I have a 56 Fairlane ready to get road ready. I have several things I am doing to it. One thing is wondering if a 351C will fit without modifying engine bay. I have heard that small block Fords will work and heard of 352 cl*** will work. I need advice. Also would like to know what differentials will fit this car. PICS:
That is a sweet Fairlane. A buddy of mine had a 56 wagon with a 352 FE in it back in the mid 60's. That thing was quick and one of our check the cl***ified members who very seldom posts on the board probably helped him swap 30 3 speeds in that car over the years along with towing him home many a time. I like the potential of the 351 Cleveland though. it would be the if ands and others about installing it in that ch***is that might be an issue. On the other hand, Personally I think the Y block is the best sounding Ford engine ever built when you put a nice pair of gl*** packs behind it. When you get the pipes right it is hard to beat the sound.
That’s a pretty car and looks like it’s coming along nicely. I’m a Yblock guy, but there’s a 52-59 ford social group here. I don’t know if you’ve got to be a member for a while, but that will have more than you want to know about putting anything in a 56. FE’s aren’t laying around cheap, and neither are 351C’s these days. And yblocks aren’t cheap to rebuild either. But all those combo’s are probably in that social group, with a variety of transmissions. Rear ends too, both which 9” go in, and later model 8.8’s. Those seem to be the most popular choices. Sometimes it’s helpful to list your general location, might be someone close.
Nice coupe! I've always had a soft spot for the '56s... Yours is a twin to one my mother had that I rolled over in '66 Any of those motors will fit and degree of difficulty, starting with easy first is... The FE (352-428). Pretty much a drop-in other than some exhaust work, will look like it belongs. Uses the OEM motor mounts, simply turn them 180 degrees (or is it side-to-side? It's been a long time...). With a '58-64 manual bell it'll hook to your existing transmission (if you don't have a T-85 trans, abuse NOT recommended LOL). Swap headers are available (Ford Powertrain Applications). Very minor fab work for the clutch linkage. Big-inch motor may require a bigger radiator. If you want a hotty, this would be my choice. Definitely the 'traditional' choice. 289/302/351W. Nearly as easy. No swap headers per se, but there are some that can be made to fit. V8 cars require moving the radiator forward if using the 'common' late Mustang mounts. More fab work, none very onerous. You will need a newer transmission. 351C. Same issues as the Windsor motors above, but exhaust will be more difficult. The 351M/400 and 429/460 Motors will also fit, but due to their bulk it gets more complicated, particularly for exhaust. Go here for much more info... 1952-59 Ford Social Group | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) You'll need to 'join' once you get there, in the upper right corner it says 'thread tools'. Clink on that, then click 'join'. Easy!
Nice looking Ford you have there! Those Cleveland engines always seemed strong, you're going to end up with a nice ride no matter what powers it.
A 351 cleveland will fit. It is what I have in mine. There are factory exhaust that will work with it but I went with headers that I made up. As said it is a tight fit as it is larger then a W. Oops forgot might not be acceptable to post this. Sorry If you would like photos pm me.
I’m a big fan of the 429-460’s, but as said they’re bulky and heavy ( 720 lbs.) fully dressed. My choice would be either a 351 Windsor or an FE. FE’s look just like they were made for those cars. The sbc swap mentioned is just plain brainless in a nice restored car like that.
Dang man! That car looks exactly like my first car! Brought back memories. It didn't come out of Alabama did it? If I recall, all it takes to put a 390 in one is just reversing the motor mounts. But my recall is 60 years old .
On the other hand, Personally I think the Y block is the best sounding Ford engine ever built when you put a nice pair of gl*** packs behind it. When you get the pipes right it is hard to beat the sound.[/QUOTE] I agree Mr48chev, nothing like the sound of a Y block with the right exhaust on it, well maybe tied with a Flathead Ford V8, anyway. some have said the 292 in my 56 Victoria sounds to good to be a Y block.
I've never heard a 272/292/312 Y-block that didn't have an exhaust leak !!! 351C sounds like a pretty EZ swap if you have a lil 'skillz'. 6sally6
My 1955 Ford Victoria we installed a 351 Windsor with an FMX transmission and 9" Ford rearend. Very nice fit and fairly easy to install. It was very fast and sounded good too! Headers and dual gl*** packs.
FE is pretty much bolt in swap , do it and drive it like you stole it . Any hard drivin , you will swapping a rear also .
I take some **** from the usual cast of posers about my swap. It was easier than going Ford at the time and I had the engine and 90% of whatever I needed. The 429/460 was on the list. The problem was finding a core with all the brackets, etc. So was the 351C, the Ford would have added 6 months and at least $5000 more to the task. I came across a BOSS 351, it was laying outside for a few years and a cake of solid rust. The main caps and crank were missing.
I had a 351W and C4 in my OT Bullitt Mustang, it came from a customer's wrecked Fairlane and ran well. The FMX and the floor pan did not play well together, so the C4 it was. With the 3.90 Detroit Locker real, it was a true rocket ship. I used stock mufflers on it so it was dead quiet.
I don't know one muffler from the next I guess. I have been building motorcycles for so long I have become distant from things about cars. This one has big square Flowmasters on it. Don't know much about them.
At 79 “If I can hear it….I don’t like it” Tinnitus is not your friend. I’ve gotten too old for cams, headers, under car 3”dumps, Flowmasters, Smitty’s, sound alike big blocks, etc.
go with a 351W, not C. but, 302 with lots of bolt on goodies available would make plenty of power. 4 speed stick or 4 speed automatic
Cleveland’s are getting harder to come by as they only made them from 70-74, so even finding a core can be a challenge. As said above a 351 Windsor or even build a 408 stroker Windsor. Ford made a zillion of them so parts are everywhere and reasonable both in the used cl***ifieds or new retail. One other thing about them is much of the 302 parts can swapped over to a 351 also.
The 2 years older than me "hot chick" in high school had a 55 (or 56?) FORD with a Chevy 327 and a 4 speed. Sometimes legends aren't so mythical after all.
I can't imagine anyone, with hair like yours, liking Flowmasters. They sound like a ( can't say it here )
A ChevyII front sum oil pan made this swap easy… with closed hood who really cares. One nice thing it’s easy to get a 420”+ engine without the weight.
I’d go for a 390 FE. This is a ‘65 and earlier traditional board and that was the traditional upgrade back in the ‘65 and earlier years. The SBF swap is easy and practical but very common, almost cliche. As for the 460, Cleveland and SBC swaps, I’d rebuild and hop-up the Y-block before I’d do that. It looks like you have a stick shift car, a 390/4 spd would be a natural. For the rear end, check posts in the social group, I’m sure there is a 9” or 8.8 swap that is relatively easy. I had a ‘55 2 dr wagon with a 292/3 spd and OD, I drove it for years, it was one of my favorite cars.
An FE would look right and anything from 332-428 to fit your performance desires. A 427 dual quad R engine would have them drooling but a 406 with tri-power would really fill the bill. The 289/302 look to small in the engine compartment. The 351W is wider and improves the look/performance. I've got a 351 C in my race car NASCAR block - aluminum A3 heads etc. Good engine but parts are getting scarce and expensive.....
Another vote for the FE. They were a pretty popular swap in the very late '50s/'60s as the still relatively new FE started showing up in the wrecking yards. Even a stone-stock early 352 4V represented a 40+% power increase over the common 292 4V. The FE is only 25 lbs heavier than a Y-block, an alloy intake will erase that difference. Yeah, they're not the cheapest motor to work with but if you do the same work on a Y-block the cost can be a wash... with less power. And they just flat fit better than the later motors. Lots of go-fast goodies now available, which used to be an issue. Big inches are a phone call away. Most bang for your bux? If you have budgetary concerns, I'd have to go with a 351W... 'there's no replacement for displacement'. While not quite as common as 302s, Ford built these up until the late '90s so they're out there. And while 'Cleveland Fever' was raging in the '70s and beyond and the Windsor got pushed into the background, it's since come into its own while development on the discontinued-for-50-years Cleveland mostly stopped years ago. But if you start chasing big power with strokers and aluminum heads, the price differential with the FE narrows considerably.
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