I scored a nice rust free 40 deluxe. I am looking to drop a sbc with a Muncie in it. I am planning on using the Hurst style front Mount. My question is will the Muncie fit or do I have to modify the drive shaft tunnel? What is the advantage to splitting the wish bone and does it need to be done to fit this combo? I have a 9in rear already mounted up. I am planning for now to just keep the original front end and changing to disk. Any help would be great. Thanks
No need to split the wishbone. The upper part of the X cradle will have to be trimmed some to clear the tail housing of the trans. Also you will need to trim the top of the x member on the drivers side to clear the shifter and also makes linkage adjustments easier. The shifter handle will need to be bent toward the middle to clear your leg. The more you trim the top of the cradle may allow you to remove the trans with the engine in place . If you are keeping the original pedals I have a simple solution. Later Bill
I don't think 47ragtop is telling the whole truth. My 40 has a Muncie behind a flathead (same length as the SBC), and it required most of the front and sides to the cradle to be removed, leaving just the stock bottom plate. I boxed in the sides and made a new bottom mounting surface about an inch above the stock bottom plate. This allowed the stock bottom plate to retain the stock wishbone, no splitting. But, it will require a significant hack out of the side of the left front leg to fit the shifter. I made a new tapered box and welded it in place to add back the removed strength.
Bill, Thanks for the reply. I am planning on keeping the stock peddles and your ideas are more then welcome.
Alchemy, Thanks for your reply as well. All good things to consider. Did you do the mods with the body off?
Definitely body off. Unless your floor was missing I don't see how a guy could do it with the body on.
You can get the Muncie in without major mods to the X if you rebuild and move the shifter forward on the trans. I put one in a 40 pickup by fabbing a new mount for the shifter that mounted it on the bolts that hold the tailshaft housing on, instead of the end of the housing. Then its just a matter of fitting the rods.
I like that idea. I am still toying with mechanical linkage for the clutch. May have to do hydro. Thinking of using the Hurst style front motor mount as well. Already have electric fuel pump mounted so no problems there.
Don't intend to hijack the post, but what fabbing needs to be done to install a 3 spd w/o.d. in my '40 behind an existing 327 ? I'd like to keep the column shift since it's hooked to the stock trans and works great. Also, hoping to retain the unsplit wishbone.
@Gary Addcox , I helped a customer with this a while back. He had to space the wishbone mount down and create some room for the solenoid, otherwise I don't recall it being a big problem.
You will need to relieve the radius below the harmonic on the Hurst mount for clearance. I just did my 40 pick up and only pulled the grille and rad. I used a bare block for mock up and had to relieve the front mounts twice. Now fits like it should. Also cant run a mech. fuel pump with the Hurst mount
That's a beautiful '40 Standard, not a Deluxe. Standard hood and grille, instrument cluster and visor only on driver side, not passenger side. Standards came with a tail light only on driver side, but someone at some point added one to the passenger side. Looking forward to progress photos!
You are correct, thanks for pointing that out. The tail lite on the right is on a bracket that hovers over the fender. I was lucky enough to score a very clean rust free complete, minus engine car. Thanks
Thanks for the info. Did you have to put spacers under the mount on both sides to clean oil pan? I do have an electric pump installed already.
GMTA However, mine's still a flathead, although it's been warmed up a little with a Holley 390, Offenhauser intake and heads, and Fenton headers.
I got this from an estate sale. Unfortunately the flathead was no where to be found. Have the trans and bell adapter along with the rear. Someone had already put a 9in in it. It was done well. Came with a 350 and a 4 speed. I have most everything to finish the swap.
The front engine mounts will not work well with a late model trans such as Muncie 4 Speed. It will have a 3 point mount system vs 4 point like with a stock transmission. The tail shaft will move some side to side when you press the clutch. I started with Honest Charlie front engine mounts on the 327 in my Dad's 1939 Ford. They orginally were bought for a J-2 371 Olds engine and stock 39 Trans. With the Muncie 4 speed, even with new hardware, the tail shaft will move some when the clutch is pressed. I took out the front engine mounts and welded OEM side mounts to the chassis - problem solved. This car has the Z bar and uncut wishbone. Yes - a chunk of chassis must go for the shifter and linkage. See pic.
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