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Original Message
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| i guess it is time for me to pipe in...(very long) |
| By hawkrod - 08/23/2002 11:44:50 AM; IP 198.81.17.33 |
| the swap to a 390 is not an impossible task but it can be expensive and the road is littered with many who have tried. there are several key components that are need to make the swap. many of these parts are available new but you may prefer to use aftermarket parts as it will be cheaper and easier to get. first off your tbird engine will fit as will all the pulleys brackets and harmonic balancer. ford only had one style of balancer on 390's from 64-67 despite what an earlier post said. your problem will be the front sway bar as a small block bar is different than a big block. so just buy an aftermarket 1 inch bar from any of the suppliers and that will solve the problem and make your car more fun to drive. second is the motor mounts. since you have a 67 your frame brackets will work (if you have a 68-70 they have to be changed) but you will need block plates and mounts but both can be had from mustang suppliers (buy the repop block plates, they look bad compared to originals but work fine and are much cheaper). the exhaust pattern is the next issue. i know some people have made log manifolds fit, but take it to a show somewhere and you will be humiliated by the response. just buy some headers and that will be okay. if you are set on making it right you will have to see which heads you have as many can be drilled to accept the GT manifolds but not all. the next thing is kickdown linkage for the trans, the stock mustang big block part is special but you can convert a small block by cutting the arm off the throttle linkage and then welding it back on outside of the mounting bracket. this is actually a pain if you do not have one to look at to see where it goes. i recommend removing the arm from your original linkage and using a lokar cable kickdown kit. the shift linkage is also special but again you can use aftermarket conversions and it will be fine. you will have to fabricate a neutral safety switch if you use an aftermarket kit as they ride where the stock switch would be. you can use a 69 shifter with a built in switch and just get the linkage arm from one of the companies. the trans mount is the next and maybe the hardest part. the original mount won't work no matter how much you want it to. the small block mount sits several inches higher than a big block mount and even if you get it to fit it will wear out U joints and cause driveline vibrations. also in question is the tailshaft mount on your new trans, some tbirds used a very weird mount that had bolts going into the tailshaft at angle instead up straight up and if you have that you can just swap it with a regular one from another fullsize ford. hawkrod (yes i can sell you a kit, no you don't want to know how much!) |
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