New ride need help 63 Meteor

Hi folks. Just picked up a 63 Mercury Meteor S-33. My kid is showing some interest so Ive been looking for a car for us to wrench on together.
It came with the 260 with Mercomatic 2 speed. Tranny has been rebuilt but the engine is toast.
Im trying to figure out what to do since the engine is bad.
The car has new radiator, carb, waterpump, fuel pump, and exhaust.

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what I could swap into the Meteor as far as replacement engine or engine/ tranny, that would bolt in without any custom fabbed mounts etc.

Im trying to figure out my options out. Id personally would like to have the engine look stock but with old school speed parts on it. Just simple and understated.

I figure since I have to pull the engine, why not see what will drop in that will give a little more power than the 260

Thanks

 

Your engine/trans has a 5 bolt bellhousing which Ford changed to 6 bolt in mid-1965, so if you want to keep that trans you have limited engine choices. Other than the bellhousing, most everything else (dimension-wise) in a small block Ford is identical into the late 1970s. A 289 or 302 are your basic choices, but a 351 Windsor will probably fit your car as well.

Once you get beyond 1965, you're open to various small block Ford engine/trans combinations over the next 30 or so production years. Most will bolt right in.

You can put a newer C4 transmission (3 speed auto), but you'll have to buy an adapter mount and probably have to change the driveshaft yoke.

 

thanks for the info. So the 289/302 engine mounts are the same to the 260?

Also would you know where to start to look for the adapter tranny mount?

I doubt I can find a pre 65 289 around my area so it looks like I either rebuild the 260 or go 6 bolt.

Also kinda off topic to this but does anyone have any part sources for the Meteor?

The car is pretty complete but I would like to find a good set of stock door panels and new seals too.

Lastly. Does anyone know what I could do as far as disc brakes for the front? Im talking junkyard stuff from another car that I can bolt on?

Thanks so much for the help everybody. Cant wait to get it on the road.

 

Try macs auto parts for the parts and as for the disk brakes I have heard Grenada or something can be made to bolt up but I don't know for sure.

 

If you change to a later model 302, your trans wont fit. If you need to spend money to buy a trans, look for an AOD or a late model five speed so you can keep up with modern traffic.

 

I have a '63 Falcon that came with the 260/Ford-o-Matic. I bolted in a 1975 302 paired with a 1968 C4 transmission. The motor mounts were the same, and I swapped in an early 65-69 waterpump. I bought an adapter mount for the C4 trans ($90), a 28 spline yoke ($75), and a floor shifter ($150 ebay). I know the Meteor is rare, but you should find Ford cross-reference parts that will fit. Fairlane comes to mind, but there may be others.

Macs Auto Parts, plus there are tons of Mustang vendors that make their own parts that may fit your car.

 

Thanks for the info all. I think I will just try to source another 260 around or if I get lucky an old 5 bolt 289. My other ride is an old jeep and its my daily driver which is hard to have as a daily driver. I really just need to get the Merc on the road so I can see how the rest of the drivetrain is. The previous owner said the brakes were recently redone but its been sitting a bit so they are sticky. Plus drum all the way around are sketchy. Im educating myself on the disc brake conversion but the more I read the more I get confused. Im the type that tries to find the most parts that I can from yards and then piece it together so the Grenada way looks promising. Just hoping I can find some in the local yards. Plus I have power steering so I guess that changes things too. Oh yeah and I need different stock wheels so the calipers wont hit. I have 14s on it and want to keep the stock look but lower it of course...... Yeah thats it.... Should be quick and easy. lol

 

Try KP Auto, Jerry Kratz is great about hard to find parts. Also Dearborn Classics or Ecklers, I put a 302 in my 63 sprint and I had to use a 1965 bell housing. Not sure what vehicle it was out of. Also Reliable Obsolete Ford Parts in Nashville GA and Obsolete Ford Parts in Oklahoma. These are the four I used primarily on my rebuild.

KP Auto Jerry Kratz 267-640-7649