As I mentioned, I'm going to recreate my first car, a '55 Ford. My original plan was to build a mild 292-312 for her. But a 352-390 would also fit the late '60s time period and parts are easier to come by. So has anybody done this swap and what was involved motor mount-wise, steering clearance issues, with exhaust manifolds and such? I remember reading of this swap back in the '60's in PHR and it didn't seem there was that much involved beyond the normal stuff like throttle linkage, clutch cross shaft and such. I can't remember the issue year or I'd search for it on eBay. Rather than plan this one on my own as usual, I thought that I'd take advantage of my fellow HAMBer's knowledge. Thanks.. Jan
My good friend has a 56 victoria with a 427 in it. The swap was almost as easy as putting the 312 back in. The engine mounts for it were flipped over if I remember right, and he ran aftermarket heads with the multi pattern so that he could use the 428 CJ cast Iron headers, the outlet end on the left side had to be cut off and reclocked to get it to clear, but the result was a factory looking 427 56 ford. I'll take some picks tommorrow when I go over there if I remember to stop and get batts for my camera. I plan on doing the same thing on my 55 post car. Drew
Gasserfreak has it nailed. We put a 390 and a 4-spd in my Victoria back in the late sixties. It fit right in and we just switched the stock mounts around. Used the same radiator and everything. It was really fun to drive.............
Thanks, guys.. You confirmed what I recalled from that old magazine article including the side for side motor mount swap.. Gasserfreak, if you get a chance to take some pics of your buddy's '56's 427 swap (at your leisure), I'd really appreciate seeing them. Jan
Not a 56, but I built a 427/425 FE powered 57 in 1964 which is the same thing. As close to a bolt in as it gets. Used Ballenger Bros pain in the ass muti piece headers, thats all that was made then. If you use a ground down 58 steering box and mill the exhaust side of the heads & the hipo manifolds , grind a 1.5 inch circle out and braze a domed freeze plug in upside down in the left factory hipo manifolds where they hit the steering box they will work too. Find a 31 spline axle Mustang rear or you will have 17 left side axles like I did as it will only break the rights. A good tip for removing broken axle stubs is to tack enough welding rods together to reach the broken stud and run them up inside a piece of garden hose cut to length, tack the end of the axle & pull it out
Sorry I didn't get a chance to go over there today like I had planed(which mean I didn't any work done on my 55 since its over there right now) but I'll throw some up on this thread next time I go over there. Drew BTW, these are the headers you need to make it look factory, instead of running tubes: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968...7QQihZ017QQcategoryZ34203QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem you just need to cut off the outlet on the left, turn it till it clears, and reweld it. If you have them right there with the car and the engine in, you'll see exactly what I mean. Drew
Looks even more factory with the 427 hipo cast iron manifolds that everyone told me would never fit. After a ton of money and work I told them they just bolted on which they did
They'll fit in a 57, because the 57 was the first year of car that was slated for the FE(even though it didn't get into a production car until 58) but the 57-59 is the same car underneath. Hipo 427 cast Iron Headers will not fit a 55/56 without alot of butchering or a straight axle side steer convert. We tried. Neither will the 406 cast iron headers, trust me. thats Ok though when we get the 454(427/428 crank) screwed together and set down in my friend's 57 post he just picked up they got a home. Drew
They wont fit a 57 without installing a 58 steering box and all the other mods. The passenger side goes right in but not the drivers side
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