Technical C6 into a ‘59 mercury. Anyone done it?

I’m putting a 360/C6 from a 1972 F-100 into my 1959 Mercury Monterey. Weird choice, I know, but it was available to me and I’m on a budget so what are you gonna do. Anyway, the engine itself went in relatively painlessly, being an FE and all. The transmission is a little less straight forward. As I’ve got it right now, the trans ends up on top of the crossmember, and I had to take the mount off just to get it to sit there temporarily so I can send it to my paint guy, and as it sits there’s no room to put a mount on it (there’s little clearance as it is between the trans and tunnel). It seems at this point that I have to do some cobbling and welding to make it fit, but is there an easier way that someone knows about? Maybe an aftermarket crossmember or something that I can use?

 

Don't cobble, just fabricate a proper new crossmember or modify the existing. Square tubing and a bit of plate should make it easy. Use the '72 F-100 mount.

Here are a couple of ideas from my collection.

When I put an AOD into my '62 Mercury Monterey, the trans mount had to move rearward about 6 inches. Chopped up the stock crossmember and welded in a couple of short lengths of tubing. Easy-peasy.



For running a 300 and M5R2 in my '51 F1, I fabbed up a completely new crossmember out of 1.5" square tubing and plate. Nothing elaborate, but I used the late model F150 trans mount, and included clearance for the exhaust pipe.

 

Nice work you got there. I like the idea of keeping the original crossmember since it has all the e-brake stuff on it. After exhaustively searching for an aftermarket solution that does not seem to exist, I think I'll cut into the stock crossmember so the trans can lower down a bit, and weld a plate for the stock mount. Thanks.

 

Cut out whatever is in the way and neatly modify the tunnel and x-member
It’s just metal

 

@Jordan1986,

I installed a 460/C6 out of a Lincoln in a 1959 Commuter, and did pretty much exactly the same thing you're planning. I retained the original crossmember, and sectioned a pocket into it for the trans mount. The Lincoln C6 uses a different mount than the typical Ford, with two smaller mounts more up on the sides than the single larger mount underneath.

I cut a piece of 3" angle iron to the right length, drilled it for the trans mounts, and bolted it to the trans. With the trans where I wanted it in the car (I think with he carb pad levelled), I lined up the crossmember with the mounts and marked where to cut and sectioned out the crossmember. I then welded in the angle and boxed it all in.

The car's gone now, and I really don't have a great picture of the work. This pic is from the front and you can just see the nuts for the trans mount peeking out through the holes in the bottom of the crossmember.