Deciding on an engine

Just bought my very first pre-60's Vehicle, a 1946 Ford Sedan Tudor. getting really anxious to bust knuckles and start tearing into it. end of the month it will be in my garage. trying to decide on an engine. basically what i want out of this car is a daily driver, no fancy paint or body work yet, just throw a drivetrain in it, maybe a couple bucket seats and go! i will be hitting miles in it being that i go to almost every swap meet and car show on the western side of canada. so i would like a little fuel economy, as well as not having to worry about elevation when i hit those mountains. but i do want to keep it old school. and being an engine machinist i look at way too many sbc's as it is. im thinking about going 289 with a modern top end. maf fuel injection, roller cam, and a better maybe lighter head. behind that i would like a 4 or 5 speed standard trans, and behind that maybe a locking 8.8 rear end. only questions i really have about this is how will a small block ford fit in? if anyone has done it to these types of cars let me know what headers you ran. and also has anyone used the 8.8" rear? and what would be the best way to put it in? also how can i get disc brakes up front? what brake boosters fit under the hood? and what steering columns have been used? im open to any ideas or comments
heres the car

 

Shorty water pump from Ford Motorsport or Snow White Limited and your SBF will drop right in. Plenty of 302/5.0s out of Mustangs available too. I run a 1993 5.0 EFI with AOD in my '40 ford Sedan Delivery. Gets good gas mileage and I feel zero obligation to open the hood other than to top up fluids. maybe look for a 1985-1993 Mustang 5.0 donor and use the whole drivetrain and rear axle - that's what I have and tradition be damned - I want to drive it....

 

i'd forget about bucket seats and go with a rebuilt stock bench

i might as well say it , a SBC with a th350 fits the easiest

 

Yep, you're talking about making a smaller version of a 5.0 out of a 289, with a lot more work and expense, and the street juice roller stuff doesn't work in the early block- a late low-miles donor vehicle gets you the complete running and set up engine, an AOD, and the 8.8, cheap, and no BORING sbc nonsense

 

As much i hate to say it sbc or what Weasel said,seem the easiest & best way for a D/driver,

 

You had me at bucket seats dude. <3 <3 <3

 

If you're gonna run a 289 do it. If you want a f.i. motor find a doner. A crown vic would be cheeper than a mustang but you wont find one with a manual trans

 

SBC will be quicker, cheaper, easier, but the 5.0/AOD/8.8 Mustang donor will suit, provided you use the short water pump and the sump clears everything.
Keep us up to date with your build thread.
Cheers.

 

as much as i appreciate your guys' comments, i cant bring myself to do a small block chevy, not a purist by any means but working on them every day, if i see one sitting under the hood of any old car, my reflexes automatically go from interested to bored. yes they are cheap, easy, reliable, everything you would want in a girlfriend. but i have a garage full of small block ford parts, have many parts donors already, no mustangs or crown vics mind you. the reason i wanted the 289 with fuel injection was less displacement = less fuel (in some cases) 289 has old school written all over it, and everything top end is compatible with all small block fords (or cleveland, or 351m/400 for that matter) the fuel injection from 5.0 to 289 is easy, has been done, and im not for carb or fuel injection, im for both, neither is better than the other in all cases. i would just like fuel injection for elevation. and the same for me if i see a boring 5.0L under the hood, i lose interest the same as a small block chev. not trying to offend anyone, i know a lot of you go the sbc route, and there is nothing wrong with that, i appreciate it the same as any other vehicle because you took the time getting it there. thanks guys for your replies.

on another note, what rear end should i look for if i go 8.8"? or even 9" for that matter? im also tied into a junk yard so plenty parts available to my access.

 

Use the 289. I have a 5.0 roller block with a 260 1M casting crank and 260 rods inside. 289/302 pistons work with this combo since it is the same as a 289 crank and rods. With this set up, you can run the factory style roller lifters without buying the retro fit style. I have no idea how a chevy is easier or faster, since a 289 is about 120 pounds lighter and the Ford motor mounting position is easier for me. I guess that it is easier to cut a hole in your firewall for a Chevy distributor!

 

If it is just a stick it in there and drive it mortor a small block chebby is your best bet. if you are biulding an engine for it of all the engines I had in my '46 coupe I liked the 331 caddy the best. There is nothing as cool or as fun to drive as a Fordillac.

 

I will say this- the 289 could be made to look really 60's. Like white firewall, surfer car 60's. Paint the engine metallic teal or gold and come up with the right cal custom stuff and the right carb and distributer and so on.. but nobody ever nails it. It would be neat if you could.

 

A Ford engine looks right in a Ford. I love my SBC but....hate to look under the hoods of all the old Ford cars and see nothing but SBCs.

 

Regarding the disc brakes......I used a Speedway kit on my '47 Ford Coupe about three years ago. It provided F100/150 12" rotors and used '71/'76 GM fullsize carCalipers, (though I think the '80 Chev P. U. calipers are essentially the same). I installed that with a'67/'72 Mustang 15/16" master cylinder and no booster.

With the very generous rotor diameter and the large bore calipers, there is no need for a booster. The brakes worked great with good 'feel' and firm pedal. I installed the M/C under the floor making an adapter to utilize the stock mounting position. That could be changed to firewall mount if you preferred.

Now, with those rotors, the wheel bolt pattern was the same as stock 5 x 5.5". That is the only drawback I see with that kit compared to your plan, especially if you source from something like a Mustang donor car. However, there are 5 x 5.5 Ford pickup 8.8 rear ends. And, there may be alternatives in the Ford Family of Fine Cars for rotors with the 5 x 4.5" bolt circle.........I just don't know what would work in place of the truck pieces, but it should be dooable. Maybe something from a mid/late '70s big Torino or T-Bird.

Ray

 

Thanks again guys... explorers are plentiful around here, and doing some research i think the 8.8 out of an explorer is going to fit just right. only thing im worried about is the center of the 8.8 isnt in the middle.

not sure i want a truck bolt pattern, i have enough problems finding wheels for my f150, i have thought about even swapping that to 5x4.5 a number of times which isnt hard on that particular truck (some f100's in the early 80's came with the smaller bolt pattern) is there anyone running a different front suspension all together with disc brakes?

 

MY $.02......ford in a ford.

 

Unless the pinion is so far off -center that the driveshaft hits the tunnel I would not be concerned. Recall that you need some angle at the u-joint and the parts don't know or care in what direction.

Yeah, extra points for keeping it all Ford.

.

 

302 GMC six!!

 

I have a '41, basically same as '46. I used a '81 302 with truck water pump(cast iron, didn't know there was a short pump), 4 core Walker rad. with shroud. Dropped in with NO mods to frame, sheet metal or firewall. Battery is the original position ans all stock sheet metal is in position. Did have to bump the removeable floor panel up a tad to clear the C-4.

 

I had a 289 in my Model A coupe back in the 70s. Loved it. A good friend put a late model 5.0 in his '41 Ford Tudor, looked good, fit well.

 

Here is some info I posted on solving the SBF water pump problem,check out the Pix to see the difference.Scroll down to post #5 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303600&highlight=ford+short+water+pump also another 8.8 is the late 80's Ford Ranger which is leaf sprung.A header that fits tight that has been used in a lot of swaps in a '54-59 Ford is the Hedman 88400,application shows early Mustang/Falcon.I don't think you would gain MPG going 289 vs 302(aka 5.0) with a good tune and the EFI and an AOD 24-25 MPG is in reach depending on your right foot.Best donor AOD for a simple hookup is from 1988-93 these are non-computer and have the improved valve body and lubrication upgrades.Remember the 289's used a 28 oz balance and the 1980 and later 302/5.0 are 50 oz balance factor.

 

If the rear being offset to one side is a problem but you need more width flange to flange than a fox mustang the SN95 Mustang rear is 1-1/2" wider and the pinion is centered. The Fox body Mark VII's were another 1-1/2" wider. The axle housing is the same width on all 3 rears, the difference is the axle length.

SN95 and MarK VII also give you disc brakes.

 

94-95 5.0 Mustang, 92-93 T Bird, and the V 8 Explorer have short water pump set up. The explorer can be found with GT 40 heads, carefull not to get the GT 40P heads as headers are a problem. AOD will bolt up and no hassle with clutch linkage.

 

I'm a hardcore Chevy guy, but if you have a garage full of Ford parts, why would you do anything else? There are several fat Fords on the HAMB with SBF's in them, and they work pretty well. I like the idea of a Fox body donor car. Lots of good parts there.
I'm going to do front discs on mine eventually, but I intend to keep the solid axle.
I'm subscribing to see what ideas you come up with. HAVE FUN!! Mike

 

Ford in a Ford....you have a heavy car, there...also consider torque.
I have a 302 Ford in my '34, which is fine, but more low end grunt would be important with anything as heavy as your car.....
Give it some thought.....good luck.....
(sbc's a a great motor for a plastic car, but....you have a Ford.....real Ford)

 

Yeah, I had a heavy 49 ford F-1 back in the late 70s with a '67 , 289, cast iron cruisomatic. The little 289 had to work a bit {I lived in mountainous Oregon] but luckily the original F-1 dana 44 rear had 4.27 gears in it.
If you can keep the car as light as possible and use the EFI, it should be alright [use a modern tranny with plenty of gears] but don't expect it to be a wailer.
Good news is, a SBF with glasspacks has a wonderful exhaust sound.

 

455 olds

 

Ford in a Ford. No sbc!

 

My '41 Ford Iused a 5.0 H.O. motor and a C-4 trans, for headers I'm running sanderson block huggers.

I switched to IFS and rack and pinion sterring, but with the sandersons, the original steering and saginaw steering box should still pass.

 

Ok so you don't want to be boring. I get it, but sbf vs sbc doesn't do it. If you want to stop being bored, try one of those modern, Asian V8s. Or get the drivetrain from an Alpha-Romeo Milano (Alloy, overhead cam, Hemi head V6 with de dion suspension). If you feel the need for "old-skool" try a nail-head, or early Cadillac ohv motor. Or put in an older Jag V12, now that wouldn't be boring.