Ok, so I've decided to remove the flathead and install an OHV Ford engine. Please no comments on keeping the flatty. I'm pretty sure I will be installing a ford small block, either a 302 or 351. Is there anything I should be aware of before starting to plan this project? Any major advantages of one over the other? Any info or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Kurt
You will need a rear sump pan (Fox Body pan). Remote or a short oil filter depending on your steering. block hugger headers or Mustang shorty headers . Chassis engineering engine mounts will work. What are your plans for a trans?
I saw a 40 at one of our cars shows this summer that had a 4.6 SOHC Police Interceptor and OD auto in it with all the AC setup and serpentine pulleys, looked like it came from the factory that way, and those big SOHC valve covers filled it up nicely- really looked sweet
You will need to recess the firewall a bit, other than that they fit well, especially with a C4 trans.
I ran a sbf-c4 in a 39 sedan about 25 years ago. Piece of cake. Didn't cut the firewall either. Ran a front sump, Power saginaw steering box, original axle, nova disc brakes with matching swing pedal, master cyclinder, 8 inch rear. I raised the front spring crossmember in the center to lower the front. Budget build.Steered and handled like a dream.
Its a easy install and you can fabricate or buy the necessary mounts and my only suggestion is before welding in motor mounts fit it all with the motor as far forward as you can get and every thing will fit right in.
I just brought a 40 pu home that had been sitting for years.It has a 302 c4 combo with an 8 inch.A little rough but not bad install.....who ever did this apeared to use maverick eng/trans.The wishbones have small notches to clear the trans pan.the oil pan is rear sump,and looks to be shortened an inch or 2.The rad and fan were also used and fit nicely.Every thing done seems usable with a little cleanup and square up.I think I will split the bones even just a little to clear the trans pan.The fire wall was not cut either but just barely clears.Hope this helps,I only brought it home a couple days ago.Good luck with your 40!
Late Explorer 302s have the most compact front dress , serp. belt. , real popular with the early bronco crowd. The downside-no place to mount a standard fuel pump.
I'd highly recommend looking into a 88 or previous A0D transmission to, instead of the C4, might as well have overdrive while youre at it.
I have a stock 1994 302/5.0 with AOD in my '40 - stock unmodified firewall. Short waterpump conversion will help but not absolutely necessary....
I hope your car is a piece of junk because if you don't step up to better brakes and steering it soon will become just that. If you keep the stock front axle adding better brakes (on the front) can be done several ways. Self energizing brakes include: 12" brakes - backing plates from '39-'38 Lincoln --- bolt to Ford spindles and accept '40 - '48 hubs and drums. OR 12" brakes from '49 - '50 F2 3/4 ton Pickups backing plates and brakes. OR '53 - '56 F-100 Pickup backing plates, hub and drum (11"). Grind off top flange of spindle to clear and swap inner bearing to Timken or Koyo #14116 & seal to National #450461, or Chicago Rawhide #95461. This one I've done, and it works fine, until you get on the Freeway and try to stay in traffic. After a while the brakes begin to fade, as I imagine the previous two would do as well. My preference is to add disc brakes. Kits are available that even allow you to use 5 on 5 1/2 rims. Some don't. (I used a SuperBell kit, and it was the difference between sort of OK with drums and perfect with disc brakes.) AND, Do yourself a favor, the stock box is over seventy years old and reflects engineering of that period, REPLACE IT with either a Vega box (preferably a reproduction unit) or a Saginaw 525, if you're not going with a power unit, which a '40 doesn't really need, unless there are exigent circumstances, like a wife or daughter who wants to drive it on a regular basis --- parking, you know. AND for safety's sake, while you're doing that add a drag link and tie rod kit manufactured from thick-wall tubing. Seventy years of being subjected to the elements, in addition to the fact OEM stuff was kinda thin anyway, makes this one a must. I don't know if you're going to put an open drive line in, or not. Adapters still exist to cobble overheads into just about everything. If you do go that route, (I don't know why a person would unless they're a glutton for punishment), when you spin one of the axles keys, in the original rear drums, you'll see the wisdom of using a later rear end, or having it machined to take 9" Ford Axles and Lincoln drums. I won't get into this one, as I'm sure others have suggestions. CARL
Very simply it goes like this: Use short water pump/ drive belt accessories. Ford Racing has a nice short pump that can be used in a V belt application. If you are ok with a serpantine belt an even shorter pump setup was used on `94- `95 Mustangs, `91- `95 T-Birds and `95 -`05 Explorer with the 5.0 engine. Note these serpantine systems can only be used with an electric fuel pump. These will fit both the 302 and 351W. It would be helpful if you used a rear sump pan (which are very common). The trick to not having to cut the firewall is by lowering the center of the front crossmember if you are sticking with stock suspension. As I said in another thread, I saw a really sanitary setup under a `40 at the Moonshine Festival recently. Basically what the builder did was graft the deeper `41-`48 style front crossmember to the `40 frame. It was removeable because it was bolted in. This lower center in the crossmember gives room for the front mount oil pump on Ford V8's. A de- arched or "flatter" spring was used to correct ride height.
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