I noticed the thread about the 32 ford, so I started reading it and got to thinking about what to put in my 27 T bucket project. It will be a low-slung roadster pickup style (30" bed), lake headers, deuce grille etc. I want to go with a traditional look, but I'm not so sure as to the traditional powerplant. Early Hemis, nailheads, flatheads, etc are all really cool, but a semi-limited budget and skill level steers me away. Small block chevy is a nice standby, but I want to be different. At first I was going to go with a 340 six pack mopar, but the tremendous price vs. any other smallblock kept me away from that. Next option was 360 mopar, but then I realized I haven't ever ridden in a 360 car that had any real level of power, or that could rev quickly. Now I am thinking of a 302 Ford. My dad remembers back when he was my age and musclecars were big, that the 302 ford and 340 mopar were the engines to have for drag racing. Fast revving and powerful. My question is, should I pursue this small block ford thing, or go in a different direction. I also need to know what a good intake choice would be, and a ****** to mate up to it as well (auto). The rear diff is an 8" ford with 3.00 gears (non posi). Thanks!
It's your car, your building it for you, so the real question is what do YOU want? Any of the afore mentioned V8's is going to put out plenty of power for a light weight T, and most mild smallblocks cost about the same to build these days, reguardless of brand.
If you go with a 302, find yourself a good running parts car. If you're on a limited budget, use an engine that runs good instead of rebuilding one. It'll be a lot cheaper. Late 70's and early 80's Lincoln Town Cars can be had real cheap, granny kept and running great but with clapped out bodies. Right there you'd have a complete motor and ******, plus a driveshaft that you could cut down and a few other pieces that you could use for your rod. Install it stock with the engine cleaned up and painted, and add speed parts as your budget allows. If you want a cool MoPar powerplant, look for a 318 Polysphere/push****on Torqflite combo. The Poly 318 is really different looking and provides good power and a few different intakes exist for it, plus a push****on auto shifter on the dash of your T would really get attention. Just a thought.
Like squablow said... I scored a dirt cheap T-bird with a 5.0 (302)and AOD and I drove it home. Sure, the ****er had 145K on the clock, but it ran good and didnt smoke, and still got that car sideways with wide tires. So it'll be nutty bone stock in my little fibergl*** T. I took the entire thing apart, having a lil trouble getting anyone to buy the body parts, but oh well. The EFI is gonna go to my neighbor for one of his projects, etc, etc. If I would have done over, I would have scored the old towncar instead, no fewer metric parts, etc. Dont rule out old chevy station wagons, etc. if you want to go the Chevy route... the only thing wrong with chevy engines is that they have no "greaser cred," other than that they rock!
Thanks for the help guys! Looks like I'll be looking for an engine and a ******, or even a whole car with both. I've researched into it a bit, and it seems the Ford is the better choice. Parts are a bit cheaper (minor), more available, look better (opinion of course) and, well, it just seems more "right" to have a Ford in my Ford. What would I run for a ******? I am looking for an auto that can be made to take a fair bit of power. Are there any to go for or stay away from, or was there a common one out there for most things? I'm kind of new with Fords so I don't know. Thanks!
Don't forget about the inlines. I find them all the time, running and fairly cheap. If its going in a t-bucket, it will not need gobs of power that you can not put to the ground.
Sometimes people give them away... I've got a 223 I'm putting in my 26/27, and you can't beat the straight pipe burble when you let off the gas to shift... You will be shifting right?
I'm an in-line guy myself! I've seen a few Ts lately with (dare I say it?) FOUR cylinders!! Stay away from OHC and it will look traditional enough. Model A bangers were used in a lot of early T hot rods, remember! Even a GM 2.5L looks cool with a couple side draft Webers sticking out of the head. I'd say something like a T-bird turbo coupe would be nice, but the OHC four just doesn't really look right in a T. Any carbureted 2.5L from an older S-10 would be great, but if you get an EFI model I'd keep it that way as long as you can hide most of the wiring. That would be tough in a T! The T is one car where a 2.8L V-6 would even be plenty of power. If you consider that go with 86 or newer. 85 and older 2.8L V-6s had issues, esepcially the rear oil seal. Fixed with a one piece seal and new rear block/crank design for 86. I've seen a couple Speedway Track Ts with the small V-6 and even an Eco-Tec four, but they had enclosed hoods. V-8s like the Studebaker, early AMC (Rambler), and Packard are really heavy for their size. CID ranges from 250-327, but they look like Ford 390 or Chevy 396 big blocks, and weigh at least as much. Not something you really want in front of a T!
having built cars around both little Stude and big Chevy motors I can ***ure you they do not weigh even close to the same nor do they look even remotely similar.. excepting that all valve in head V8s do share certain visual similarities
I think I want to stick with the basic small block V8 route vs. the inline route. They are fairly easy to come by, large parts availability, and it's what I know and understand. An inline is not a lot different I suppose, and just as cool, but its not the look I'm going for. As for shifting it, I plan on making it an auto. A manual would be alright, but my large feet and a lack of room down on the floor would make that a bad situation.
Where in Canada? South of Buffalo, I will have a '60 352 motor available soon if I decide to swap. If not, I will have a 351 that is supposedly fresh. Can't store these extra motors, so something will have to go so I have work space this winter. I would prefer a 289 for a bucket if I had my choice.
If you go the 302 route, I have a rebuilt one complete with about 5,000 miles on it. It would come complete with transmission and everything and even comes in a southern rust free 1980 Mercury Cougar if you wanted it. The rear end I think is a traction loc, so you may be able to use that also. I would cut you a deal at $900 for the whole car. I am located in Oshkosh, WI and Squablow is right around the corner, so you may be able to find some more parts from him for your project also. Later Mike
go with an early hemi i think i know where you could get the whole car cheap........i had one in my 27
I would make power the least of your concerns. Your car will be fairly light so just about any powerplant should get you going fast enough to make you a little nervous!! It seems as if your concern should be more focused on the appearance since you want it to look "correct". Small block Ford or Chevy with period correct parts would be the easiest way to go. I have guys all the time that want to "look" correct and that's what I suggest. Sure, Flatheads are nice, but they are a bit pricey. For half the money, you can have a really nice looking and great performing small block that still "looks" correct. Run 3 Strombergs, a trick distributor (maybe a Spalding Flamethrower or a W&H DuCoil) period correct valve covers and so on....you get the idea. And if you want to run a small block Ford with Strombergs, get a hold of me, I make an intake for that. Take care, Matt
Wow is this a helpful place! Those early Hemis, flatheads, nailheads and everything look cool, but the price and availability scare me away. Building a small block seems to be the best option in terms of price and parts availability. I want to run multiples (maybe a 3 deuces style, not sure yet) topped off with some old style helmet air cleaners, finned aluminum valve covers, etc. One thing that has been bothering me though, is the ignition. What is the logical thing to run this day in age? Is points still the hot setup, or is electronic the way to go? On a Ford, the distributor is at the front, so the look of it matters, but is the ford electronic distributor as ugly as the squarish GM HEI? Another thing I am wondering is which way to go if I go Ford (and I probably will). It will be a 289 or a 302, so what parts can look good and still make power. I want to run a three-carb setup on top, but what should a guy to for heads and a cam? Just the stock heads cleaned up a bit with a hotter cam, or do I go wilder yet? In such a light car, I suppose power matters as any extra would likely just go up in smoke off the line. The idea here is to just build a quick revving engine for some fun on the street. Thanks for the help so far!
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