Ok, I've got a few questions after searching here...I'm weighing the options of a possible flatty rebuild (if mine's junk) versus an engine swap to a "period correct" 283 SBC. Questions: 1. Motor mounts: does anyone make a bolt-in motor mount conversion kit for a SBC in a shoebox Ford? 2. Steering: Nova oil pan will clear steering link, will any stock exhaust manifolds clear the stock steering box? 3. Transmissions: I'm no Chevy expert, I would like some kind of manual trans with an overdrive. Does anything cheap and strong bolt-up? 4. Any other clearance issues with the distributor/fan/water pumps etc?? If anyone has pics...oh man, that'd be GREAT!
Contact Jamco or Fatman www.jamcosuspension.com www.fatmanfab.com Im going to be putting an era correct 327 in my 51 shoebox. Both places offer the mounts and Nova oil pan to work with the swap. Fatman also sells a steering kit with tie rods and (I think, but don't quote me) a new drag link that is supposed to work with the SBC.
Im also not sure about fitment issues, but I was going to run the old chevy Ram Horn manifolds and a volvo 140 steeringbox. People have told me it's like night and day difference in steering. You have to get the manifolds that have an angled collector. I've seen other guys do this. I would recommend, just keywording SBC and or shoebox motor swap, or something similar on the HAMB. There's all kinds of good info out there to be found
I remember the first time I saw a SBC in a 51 Ford. It was in 1960 and was a yellow and green Crestliner. An older boy named Rockefeller owned the car. He grew up to be a Dentist.
Hot rod and Custom Supply in Florida sells the old Butch's rod shop kits for sbc and sbf into shoe boxes
I've got a Volvo box in my 50 ragtop and it made a hugh difference. I used the Jamco conversion kit that worked pretty well to.
rebuild the flatty, just my personal opinion. i have seen the sbc in the shoebox done before and im not a fan, plus what looks better than a flathead honestly?
SBF's are an easy swap.. a Y block is an easy swap.. and a BAD ASS motor.. can be had pretty cheap.. fuckit.. why not an FE monster.. 390.. 460.. ??!?! Im starting to sound like Dusty.. but I think he has valid points.. SBF's can be had cheap.. make a ton of USEABLE power and are an easy swap for a shoebox.. my 49 coupe has a 302 in it.. and I fuckin love it.. I think Dusty is puttin in a 351C in his 49 coupe... anyway.. food for thought. Gable
nova parts in louiville ky. sells 62 67 nova oil pans and oil pumps and pick-up that makes the chevy front sump where pan drops in front instead of back there by clearing the drag link.cake walk.late chevy mounts will bolt right to cave member,you have 4 bolts 2 top ones on each side will bolt after drillin holes then weld gusset out to catch the bottom 2 bolts on each side.if you use old steering box put new bolts in it and idler they are known to break.dont need to change steering if you have a good box ,tie rod ends idler
I have a 1955 model 292 y block,It can be had fairly cheap,or really cheap if you have interior parts like seats,,,put a sbf in the thing,leave the sbc's for me and the other people that drive chev's,or better yet save up and take the time to redo the flathead,just my 2cents
don't let em shit you , LOl, there is NO more traditional swap than a sbc,they have been done since '55, back then you could buy a DROPPED tie rod , easy way now? (but not really the best way)speedway/hurst mount w a belhsng adapter to the gennie trans w Nova pan. literally everything has been put in those cars,most common,but certainly not limited to.- sbc/olds-buick/yblocks/mopars in that order, but if you want Kool do a flatty or decked Olds or Buick nailer
One word: www.shoeboxford.com. Go there and ask the same question. They have the ins, the outs, the vendors, and the part numbers.
www.rodncustom.com has bolt in motor mounts. im actualy looking for the smme answers as you are for everything else
I'm working on a '51 vicky with a '58 vette 283 that was put in around 1962. It has the dropped center link to clear the oil pan. It fits pretty nice actually, there's no firewall mods, and theres an adapter to the ford tranny. There's no way ram horns would fit on this one though, it would dump right through the steering box. It is what it is...
I had a SBF in mine, with Jamco mounts. use a mustang pan and mid to late 80's mustang GT stock headers and it will clear the stock steering box. The mounts sold by hot rod and custom supply/butch's are in my opinion the nicest ones for an SBC install.
one other thing, you'll probably have to do a transmission hump in the floor with anything other than a stock tranny. I also just did a tubular cross member for the tranny mount, it was quite a bit easier than modifying the stock one. (I've heard that jamco makes mounts to use the original crossmember though)?
I know my car is a little older than yours (1941 Ford Business coupe), but I'm putting a TBI 350 in to mine with a 5 speed. I have a bare block with a T5 5speed already bolted to my frame. It looks like everything will fit great. If you want a manual clutch, use any of the older chevy bell housings. If you want a hydraulic clutch use the bell housing from an early 90's model camaro. Get a T5 from a camaro for the stronger gears, and the tail shaft housing from an S10 T5 so that your shifter will be in the correct place. Doc
I've got a 302 in my 50 ford, and it's and easier swap. You get a rear sump pan and there's no clearance issues. No moving the tie rod around, and I just made my own motor mounts. Everything was pretty easy
hey man, i'm running into the same problem with exhaust for my 307 what did you end up with for headers?
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