A friend of mine is thinking of putting a SBC in his '39 ford sedan and was wounding how it would fit. so i figered i would ask if any one has ever done this and if there are any pixs of the engine bay that we could use to help make up his mind. thanks G.H P.S. he will also be looking for an addapter to bolt a SBC to the stock '39 ****** if that what he goes with.
1940 Ford.............not a 39 but the same look...... The SBC fits better than most anything else V8 except a Flathead....... Plenty of room.........and works well with stock steering. The one above had a stock steering, a 40 Ford transmission and rear end, 40 Ford radiator (with two outlets plugged....) and 12Volts. No cutting of the firewall, plenty of room for a good mechanical fan and easy to do. .
If you're going to go outside the brand, at least consider something a little different. I thought '29-40 Fords all came original with SBCs. Someone got real crazy and put a Dodge Hemi in this one...
Just add this- set it up so a real fan fits-and dont use any motor mount that dictates an electric fuel pump/- just use the stock mechanical one instead....... I see you are planning on using the old toploader and banjo/tourqe tube rear.......I fail to see any advantage there,You'd have to be kinda real easy on it Id think......
SBC's fit perfect ..use side motor mounts like ch***is engineering or pete & jakes and use a mechanical fuel pump , you will have to notch the front crossmember to do that i'd go all the way with t-350 and 8" or 9" ford rear on parallal leafs spring . if you do go with the t350 you will have to split the wishbones too i've done this many times , it's easy to do and everyone who i have done it for has said how much more enjoyable the car is to drive here's my latest:
They fit real nice. buy a hurst engine mount for the front and then its all bolt in no changing the frame if you ever decide to go back to a flatty. I have a adapter, clutch and pressure plate on the Bay right now The reserve is $185.00, Mel
I'm running a powerglide with a 350 in my 36. The axle is a later Ford version 42 I believe. It has a shortened but unsplit wishbone in it. I think if you had a dropeed axle you may need to split em but mine works. I used CE engine mounts and a homeade bracket mounted to the cradle to mount the ******.
Hotrodders have been putting SBCs in old Fords since 1955. There are a lot of reasons that a SBC is the number one choice. It fits without butchering anything, it is the BEST, bar none, as far as price, parts availabilty, and hop up equipment. Maybe those who sneer at the SBC have a lot of money to throw around. Maybe they are not serious about being able to drive anywhere, anytime, all the time. The use of the Ford flathead trans and rear will cause you a lot of grief, money, downtime and parts. It simply will not hold up to everyday use.
I drove mine for 5 years without a problem.........and I drove it. It has been to Louisville Ky, Daytona Beach.....and lots of places in between...I put well over 20 thousand miles on mine...with the stock transmission and rear end. I did not drive like a speed crazed teenager ..... But I spun the tires, put it flat on the floor and had fun........ I even speed shifted it a few times
thanks guys i will show him all these post tomorrow and i bet he will be going with a SBC. thanks for all the pixs and help.
Has he ever seen an issue of rod and custom? Seems like there is at least one 39 or 40 per issue. I am having a brain fart, but somebody was still making the adapter, I think the last time I saw it was in a PAW catalog, won't swear to it tho. Very easy swap with all the well beaten plusses and minuses...
Hey I've got an idea! Seeing as that is a FORD automobile why not try an engine from Ford's OWN ****nal. PM me and I'll do my best to help you with it, I promise.
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