Technical engine swap 47 ford

OK, it's not a hotrod in any way, but it has a rust-free body and a new interior,. I want a more dependable engine, horse power, economy, and brand, are not important, Should I sbc it and take grief everytime I open the hood. Or go with a 302 or Y-block? Thanks Chuck.

 

you have room for any engine you want... search for a deal and go with it...

 

You are going to get a lot of different opinions here. You should ask yourself two important questions-what are you going to use the car for, and what is your budget? Flatheads are cool, can be made to be dependable, works with the existing drive line, but not cheap to rebuild. Other engines such as SBC or 289 Ford are cheaper to rebuild, offer more power, but requires adapters or drive line changes. I had a 289 in my 48 as was happy with it.

 

If you don't want to go flathead go early hemi.

 

SBC would be a lot more traditional in that car than SBF, and a lot easier to install. Just say'in.

 

Just say'in.

 

I like my 283. Stock drivetraim.

 

I put a 307 SBC in a really original 41 convertible I owned. I painted the motor Flathead Ford green, and used the two barrel carb with an oil bath air cleaner. It ran like a clock, and didn't tear up the early Ford driveline.
You can hook up to the single exhaust, and by turning the two barrel carb around backwards you can use the stock Ford throttle linkage. All this is a bolt in using common adapters.

 

If they were not built for a SBC they wouldn't be son damn easy to install just sayin Tom

 

Put a small block Ford in it, every body sticks sbc in them. Be different!

 

No boring bellybutton SBCs

 

a SBC just drops in

 

Do this !

 

The SBF may be "A Ford in a Ford" but they are longer and the oil filter location is also a problem.

 

302 with a c4 trans fits well. Other transmissions you will need to cut the center X member for clearance. The c4 fits with a little bending.
NO issues with the oil filter. If it is you can just use the "short" filter.

So removing the closed driveshaft will also require rear suspension mods.

 

I do know what i am talking about...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...a-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time.421572/

 

If you don't care about HP, econ, or brand, do the cheap route and go belly button then put a lock on the hood. No grief.

 

What grief?
And who's around when you open the hood at home in your garage?

 

Are you planning to install later OHV and keep original trans and closed driveline? Adaptors are made for certain engines. Here's a couple of threads about it.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-exhaust-do-i-need-for-sbc-in-47-ford.1066519/
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/sbc-to-early-ford-trans.16760/

I have a SBC in my '40 and like it, but I had a flathead in a '47 I used to own and liked it, too. If money was no object, my '40 would have a 365 Caddy or 401 Buick. Just because.

What you decide to do is no one's business but yours. It's YOUR car, so when you make your decision, base it upon what YOU want and not what others want you to do with YOUR car. I take no grief from anyone because of the SBC in my '40 because I don't care what someone else thinks. I didn't build it for them. Like Rick Nelson sang almost 50 years ago:

But it's all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see, ya can't please everyone
So ya got to please yourself

 

The Firepower Would Be A Great Choice After All Of The Ballots Are Counted..

 

Go with the best deal; if you have something already, and it fits well, use it. I always have a SBC around, or easy access to one. Cheap, fits well, run good too. Adapters available to use existing driveline if so desired. But, then it would be my car.

 

So does a Y Block, just sayin.

So does a Y Block, just sayin.

 

If it was mine. I would keep the Flathead.
For a OHV replacement, you cant beat the SBC.
1. It fits like the car was made for it.
2. It's a great engine.
3. Parts are available to easily adapt it to the 1947 Driveline. The Chevy will sit on the Flathead Mounts off the Front....not so with any Ford other than a Flathead. The mounts and adapters are common parts at reasonable prices. SBF adapter bells go in and out of production. The last new one I priced, was 1200 bucks!!! That's at least 4X...4X the price of a Chevrolet Bell. I'm sure they can be found much cheaper, but still. Y block to Flathead adapter stuff is like looking for 1939 Curtis P40A parts. Y blocks are cool but I would choose a flatty over a Y block any day.
4. It is very period (1950s)
5. The little Chevrolet is a handsome engine in 1950s trim.

If I had to go OHV, I would go with...
A 331 Cadillac.

 

Being a die hard Ford fan, I can't believe what I am about to say. Of all the engine choices out there, sbc Chevys are the easiest and cheapest to install. It's as though somebody set the Chevy to go in easily. No firewall problems, no oil pan clearance problems, even the exhaust on the driver's side clears if you use a 265 or Abrams horn exhaust manifold from the late 60's truck or Impala with the curved outlet. A 283 will almost double the horsepower of the flathead and get better mileage. Personal preference says to me, put in a 302 Ford. Ease, convenience, and cost say sbc. You can even use a 49-51 Merc pressure plate that bolts up to the Chevy flywheel and use a 10inch clutch disc meant for your Ford. I know this will develope hate mail, but it is the truth.

 

SBF gets my vote.

 

With all the cool Ford engines why not stick with the Ford.. How about one of those cool MEL engines from the early 60s.. Or a nice Thunderbird mills.. I think opening the hood and seeing Thunderbird on the valve covers is so cool... I'm a Chevy guy but I would never put one in a Ford with the rich heritage Ford has with engines...

My buddy had a 67 Galaxy 500 with a 390 and a factory four speed, I don't know what that engine had in it but that car was just so damn fast.. The dude that owned it wasn't a gear head but would lend it to me when I wanted to race some smartass with a big mouth.. The kicker was the rear quarter panels were all rusted out and had sheet metal riveted across them LOL>>>

 

Ford guy here so I would choose any Ford engine/trans combo. After that I'd look at an Olds engine, Nailhead or an early Hemi. Cheap, easy sbc = lazy, no imagination. I want to be different just like everyone else. In the end it's your car though.

 

289"... built from early '64, with leftovers into '68... seems rare enough for me...

 

At the risk of everyone saying this is stupid, Years ago I remember someone manufacturing a 6 volt starter to fit a 283 Chevy. I used to see the add in the back of Hot Rod Magazine advertising them. I think it would be interesting to see if this could be done. The other thing that would require some work would be the ignition on 6 volts. Maybe you could solve that with a higher output coil. If you had a really original car this could be an option, and save the radio, and stock gauges.
No haters please....

 

This is the real question here is how long do you want the car to be down?

If you have a great driving car and don't want it down sbc all day every day.

I am a die hard ford guy and would do that in a heartbeat.

I really don't get the chase. The tracking down stuff for an eternity to build an odd ball engine that you are then afraid to take on a long trip. You have a great comfortable car build it to drive distance. The other routes will take time and money and the reliability will go way down.

If you have an engine on a stand made of all kinds of vintage speed shit that gives old dudes a chubby then by god put a small block chevy in it and build something that the engine shows all the time.

Seriously the ford in a ford has a place but a sbc on a old ford trans also has its place and is dead simple and fast to do.

Oh my fantasy vote with your time and money is simple. An FE with multiple carbs.