Projects '59 Custom 300 motor swap

So, here's some photos of the motor with the new mounts. I had to pull the motor to get them to fit, the slots in the frame mounts had to be lengthened toward the top of the mount. I also swapped the mounts left for right because the motor sat too far back otherwise.

Oil pan clearance is great. I'm much more comfortable about it now.

Clutch linkage - level as can be!

 

Clutch linkage is straight as it should be.

The shifter is about an inch forward for more clearance.

From the top:

I have to put a few patch panels in and work on the headers tomorrow. I'll keep you posted!

 

After getting the alternator mounted and lined up I started on the wiring. I was amazed last year after buying the car to find that Ford didn't put fuses in this car! So, I decided to put a modern harness in the car so it would have fuses and be capable of handling an electric fan, electric fuel pump and possible electronic fuel injection if I should decide to go that route later. Last night I started taking out the old harness and I found the single fuse in the wiring harness, it goes to the blower motor for the heater. I pulled the instrument cluster and then searched for a place to mount the fuse block. You would think on a car this big there would be plenty of space to mount a tiny little fuse block, HA! No such luck! It's either too low on the firewall or the emergency brake hood/release is in the way. So I'll get some sheet metal and fab up (or hillbilly up) a bracket to stick it off of the bracing for the dash. Once that is done I can try to make the wiring go where it is supposed to. I'll post photos when I get the fuse block mounted.

 

Awesome! It is coming right along. When I had my shifter in the original position on my 3550 it was pretty much on the seat like your first pic. I had to relocate it so I could reach the pedals.

 

Just done kind of the same thing with a 57 300, but put a rack and pinnion steering kit under it

 

I wanted to go with a R&P, but my wallet says no for now. Here's some more progress pictures, I went to Carlilse and picked up some detail stuff like wiring clips and stuff. I also bought some "Thunderbird Special" decals for the valve covers to dress it up. Here's one side with the decal laying on the cover:

You can see I also went with some long tube headers, the factory shorties were interfering with the clutch linkage and the idler arm. I've also started on the new wiring. Here's the clutch linkage now:

There's a huge amount of room for adjustment. The driveshaft is ready to be lengthened:

There are some header issues still, I'll see if an exhaust guy can work this out:


I wired the taillights and trunk:

 

The emergency brake linkage hooked up fine with the stock parts:

I had to make a bracket to put the fuse box on, there was nowhere to put it. You'd think on a car this big there would be plenty of room! I'm using a Kwik-Wire kit, it's pretty easy if you follow the directions:
You can see the bundle of snakes left to mess with at the time of the photos. I took these this morning, so the only thing left to do is hook up the instrument panel stuff. I'll have that done tomorrow and probably the motor stuff too. I do have one wiring dilemma, but I'll ask it in a different post.

 

More progress! Things are coming together, finally. Dash wiring is done, I installed LEDs in place of the incandescent bulbs, here's the instrument panel ready to go:

I patched the hole in the floor from the old 3 speed stick and tightened up the hole around the shifter:

I insulated the floor with JEg's brand thermo-tech type sound deadener and insulation. It was like putting big stickers all over the floor. Cool stuff and very easy to work with:

 

Here's the finished job:


New driveshaft! I had to add a few inches to the old one, so I took it to have it lengthened. They suggested a new one made of bigger diameter tube. Here it is compared to the old:

In the car (a perfect fit):

 

I threw the interior in last night before beer thirty:


When I put in the carpet I had to trim it to fit. When I bought the car the carpet was very loose across the trans tunnel and didn't seem to fit. I realized the the person who put the carpet in didn't know that all auto carpet is too big on purpose, so it is trim to fit. Needless to say, I cut it correctly and it fits. I also mounted the battery in the trunk. Now on the the radiator!

 

Nice work.

Mark

 

looking great! keep the pictures flowing.

 

Thanks! I'm making the big push to make it to the Goodguys Nats.

 

Nice work. Am partial to the 59's as I had one when in HS back in 64'. It was a 4dr and red and white with a 292 v8.

 

OK! More on the big red wallet eater! I must be getting close to done 'cause the wife is *****in' about the cost. We'll start with the new radiator install. First comes the beautiful new aluminum radiator from Jeg's:

Then we have the slightly butchered core support, customized by the previous owner to stuff in a radiator that didn't fit. Even after he went nuts with the cutters. On only one side:

Close up:

A little magic with the high cycle to the other side:

A little paint:

And, TAH-DAH! She fits like a glove! After using the poor man's sheet metal brake to fab some brackets:


More to come. I've been busy!

 

Battery in the trunk to clean up the underhood area:

Installed a junkyard fan out of a 3.8L Taurus:

Time to put the front clip on. I bribed the neighbor and his college age son to help with the heavy lifting. I spent the rest of the evening lining the sheet metal up:

But the cool Taurus fan won't fit. Grinder man to the rescue:


Fuel pump and filter on a metal plate to mount on a body reinforcement. Pay attention, there's a test later:

Front bumper and lights, getting closer:

Electric fan controller unit in place and ready to go:

A few things you'll notice. There is masking tape holding the wires together and they are not covered with a wrap. I do that on purpose to make any change easier, they will be properly done later. The wiring may seem a little willy-nilly for now, but it will be straightened out later. I also went to Jeg's today and bought a pair of Smithy's to have put on soon. More to come.

 

After 2 trips to the parts store to get a lower radiator hose, another trip to get some gas (just to be sure), and another to get more antifreeze, the neighbor kid held the camera while this happened:
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xv0h6gSjMH8" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe>
That's right she fired right up with a little flame and fury!!! Funny story, remember the fuel pump and filter shot? I said there'd be a test. When I first tried to fire it, she just cranked with no kaboom. So I go through the usual list, air - check, fuel - uh, no. So I climb under the car and look at the fuel pump that I can hear running, it is clearly marked IN & OUT on the pump. Some genius decided to ignore those words and plumb it backwards. Once I fixed that, on the first try, she fired up as in the video. I was pretty shocked! This is the first motor I have ever rebuilt and installed in a car by myself. This is also the first car I have ever wired, including the Duraspark II ignition system. I know this isn't HAMB friendly, but I did it myself using factory parts to make the car better. Kinda like the old days. Here's another video shot a few hours later, just because I like to hear it rev. Enjoy:
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xDNIKT5BCig" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe>

 

Nice Job, I am doing nearly the same on my '59 Edsel.

 

dude i know EXACTLY how you feel, the excitement of finally getting it to run and its your first time really rebuilding/ taking on such a huge task like this. im doing it with my '58. and all the parts i NEED to get mine finally fired up just came in the mail today. just gotta get some gaskets and hopefully i'll be in the same boat as you, but i LOVE this swap, great pics too, really helpful, like with the radiator, i might have to get that soon. p.s. i love that white bench seat you got, where did you get it at, or did it come with the car already?

 

Thanks for the encouragement, guys! Since I've started this swap lots of people have mentioned they are doing something similar. It's probably fairly easy if you just pull the six and slide in the 302 without doing all of the wiring and stuff. luvzccr, glad to hear I could help you out. I had overheating problems with the six so I made sure it had a good radiator. The bench is actually gray and the interior was already done when I bought the car. Hopefully the exhaust is done soon.

 

Outstanding man, I love all this info, and here is why. See pix ~sololobo~

 

NICE!!! A longroof with a longboard! How's the surf in NE? Probably the same as O-hi-ya. It ****s to be a landlocked surfer. The wife wants me to paint mine like yours with the white on top. I took her out this morning (the car not the wife) for a very brief drive with open headers. The impending thunderstorm sent me back to the garage, damnit! It is very difficult to keep my foot out of it. Going from the 145 horse Mileage Maker Six to the 225+ horse 302 is definitely worth it! BTW, if you need part numbers for anything, I have them, just let me know.

 

Beautiful work! With the carbed, roller
cammed 5 Liter and AOD ****** it's gonna'
be a REALLY NICE* driver! The wiring work
especially, is exceptional. Nice touch, using
those Y-block "Thunderbird Special" valve
cover decals too!

Mart3406
========================

 

Thanks!

 

Just picked it up from the muffler shop. I had a set of duals run with 22" Smithy's. She sounding pretty bad ***! Now I have to tune her a little, and she'll be sweet. The wife is a little perturbed about the cost, but hey, I'm done anyway!

 

what radiator exactly did you order, because i need a new one for my '58 ford 460 project, but the one i saw is on summit racing, and it has the water inlet and outlets on opposite sides than what i need. like on my p***enger side, it needs to be on top of the radiator, and it needs to be at the bottom on my drivers side, but its mixed around, and i dont wanna cut up a 330 dollar radiator! just curious if you have the link to what you ordered, and how you went around that issue?

also what year taurus is that fan out of?

 

did not see do you have a part number for the headers or what vehicle there for

 

I have a 460 in my 57 and used a universal rad from BeCool. 2 core, 19 X 26 , the outlets are correct for Ford or Mopar. I tried the Taurus fan thing but there just isn't enough room. I trimmed my rad support and used a fan from a e-250 Ford van with a fan clutch from mid-80's Jaguar, there the shortest ones out there and have the same bolt pattern as the Ford water pump. The engine never gets above 190 degrees, which is pretty good for a mid 500 hp 514 BBF.

 

You do realize that the OP last checked in close to 5 years ago...

 

yes I realize its been a long time, some time we just lurk in the back ground.
I sent 59custom300 an email to hoping one or the other would get a response
was queries which long tube headers he use on his 302 they looked like a perfect fit and need to order some for mine here is a compel shots of mine taken this week. shot the greens on the front to see how I would like it
secluded to go on 10,000 vacation in sept this year 2016