Who has done an engine & tranny swap in a mid 50's F100? (53-56) with home brewed motor mounts, I was wondering about the height in which to place the engine {bottom of exhaust ports even or above the stock frame rails?} I searched & googled every bloody thread involving f100's & none show clearly motor mounts, I was gonna use mid50's swap kit but- life keeps me from having $ but I have time & stuff to build my own...before anybody bitches yes it will be a SBC & auto Hell I would like to see pictures of a sbc swap in any straight axel truck with DYI motor mounts. here's where I'm at now. I need ideas.
I would buy the speedway motor brackets and mounts to make your life simpler. Then fab the frame mounts. alot cleaner and easier than messing with OEM. Loaction will depend on both axle locations, driveline angle and where it will fit. The lower the engine sits the lower the CG of the truck. I would set up the front and rear axle before i set the engine. Watchout for the trans and floorboard. Engine too high, the floor boards will have to be cut. If it is stock. it looks pretty good as it sits. just make sure the driveline angle is correct.
In the box? With the Y-block under the hood! Had to throw that in there. But really it all depends on what you plan to do. If you're going to lower it tuck it up as high as you can. If not, leave yourself plenty of room around the trans tunnel. You have a lot of options for exhaust so don't be overly concerned about that. Keep in mind where your radiator will sit so you have clearance for a fan and the hoses route nicely.
I have never mounted a SBC in an F-100 but generally like to mount the engine as low as possible, taking into the following things: 1. Distributor to firewall clearance 2. Header/Exhaust manifold clearance to frame/steering box 3. Bell housing to floor clearance 4. Fan to radiator clearance - also making sure your fan is above the bottom tank on the radiator. 5. Oil pan to axle/crossmember clearance 6. Making sure that you can set the trans tailshaft to the proper angle to have correct alignment with your driveshaft/rear axle.
My 54 had a sbc in it when I bought it. I didn't like where it was placed so ie moved it to a grassy place behind my house and put a ford in it I still have the cross member from the chev if you want to pay for shipping.
I used a dropped tube (kit) that bolts right into the channels of the frame rails. When I got my '55 F100, it had been stolen, stripped, and vandalized. The P.O. had a 327 Chevy in it, the vandals stole that, the Muncie M-21, and the American Torq Thrusts. Engine had used bolted-in side mounts, I had a '69 Corvette 350 & P.G. I was going to use, so I bought the tubular crossmember kit. I hung the engine with the dropped tube and flanges in the frame channels, pushed the engine back 'til the distributer just fit in the firewall relief. Marked everything, then replaced the kit tube with a longer piece of 1.75" thick wall tube I had the muffler shop bend up. The longer tube got slid thru 2 hole-sawed holes in the side rails, with 12" boxing plates slid onto the insides and the tube rotated backwards (to give adequate clearance for oil pan removal if ever necessary) Tacked the outsides where the tube came thru, then slid the inner boxing plates to the inside webs and welded everything solid. Bolted the factory Chev mounts to the engine, bolted them to the perches, and lowered the crane down to sit on the tube" tacked the perches and raised the engine, welded everything up solid. Very important: LEAVE the stock F100 center crossmember in, the flywheel cover will just fit. (and the truck will remain 'solid'. Remove that member and doors will open going up driveways, and rattles will appear at an alarming rate!) For the tranny crossmember, I had the muffler shop drop another tube for me, just 2" below center...then welded a 1/4" steel pad with 45 degree end gussets on for the tranny mount. This member can be bolted in, as it is simply an add-in 'rung' (ladder frame) I used the flanged ends from the kit tube. Chevy mounted at that height will result in a nice center of gravity, and if a 350 Turbo Hydramatic is used, a stock Chevy late-'60s driveline will fit! (no cutting, just measure) Distributer cap (Delco type) is 1" from the firewall, clearance for front pulley is adequate. If you have HEI, plan for that. (make sure you can lift it out!)
I have made my own engine brackets for my 55 f100...but using a 71 monte carlo front suspension clip...and once again in my 51 shoebox ford but installing a 84 monte front suspension clip first....I used square tubing mounted/welded to the GM crossmember. The truck as is will be hard to steer, will feel slop in the steering wheel, will probably wander, will ride rough...etc...at least my old 56 f100 was that way even after I had new king pins, bushings, etc installed. I do use a level to set the engine mounts where I want them...I place the level on the intake manifold and try and get the engine to sit level at ride height....that way the carb does not flood out or have too little gas. I also set the engine back as far as it will go and still not interfere with dist removal and I watch the clearance with the transmission/floorboard. After the monte front clip....the 55 drove really nice, rode nice, cornered great, still had the orig tires on it with 30,000 miles on them and it had P/S, Power disk brakes, and could be lowered with coil spring options. In my 51 ford shoebox, I paid 200.00 for a 84 monte complete, I used the engine, trans, brake pedal and power booster, gas pedal, tilt column, and of course, the front suspension clip...it also rode nice, stopped quick, would run 70-80 mph and still get 24 mpg doing it.
I don't have the measurements, but I believe one of the main criteria would be centering the fan in the shroud (if you plan on running stock style radiator).
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