I have been trying to decide if I should put the 429 from a '72 country squire I have laying around in my '51 ford coupe. The choice is between the 429 and the easy SB 350 I also have (unsure of condition though, gotta tear it down). Now I know the SBC will fit in easily with the right mounts, worry the 429 will require too much surgery to the frame, not too worried about the trans tunnel and floor, cutting that out anyway thanks to air ride. Anybody out there tried this and have any advise. Looking to utilize what I have in a ford first, damn chevy second senerio.
I can't help, but this guy just had a 427 put in his shoe. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=536662 Lots of people have asked questions and none have been answered. Maybe if you can figure out the shop where its being built they can help answer questions.
IMHO: since you're going hardcore with air ride, etc. I'd go whole hog and do the '429' thing. That motor; bone stock, would still haul ass and return probably 15 MPH or better since that Shoebox probably would weigh the same if it still had the original Flattie in it.
A 429 isa nothing close to a 427. A 429 is much bigger. I'd pull the front fenders and set it in there a see what needs to be done. God man BITD we were putting Hemi, Cads And Old's in 40's etc. I have a 429 in my 57 now. U always need headers imo. Good luck and have fun
I started to do that to my 51 (Avitar) Vicky. I have photos of it hanging in place sort of. I was set against bitching up the Firewall but was willing to do a new trans hump. It didn't take long for me to decide it wasn't going to happen and I love Fat Fords. If your willing to rebuild everything around it jump right in. You will have a Full Load under the hood. Not a job for the light on Fab skills home builder. The Wizzard
Thanks everyone so far. Thats the kind of advise i was truly looking for. As much as I would like to use the 429, I currently fall into the "light on fab skills" category. Not afraid to cut and weld but by no means master of metal. Gonna take a bit of head scratching and soul searching on this one.
I'll let you know what route I take, I'll probably setup a build thread to hopefully keep me honest and on task. Leaning the easy route at the moment just as a heads up.
I know it has been a few years. But has anybody updated this or actually done it? I have a 429 + 51 shoebox. Thinking about doing it. Although my fab skills are a little better than most.
It's not gonna bolt itself in, but there no reason it can't be done. It is a large, heavy motor but if tire-frying power is one goal, this will get you there in spades. A M2 clip will help, but isn't mandatory, but you will need a van or 4wd truck rear-sump pan. As usual with a Ford swap, exhaust will be one of the harder parts....
I started putting a 292 y block+4speed in it this weekend, and thats a tight squeeze. I stopped due to alot of clearance problems already, cant imagine the 429 in there. I was/am concerned the 429 is too wide. I know it can physically fit, but i didnt wanna have to cut the inner fender wells. Guess you gotta slice and dice to get what you want.... regardless of the route i go, i will need a brake upgrade. 4 wheel manual drums are not for anyone who values life..... lol
Good luck if you reconsider. I love seeing Fords power Fords. My folks had a 72 Country Squire station wagon (with real wood decal). Later, I had a 72 Ranchero. Both had the 429. My folks kept theirs stock but I did headers, a carb change out and clocked the stock cam back to zero. They came from the factory 2 degrees retarded as I recall. Got a bunch of power back.
There is an old post about this. A 460 in a 50. try google. I took pictures of a 460/50 Ford in Texas a few years back. He was pulling a gooseneck. The hitch was between the back window and the trunk and he sure could back that rig. He said it was really full under the hood and fenderwall headers were mandatory
If there ever was a bad year for 429-460 Fords it was 1972. The D2VE heads were a one year only with an open 100cc combustion chamber. Basically no quench, low compression and detonation prone they should be avoided. Find a early set of C9,D0VE or later D3's.
I was planning on putting a 68 350 Olds in my shoebox but just acquired a 69 four door sedan with a 429 and it has a 2 barrel on it, any advice on those engines? I might be asking for a big ass shoe horn and a tub of Vaseline for christmas to help squeeze that motor in the shoebox.... It ain't pretty but it's complete and actually really solid, one way or another this ones gonna be me driver....
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