Hot Rods YOUR FIRST ENGINE SWAP?

1955-Bob an my paper rout,made us think we could use some power,we only had pedal bikes at the time,so that gas lawn mower was just too temping and we put engine in one pedal bike/zooom Ha !But we really need more. Found a cheep old Cushman Pacemaker,an that worked for near a year,tell we got a crashed Indian 300 Motorcycle with bad bent fork. Now the 300 just had to replace the Cushman engine. And then too cars ,on an on has the game gone.
Y-block in 28 Ford A,Olds Rocket 88 in 50 Henry J,ect.

 

Well I would like to say it was in 1976 when I put a 440 in my 1970 Dodge in place of the original 318 when I was 21. But the first one was helping my best friend along with 3 other buddies replace the motor in his 1962 Corvair! You hade to take it out from the bottom ! Blocked the engine off the ground on a make shift cart . Raised the body with a 3 legged screw jack and jack stands and lots of railroad timber blocks. Car started to lean and I threw all 6' and a 140 lbs into steadying it along with another buddy while the others blocked it. Ended up with a hernia! Mom and Dad where not impressed. lol Bunch of dumb ass 16 year old kids in 1971. After we got it running he sold it to another dumb ass kid and bought a 66 Mustang. It disappeared after that. Larry

 

I talked to a young guy today at the local cruse-in and he was interested in the 302 and how it fit in the wagon, he went of to tell me he had recently purchased a '54 Ford and the original six was locked up, I explained how easy the Ford small block fit with no major modification.

The guy said everyone else had told him he needed to use a Chevy engine because to use a Ford you had to change the front suspension, I'm afraid a lot of cars may end up being sold or junked because well meaning friends giving misguided information.

I gave him the information on the '54 Ford Club of America & the '52-59 Ford social group here. HRP

 

Pulled the 6 and the p\g out of my '55 chevy and installed a 283 with a 3 speed and a posi unit in it. This is when I found out that the 3 speeds didn't like to be powershifted and the axles on the posi units were a tad shorter that the open rear ends. This also helped me learn how to work on transmissions and how to go about changing wheel brgs. D

 

The first one I remember that wasn't just a simple R&R was helping a friend put a Pontiac 400 in his '70 SS Chevelle, and then I put a '70 Pontiac 400 with it's 4 speed into a free 6 cylinder/3speed '65 Chevelle. I am not much for fabricating, so I tend to go for stuff that basically bolts together, like the BBC in my '59 Chevy truck.

 

the swap I had the most fun with, was putting a 392 hemi into a 63 vette. My buddy had the vette, the hemi, and a serious desire to piss people off. Hardest part was the hood, he wanted the 'shock factor' when he opened it. I found most swaps were made easier with race parts, so we used quite a few. A lot of cutoff wheels, square tubing and miles of wire and rod and it was done. He told me it was a total success. Said it pissed off both the mopar and chevy guys at the shows and that was what he was going for. When the chevy guys bitched, he'd tell them he wanted the horsepower that chevy couldn't give him, and told the mopar guys when Chrysler quit building ugly cars, he might consider buying one. Yeah, he's a smartass, and my best friend for over 50 yrs.

 

Wow I can’t believe there are two people who have put hemi’s in Corvettes!
My friend stuffed his hemi in a ‘65 or ‘66 vette that he traded for.
Unfortunately he set it on fire before the car got on the road and sold the car but kept the hemi.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

My first swap was helping a neighbor kid put a 50 flathead into a 40 ford pickup. I was in junior high then. Then in 1967,when a senior in high school rebuilt a 303 Olds put it into a 50 Ford. While I was in the army parts disappeared from the engine (a thief ex-brother in law) did this to me on that car and also a 61 Pontiac Bonnevile convertible that I had.

 

SLOT CARS and model cars too.
Those were my first engine swaps.

WHY BE ORDINARY ?

 

Thinking we did mom's Rambler wagon first - still looking for that picture I loaned out for her funeral - or it was my brothers 55 we took the 6 out and put a V/8 with factory mounts we bought at the Chevy parts house.....that motor still purrrrs today even after I took it out on the street while he was shipped out into the Air Force.....whale what the hell....he left me the key !!!

 

Wait.....do we include go karts....I took ownership of my bro's MC-49 in place of my old Briggs for my cart when he bought a new MC-91A for his.....

 

I guess my first engine swap was when I put my mom's gas wash machine motor on my bicycle after she got her first electric Maytag. From there it was a 55 Olds 324 into a 49 Chevy frame that I shortened to mount a 33 Chevy coupe body on.
My mom made me sell that right after I got it running. She came home from work and saw me and the neighbor kid doing long burnouts on the highway in front of the house.
I swapped that Olds into a 50 Ford business coupe and she was happy with that because it had fenders and I didn't have to climb in through the roof. I had welded the Chevy coupe doors closed because the body was so flimsy before I gas welded square tubing to strengthen it up.
Termites killed a lot of old Chevies.

 

That's incredible! What model was that Ford? I have a 1956 Ford Medalist which had a 312 in it. I just picked up a 352/C4 combo and I'm wondering what I'll be getting myself into mount/swap wise. Any advice on this one?
Many thanks!

 

My first was when I was 17; it was a 1954 Fargo Town Panel. I bought a 1969 Plymouth Satellite that had been wrecked and put the 318, auto trans, and rear end into the old panel. I made my own mounts for the engine and transmission and shortened the driveshaft with a gas welder. I just left the 51,000 mile original flat six out in the field lol. Where is that old truck now? It’s in my garage.

 

At 14 I helped my friend put a 55 Olds engine in his 32 3 window. it went from slow to very fast in 3 days.

 

248 GMC six into a 50 Chevy two door hardtop. I sold the car before I finished it and never found out how it turned out.

 

At 16 my buddies and I took a free 50 303 Olds out of a wrecked convert and put it in a 51 2 dr Olds. Drove that for a week and crashed it. Took the engine out and added a flywheel and a 39 box, stuck it all in a 47 Ford coupe that I bought for $5. couldn't afford the starter changover so we pushed it every time we used it which was often as it was our daily driver. Now 17 I met this great gal in high school and she deserved a better ride so I sold it and got a nice used 58 Dodge 2dr hardtop with a radio, htr and a "starter"! I am still buying those new cars for her today

 

Hello,
When we first bought the Model A Coupe with the stock 4 cylinder, we knew we were going to take that motor out and put in an SBC with carbs. (or McCullough/Paxton supercharger set up.) The 57 Fords had them, then Studebaker Hawks had them, and then we saw one on Junior Thompson’s Studebaker Sedan. So, that was the next coming swap, the Model A 4 cylinder to SBC. But, my brother sold the Model A to a friend (before we did any work, other than getting it running,) and bought a new 58 Impala.

Then after racing that Impala for several years, In late 1959, we were searching for a 1940 Willys Coupe. The one we found was stock, we got it to run, then took the motor out so we could sell it by saying it was a running, 4 cylinder Willys motor. That got sold, easily, (later in 1961) and set the scene for an SBC with 6 Strombergs for our first real engine swap. By the time the SBC was all put together, the modifications and drive line set up for the Willys was complete. Motor mounts, firewall recess to legal limits, and the transmission/rear end was all bolted into place. It was ready to install the 283 SBC with Strombergs.

The transformation was to us, a miracle. It was the first time we pulled out a running motor and stuck in a motor we put together in our backyard garage. Of course, our small backyard garage did not have the overhead beams or outdoor swing set to crank up (and out) the old 4 cylinder. So, we had to wait until our dad went to work and supported the high cross beams in the standard two car garage. We needed a 6 x 6 pole on the ground attaching it to a cross beam support. Then several 2x6 cross beams attached to the existing 2x4 beams for structural integrity in pulling the 4 cylinder out and installing the 283.

At the time, we thought that was the final engine swap for us. So, everything (...support beam) was disassembled and stored in the backyard garage for later use, if we needed it, again. Our two family cars, (58 Impala and 57 Buick Roadmaster) fit inside as usual.

Jnaki

After our initial months of prep and tuning, we ran in the B/Gas class. But our performance was not going to get us any trophies with the likes of K.S. Pittman, Junior Thompson and Doug Cook winning everything in sight. So, it was back to the drawing boards for the next step. My brother was convinced that supercharging would help us get into the next level of racers. Junior Thompson already had a McCullogh Centrifigual Supercharger, so that was planned. But, the motor would have to be rebuilt to “blower specs…” that meant getting out the old garage beam supports and removing the 283 for the next build.

He had already saved up enough money to get the necessary lower compression pistons, lightweight rods and a new Reath Crank. Then a set of new heads that were ported and polished with a Howard Blower Spec Cam and Kit on order. During this time, my brother decided to make the 283 into a 292 with the same blower spec parts. The new motor was going to be a full rebuild project and would take most of our after school, day and night hours to put everything back together.


Jnaki

So, out came the garage supports and we pulled the 283 getting it ready for the new look and feel. This was a larger set of puzzle parts, spread out over the whole backyard garage in order of installation. It was an eye opener, but a lot nicer and was going to be more powerful.
similar motor to B. Balogh’s 283 SBC 671
C/GAS...NOT C/ALTERED

So, what happened to the motor? After our accident, the complete motor was on a home made, rolling steel frame, so we could move it around the backyard garage. It was advertised in the local Drag News paper. A young guy from somewhere in the Midwest came over with cash in hand and had it shipped back to his house.

The typist for Drag News made several glaring mistakes. It was a 292, not a 283. Also a 1940 Willys motor and running gear, not a 1949... But, all of the stuff in the classified ads got sold to local hot rodders that came over to our house in 1961. We did not have any remnants of the Willys Coupe, except for some movies that I took. Those have mysteriously disappeared, too.

 

Early 1990's a Rover 3500 V8 engine in my German build 1979 Ford Taunus (not Taurus). Fitted nicely but never finished it cause approval would have cost much more than car was worth. Scrapped the car and sold the engine. Good learning experience anyway.

 

I remember it well! 16 yrs old 1966 Morristown NJ. Didn’t know what it was till much later, but bought a 1957 Chev. Nomad Station Wagon for $300. Immediately blew the engine & powerglide trying to drag race it, ( revving neutral slamming into Low! My dad ( always seemed pissed) had just gotten a new Job in Phila. & our house was for sale. Had a reverse hill drive way w house & garage @ bottom of steep hill. Dad screaming @ me said that car better get up that hill on its own or it goes with the house! I didn’t know my ass from my elbow about cars & until then & really didn’t hang with the motor heads. They all liked the car, got to know all, one guy had a wrecked ‘62 Chev 4 door stick. Was a 327 sb. Pulled engine & Tranny under a big tree branch w block & tackle, somebody had an old POS Pickup we used to bring to my house & used rafter in garage w block and tackle ( garage creaked so bad I thought we were gonna collapse the garage) & swapped it into the Nomad everything fit except no place For clutch pivot on the Nomad frame as was an auto. The only 2 things I bought were the frame side clutch pivot mount for $15 & a used 3 speed floor shifter for $25. We had no access to a welder so c-clamped pivot mount to frame temporarily w two heavy duty c-clamps & put the 3 speed shifter in it. I learned to drive a stick on that PIA driveway. Stick shifts & hills never bothered me after that. My old man filled the Nomad up w his shit for the move & never said a word. Best part I forgot I never welded the clutch pivot mount until I was in night college at Temple Tech. & it fell apart one night after class at 9 pm at temple, used same c-clamps put it together, drove home & welded at work the next day, !

 

My very first engine swap was easy. I took out a 390 Ford and replaced it with a 390 Mercury. Yeah, I know, same engine. But my first transplant was putting a 289 Ford engine in my 32 Ford coupe about 1974 or 75. I salvaged a 67 Mustang of every mechanical part on it that I could transplant into my coupe. I never really liked the way it looked in there but I was a Ford into Ford guy at the time and it was a lot cooler than a belly button at the time.
I blew the car apart in the 80s to rebuild it better but sold it instead.
Then I tracked it down again and bought it back. It still had a sbf setup in it.

 

My first I can remember I was 17 . 67 Fairlane 390 4v exited , replaced-with 69 428 SCJ , small spline top loader exited in went big spline toploader , in rear , exited 3.00 in went , 3.90 Detroit locker all from a rear ended 69 Torino Cobra . I bought it at a local towing auction my Buddy owned . 75.00 in storage and towing and he dropped the Torino at my house . 2 weekends and I was top dog in Ford Country for a few months . I wish I had that one again as many of us say “ I should have kept it .” It was IMPRESSIVE to open the hood and see the sidewinder intake and Cobra Snake valve covers . I sold the 390 for 150 bucks , trans for 75.00 bucks , tossed the 3.00 and 28 spline axles in the Torino off it went for scrap for 35.00 . It was a learning at its best . I sold the it for 3000.00 2 years later .

 

Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

My brother and I pulled the tired 6 cylinder engine out of my 55 Chevy. We went to the junkyard for a newly painted 283 cu. in. out of a corvette. The yard had 10 283’s and the owner told us they all came out of Corvettes. My first introduction to junkyard dogs and the men that stretched the truth. The engine ran strong until I traded the 55 for a 57.

 

My first engine swap was in a '62 Mercury Meteor. The car was originally a 221, 3 speed -it didn't have much power.

I found a 289-225 HP (4 barrel motor) with a C4 automatic. Since the car was my daily driver I had to get it up and running quickly...
The engine went in the car with the C4, however, since it was a 3 speed car originally it still had the clutch pedal and linkage.
I found a small shaft Top Loader that had a twisted and broken output shaft (I have no idea what had the grunt to do break even a small shaft, but it was twisted in two pieces)!
I put a large shaft TL in the car and promptly broke the 8" axle!


Chas358

 

Mercury Meteor Swap...

When I putting the 289 in place of the 221 I found out the motor mounts were different - the bolt spacing on the 221 and 289 were different.
Fortunately a quick trip to the local body shop who which had an arc welder saved the day. He cut the 221 mounts and welded them back together with an added steel plate to make the engine bolt pattern slightly wider to match the bolt holes on the 289.

Chas358

 

I purchased a Nova 153 4 banger intending to put it in an Opel body I had. Unfortunately, the Opel title never appeared so I needed another body. Up popped a smoking 1960 falcon 144 w/ 3 speed. I put in the 153 Chevy with a fully synchronized Chevy 3 speed. There was no clearance for the shift arms, so I put the arms on upside down and it made the shift pattern backwards. Put on 14" wheels and tires from a Nova and drove the heck out of it. Most fun car I ever had. I would outrun the old 144 any time.

.bjb

 

Starting at age 16, I did several flathead to flathead engine changes before I did my first swap.
The first real swap was a 53 Olds engine, hydramatic, and rear end, into my 34 Ford 1/2 ton. This included chopping, channeling, and shortening the bed slightly, on the full fendered truck. I also purchased a dropped axle and just loved that little truck. All this was done outside in my back yard.
The best part was, that I worked part time and hung out at a welders supply store, so I had access to the oxy/acety torches and a buzz box.
To pull the existing engine and do the install, I was able to rent the wrecker from the local Ford Dealer! I don't know how I got so lucky, but maybe it was because I told them what I was doing and they had mercy on me. I used the wrecker many times over a period of a couple of years, I just phoned and got approval, went over and picked it up, and returned it at the end of the day. I don't remember what it cost, but it was peanuts, and there was no paperwork. Talk about great people!
Bob
PS. Pardon the lousy picture, but I didn't take any, and this was one taken by a friend in 1960.

 

My first was a 327 / manual 3 speed into a 51 F-1, the start of about a 40 year pattern.

 

My father in law blew up the 250 Six in his 77 Nova. I had a 305 from a Monte Carlo that I traded for a 4 bbl set up from a 350. The engine was laying in the dirt when I got it. The owner had to have a 400 and got one, but it was a 2 bbl engine. He had to have a 4 bbl. So I rebuilt his well used 305 in my back yard, and replaced it for the broken six. Nice running engine, if I do say so. Drove it until the subframe let go, and the transmission nearly fell out of it. Rust is a bitch! Junked the car, and whished I'd kept the engine.