (teambuick.com)
SBF can be nearly a bolt-in with the right parts, and the cost difference these days between the Ford and Chevy is almost nil. Read through the various links found here... FAQ Sticky | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) When you click on this link, you'll go the '52-59 Ford 'social forum'. You'll need to join to see stuff, at the upper right-hand corner it says 'thread tools'. Click on this, then click 'join'. That's it, you're in! To return to this page later, click on 'My Profile' at the upper right on the main HAMB page, then drop down to 'my forums' then click. Personally, I like the 351W swap. Pretty much the same fitment as the smaller 302, but those extra 50 cubic inches make for a considerably 'livelier' car...
Steve's got the right idea, and while you're at it put in a Ford AOD transmission to get a nice overdrive for cruising economically on the highway. If you are doing this for the first time, you will learn new skills but nothing overwhelming if you are mechanically inclined. If you aren't, find someone who is and don't try to learn on this one. I'm excited to see a '50s long roof upgraded for today's use.
If you do a SBC you need a 64-67 ChevyII oil pan and pick up for the front sump. The radiator fittings will need to be reversed. Fuel line is on the opposite side. Either engine will need a new foot feed in the car. Ford is narrower but longer. There are some exhaust manifolds for the SBC that dump at the rear like the Y. I think they were near the last ones used in the pickups and Dorman sells them. Not saying you are wrong but either of the later engines will need a lot of things your not thinking off when swapping. If the Y can live with a hone on the bore and a polish on the crank, rings and bearings are reasonable and available. Best has a gasket set. A valve job and added positive oil seals will any head. I do my own assembly and I’m sure I could do a basic rebuild not needed a lot of machining time for less than $1000 buying bearings and rings from e-bay and suppliers like Egge.
I’ve never put a different engine in a Ford but in my experience anything that isn’t stock is never “bolt in”. It’s all the other stuff that adds up that you don’t think about such as starter motor, is the existing generator going to bolt on to a Windsor or Cleveland, have you got power steering, will that fit, can you make up an exhaust etc etc. In the long run I can’t see it being cheaper than a basic rebuild unless we have different ideas of basic.
I have done the SBF swap in this era car, and while it is almost a bolt in as Steve says, there are other considerations. What type of transmission is in car now? Either the SBC or SBF/ automatic combo will require motor mount fabrication, transmission mount fabrication, a different radiator, driveshaft, and exhaust system. Add to that cost the purchase of the engine and tranny. Y block rebuild may be cheaper.
First of all, who would waste their time on a four-door wagon? Second of all who would waste their time on an engine swap? Oh yeah, me.
I did my 351W swap in the pre-internet early '80s. Newspaper ads and wrecking yards were your only choices for parts. Rebuilding the Y-block wasn't an option as it had self-destructed; crank broke in three places, wiping out the block. The cheapest Y-block I could find was $1200 for a rusty core! So I found a good-running but cosmetically-challenged '71 LTD 351W/FMX for $500 and drove it home. I recycled nearly every part I needed off that LTD. I made 'adaptors' out of 4" channel iron to use the LTD motor mounts, a square 3/8" plate took care of the trans mount. The LTD exhaust manifolds fit perfectly (late '70s/early '80s 351W truck manifolds will also work with a bit of grinding on them). The stock radiator also fit great (the lower '56 radiator hose fit perfectly also. I did need a new upper). I transplanted the alternator system with minor rewiring. My new mounts located the motor low and as far back as possible. That allowed the radiator to stay where it was, but precluded the use of the '56 throttle linkage, so the cable linkage off the LTD was used. There was a bit of monkey-motion fabbing getting the FMX shift/kickdown linkage hooked to the stock column, but you'll face that with any non-stock swap. I had a new speedo cable with the right ends built, same for the driveshaft. I think you can buy these parts nowadays, there is a 'conversion' u-joint that wasn't available back then. New head pipes to the mufflers, again something needed with any swap. My car didn't have power steering, so no pump needed, although the LTD pump set-up would work with the early power steering. I'll note that the lighter 351W dropped about 100 lbs off the front of the car and very noticeably reduced steering effort. I was even able to transfer the dual-diaphragm Y-block fuel pump onto the 351 to make sure the vacuum wipers worked right. There were the usual miscellaneous costs (oil, coolant, fan belt, heater hose, etc) but at the end the total cost including the donor car came in at about $1200, or the same as the Y-block core (that still needed to be rebuilt).
First of all, thanks for all the responses so far. So, the issue with trying to not be long winded about what I'm doing and looking for is now those reading it don't have any context as to why I'm doing it and it doesn't make sense, so I'll explain. My intentions, as I stated, were to do a basic rebuild on the 292. However, the car has not been on the road for 20-30 years so I couldn't expect any of the accessories to be good, ie water/fuel pump etc., pretty much I was going to replace everything. The plan was also to convert to 12v. I have purchased many of the parts already, rebuild (re-ring) kit, plus an oil pump, water/fuel pump, new style starter (I splurged here) new motor mounts and some other things I'm sure I'm forgetting. I was still searching for a few things to do the compete engine though so hadn't purchased everything yet. I was still waiting on the machine shop to get back with me on surfacing the flywheel and doing a valve job on the heads. I was getting impatient and decided to start assembling the short block. I installed the new freeze plugs and put the lifters in and then examined the cam closely--I had just briefly looked at it before to make sure all the lobs looked good and not wore down. Well, under a little more scrutiny I discovered pretty much every lobe had pitting. $500 for a cam and lifters. I believe the next day the machine shop had finally tore down the heads and let me know that they were in very bad shape and it would be an additional $700 to complete the job--so almost $1100. I've been wrenching on stuff for a long time and fully understand that unexpected things come up, but in 2 days we had $1200 of unexpected expense. At this point I decided to push the pause button and check into swapping something else in. I realize there will be expenses come up, but if a "donor" car is purchased, as Crazy Steve mentioned, then a lot of the parts can be sourced that way. I have a Chevy 283 and T350 that I would sell my cousin for that $1200 and I know how well they run, which is the issue with buying anything that's been pulled. It's not a foregone conclusion that this is the way we're going, I'm looking at options and expenses. So please keep the info coming, especially info on conversion kits--that is really what I would like to find. Also, I know someone mentioned having to change the oil pan and pickup tube on a SBC, but I also had read that for a SBF, can anyone confirm or deny that? Badshifter--VERY NICE! So Badshifter and Hotrodprimer, was any kind of conversion kit used for the engine and trans or was it all custom fabricated? Again, thanks for the info, hopefully the book I just wrote will clear some things up.
302 into my 55 Sunliner, 2021/22 mounts if memory serves me right, modified the original trans mount slightly, stock 302 exhaust manifolds. Easy easy.
Might also help if you put your location in. Someone may have parts available locally, or some help in evaluating things.
Welcome to the HAMB. Where Cross-pollination is alway’s met with mixed result’s. Carry on and let nature do it’s thing.
Id do either an sbc or fe engine if not going with the y block. Never been a fan of the lack of bottom end power of a Windsor. Supposedly an fe is nearly bolt in. Not to mention if trying to keep it era correct both an sbc and an fe would be era correct.....but seeing as Windsors barely made it over 260 ci by 1964 not so much.
Should be fairly easy to find a 302 donor car. They put them in everything, Mustangs, Fairmonts, LTD Crown Vic, TBirds, Cougars, etc. If you get a post 85 model it will be designated a 5.0 and should be a roller cam, much better in todays world. You might have to swap to the old style front sump pan and pickup, but that's just bolt on stuff. If you do swap pans, make sure the one you get has the dipstick in it or you will have to swap to the old style timing cover for a front mounted dipstick. Some of the newer timing covers have the boss for the dipstick that can be drilled, but some of them don't. Same thing with the fuel pump, most roller cam timing covers aren't drilled for a manual fuel pump, but some can be opened up, or you can just use an electric pump. And the later models have some neat tubular header manifolds you might be able to use.
I was looking for a 351C or 429/460 for my Ford. I wanted a complete engine, the accessories would nickel and dime me to death, plus add time to the swap. I would have had to dig up the 4-speed stuff from soup to nuts. I had the SBC core and all of the manual transmission parts on hand. So that's the way I went. I may eventually want to go back to Ford power.
If you're looking for an all-inclusive swap kit, stop looking; they don't exist for these cars. There are too many variations (regardless of which motor brand you pick) to offer a true 'bolt-in' kit. What you'll find is mount kits, which will likely consist of commonly available parts simply 'packaged' together, with a premium price attached. You'll still have to deal with the myriad 'details' needed to complete any swap. No matter what the kit sellers claim, there's always some minor fab work involved, sometimes more than minor. For a guy with decent skills, it's all doable, it just takes some time. Spend some time reading the links in the Ford forum, the vast majority of questions will be answered there. As to the oil pan deal, yes, you'll need a front-sump pan. Commonly available for both the Ford and Chevy, although at $400+ for a complete Chevy kit, the tip goes to Ford here. All Ford V8s from '54 through '78 used front sump pans (in cars; Broncos and some trucks/vans had rear sumps), in '79 car rear sumps first appeared, with those becoming standard after '83. Either OEM-style pan set-up will cost under $200 new, but good used ones are out there. I'll note here that the 302 and 351 don't use the same pan. And if you're using a late EFI motor and need a front cover for the dipstick and fuel pump, these are available new for under $60. You'll need the early pulleys and the matching water pump to go with it. The same cover will service both the 302 and 351, although you may need a fabbed timing pointer. And if you don't already have enough to think about, there are a couple of things you should look at. One, the '55-56 Ford cars are infamous for rusted-out front crossmembers. Do check this; I see you live in dry-climate Nevada so you may have a good one, but I'd still check. Give it some pokes with a screwdriver, looking for soft spots. These rust from the inside out, so a bad one may not be obvious. 'Back in the day' before you could buy new replacements, I bought six used ones out of various cars, they all 'looked' good. After chemical stripping to remove all rust, I got back exactly one that was good... Two, does the car have power steering? If its manual, it's good. The power steering Ford used isn't on my list of favorite Ford things. They are prone to leaking, are neither cheap nor easy to rebuild, and use a weird 'torsion' bushing on the idler arm. That bushing is what pulls the steering back to center. The aftermarket replacement bushings in my experience don't hold up (I got not quite a year out of them) and are giant PITA to replace (they are pressed on). The parts to convert to manual steering are available, that's what I did.
I've done to many SB Ford swaps to remember but I do remember the 2 SBC into Ford of this years and can't forget them. You can't pay me to do that again. Here is the extent of fab work or hard to find anything to do Ford in Ford be it small block or 351-C version. Trans mount is kids play. Maybe drill a hole or slot one. that's about it weather you go AOD, C-4 4 speed 3 speed. You don't need to buy any Kit for motor mounts. Here's my home fab version from frame pad to stock rubber mount. If you want more specifics, I can help ya. If you can't do this on your own, you sure as heck can't do a SBC in your Ford.
I made my mounts from what I had around, 1/2" x 4" hot rolled steel and black pipe nipples. I wish I took some pictures of them. I made a transmission adapter plate out of the same stock and some shims in case the angle needed a tweak. I never had to use them. The Chevy II oil pan, a borderline fiasco and hard to come by. I used to get them at the dealer for around $26. This "kit" ran me $340 in 2015. THEN... I had to silver solder cracks in the pan corners and straighten out the rails.
The 289 fits in my 55 like a glove. Stock oil pan, basic mounts, exhaust clears easily. That's the route I would go.
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