Hot Rods MEL Lincoln engine in a '56 Thunderbird??

Anyone ever seen or done one? Was thinking it would be cool to see a big 430 Lincoln mill stuffed into a '56 Thunderbird. Kinda go after a late 50's/early 60's drag vibe. What do you guys think?? Looks to be plenty of room in there for it at least...
-Dean

 

There was one around here in the mid 60's. If my memory serves me correctly the carb was very close to the hood and this was located where the scoop was. This was a 57.

 

I put several 427 engines in 56-7 T birds in the 60's. I am sure there were some 430's installed some where.

 

You may need a bit of a shoe horn, but it would be very cool and have more grunt then you would know what to do with. Make sure you use a trans and rear end that is going to handle the torque. 430's had 465 ft-lbs stock, and it is not hard to get them up over 500!

Good Luck and post pics when you do.

 

A couple of things to keep in mind. The early birds were very heavy. If you are really trying to go fast you might consider another vehicle. Another thing is that there is not much room in the center of the X member for the transmission. In general I like the early birds and a fast one would be nice.

Charlie Stephens

 

Back in the 50s, they put 392 Hemis in them. I have to think an MEL would fit. But are you sure you'd want to?

 

Cool! Another 'Bird Heretic. I'm up to my elbows installing a 462ci FE stroker/AOD combo in a '57. There is lots of room in general but not so much in the key areas of the trans tunnel/frame X member, the distance between the hood/steering rods cause conflicts with front sump oil pans, and right where all the accessory drives go is a cross member and upper A frames. Makes it much tighter than it looks. Also, almost no room for a bigger radiator. If the MEL has a front sump oil system and most Fords did, it's going to be a bear. I can picture it with a super rare '58 Marauder 6 pack. Most definitely not easy but extremely COOL!

Dave G.

 

What would be some other "different" engine choices I could do? FE motors have been done, and I don't wanna do a SBF. No Chevys obviously. How about an early '59/'60 Pontiac 389 with 6 deuces??
-Dean

 

The MEL is a BIG and HEAVY motor, about 115 lbs more than a Y Block. If your going to do one, why not the 462? Honestly though, I think it is a poor choice. Performance Parts are expensive, when you can find them, and other motors would make more sense. I think if you are going for a drag race vibe a 392 HEMI would be a better choice (just as heavy, around 740, but more performance) if you don't want an FE.
I do remember seeing one with an Olds 330 J2 motor.

 

The GM motors work well due to the rear sump oil system configuration, with the Buick 425 Nail Head being a natural. It was available in '64 & '65 with 2X4 Carter AFBs, and some fairly nice cast iron exhaust manifolds. It's narrow enough to clear the steering box. I believe it would bolt to the GM 200r4 overdrive. It looks great with finned aluminum valve covers. I believe Offenhauser offered a 6 deuce manifold that may still be available.

I prefer a Ford in a Ford. A 351 W would fit nicely using a 4x4 rear sump pan. It can be stroked to 408+ ci, with Edelbrock's aluminum Cleveland style heads (with Boss style finned aluminum valve covers), 10.5 compression, roller hydraulic cam, Ingelese 4 Weber style EFI induction package and tri-y Mustang headers. This combination should produce 450-550 streetable hp/lb ft, run on pump gas, weigh less than 500 lbs, cool with the stock radiator, fill the engine bay nicely, bolt to an AOD or T5 transmission without an adapter, and would be a delight to drive. It wouldn't have the nostalgic 6 deuces look, but it would attract a crowd. I've never seen it in a 'Bird.

 

I have seen more than one 57 bird with a 430 in them. Cool combination.

 

Kentz & Leslie raced a '57 with a blown MEL, it was featured in Hot Rod, underhood shots. I could probably dig them up and post them, but it wont be tonight.

 

I have a Ford 400 with a mild build and a top loader 4-speed in my 56 Bird. It was a snug fit, 4x4 oil pan, home built headers, etc. A new stock radiator cools it fine. Even used the stock shroud. Used a performer intake which lets the carb clear the hood. Has enough torque to break things; like axles on 9" rearends, driveshafts, and U-joints.
waspmaj, aka Tom

 

There was a '57 'Bird with a MEL that ran at Daytona in the late '50s. Funny thing was there was a supercharged Y-block 'Bird the same time that ran faster all out.

 

Theres a guy by the name of Gary Croan from Costa Mesa CA that activly races a 56 or 57 Bird with I believe a 430 MEL motor. He also sells and manufactures AOD adapters for Y blocks, MEL's, and other Ford engines. His email that is advertised in Yblock Magazine is garycroan@gmail.com Give him a shout I'm sure he could help you.

Michael

 

There was a '56 Thunderbird with a MEL in American Graffiti. Oh wait, that was a '56 Thunderbird AT Mel's.

 

"Battle Bird", I think it was called.
They made a few back in the day.

 

At a car show this summer [Middletown, main street, CT] there was a 57' with an FE with tri power...I could not find anything that did not look like it was "factory", thunderbird on the valve covers and cast exhaust manifolds, etc..Everything was in place, a very nice job..I looked at it twice before I realised it was an FE..Stock 5, 6, 7 birds were around 2850#'s..Add a bunch more with Continental kit!!!!

 

Battle bird had an injected Y-Block.

 

Tim.

Pete DePaolo, Chuck Daigh, and Travers and***** built at least 4 T-Birds of different displacement and induction in '56 and '57. The result of all of this is kinda fuzzy but I think that Chuck did a 205 downwind with a blown Y but had "oil pan failure" on the run. You know when the oil pan does not contain the rods. But I believe that one of the cars had a 430 in it. There is some conjecture that the 205 run had a stroker 312 under the blower. But I wasn't there so... I talked to Chuck in 2005 but mostly about Scarab stuff.

Mike.

 

I put 427 in my 55 T-Bird back in the 70's only problem was closing the hood.
I did the ugly tear drop..



Cadman

 

I have to take back my comment that I've never seen a Cleveland style motor in a 'Bird.
@Tom, I think I saw your car on the T'bird Group Pics. I didn't realize you were so close. I'm in Arvada. Do you know Craig "61 Starliner" Cooley out your way?
Your 400 fits in there very nice. I'd be interested in any mods you did to the suspension? Brakes?

 

IF you call him, have lots of time as he will talk for ever. His car is for sale, but with a Y block in it.

 

Why not do a 368" "Y"-block Lincoln engine instead. It has conventional port heads vs the 239" to 312" Ford "Y"-blocks with the stacked intake ports.

But if your heart is set on a MEL engine, then, imho, go the 462" or step up to the big truck 534" jobber that weigh's damn near 1100 pounds!

I'd do an acid dip on a 534" block and put the BIG*****er on a serious diet if I was to do something like this.

pdq67

 

By the way, here's a picture of Gary Croan's Thunderbird talked about above.

 

BTTT
-Dean

 

Bump...

Have my eye on a good runner '66 Lincoln 430, last year they made them before switching to the 462. What transmission options do I have? I could get it with the big original auto, but I fear it woldn't fit through the X-member of the Thunderbird...
-Dean

 

You would want a 59/60 MEL 430 block as it has early FE engine mount pads and an FE bell pattern.

Modified Rear Sump Pan Shown-

 

How about a a Fordillac that was a common swap, maybe not for a thunderhawk.
The Kettering Olds mill is probably a good swap also.
Then there is always the low deck big block mopar 413/383. or even early tall deck 383. Oil filter will be a pain.

If it weren't for wanting a totaly trad mill a boss 302 or clone would be a pretty neat setup.

 

Theres a pretty famous '57 with a tri-power poncho and a hydro...