Technical SBC in 51 Ford

Has anyone put a sbc in a 51 ford coupe? If so what things need to be changed, added, such as radiator, motor mounts, transmission adapters and so on?

 

All of those, rear end probably too.

 

All ^^^
Use a GM ****** and whatever stout rear you can find. The rear end and transmission in those were made from paper. The stock radiator will cool it if the engine is properly screwed together but if it is a V8 car to start with it will need to be modified for the hoses. Should be rodded out while you are at it, or find a radiator from a later '50s Ford.

Believe it or not we used to use a Jeep radiator on a lot of our swaps, they will cool a big block. They are hard to come by today and by the time you find one and have it boiled or rodded out you will finds that you can go after market just as easy. I have a jeep rad but it is a spare for me. LOL

 

I like make in make,but that's just how I like,dosen't mean It has to be. I had put a Olds Rocket 88 in my Henry J...yes Olds rad, n trans with Ford rear.

 

And that is why you never owned a Fordillac. LOL

The SBC is a good fit in a Ford shoebox. If you do it clean it looks like it came that way. But an Olds 394 was what we used most of the time in pre Y block Fords. They were cheap when I was in high school and made a ton of torque. Snug in the car bodies, but they fit the F1s like they came that way.

 

This is a swap done many times. A motor mount kit is available from Butch's Cool Stuff, and many companies make bolt in radiators for this swap. As stated, a transmission and rear axle swap is also needed. The rear axle needs to be in the 56.5" range WMS to WMS. A 57-59 Ford fits, but GM has similar.

 

My avitar is powered with one. I just leave the Hood closed so I don't have to explain it. Over the years I've learned every kit out there to do this job is just enough help to get you in trouble. My advice is DON'T BUY ONE. It's a simple swap if you can think for yourself and do a little fab work. If you can't do that much the Kits will only leave you stranded. One issue most have is mounting the Motor to low and using a fitz-all radiator and creating your own heating problem. The stock rad is the way to go for fit and flow. Just make sure it's a good one and be sure to install the Air Deflector when done. I have my stock 51 Auto shift unit connected to my 700-R-4 and all is well. No, it wasn't a direct hook up, again you need to think for yourself and do just a bit of Fab work but you can do it. If not, again no Kit is going to do it all for you.

 

And if you do. Do what Pist-N-Broke said.

 

I've done two of these swaps at work and customer cars. Very easy easy. If you use the jamco motor mount kit It Bolts right in all you have to do is change the oil pan to a front sump Nova oil pan and oil pump,pick up tube and oil pump shaft and you're golden. Stock or aftermarket radiator still fits and you can run a mechanical fan but it's kind of low so you're limited to the cir***ference or an electric fan fits easily

 

LOL all my chit is "Built Ford Tough with Chebby Stuff"

Sorry I just could not resist.

 

This is some of what I have issues with when using Kits. Now, if you build your own mounts you can raise the motor and run any standard oil pan, not change the pump and pick-up and most standard manual Fan Blade is up where it belongs (read that Kools better). Running an electric fan to fix an install issue is just plain WRONG! Electric fans belong on import cars, not Hot Rods.

 

Can we see a shot of under your hood pnb?

 

It's not pretty cause I drive it, not sit around wiping it's nose. The fan motor to valve cover is where I set the motor for height. as you can see a manual fan fits perfect when the motor is mounted where it should be. And yes, it wares a Rear Sump oil pan.

 

Those 9 fin Cal Custom's are some of my favorite valve covers.

 

Naw, man, it's beautiful. Dig it. More purdy than mine is under there...

 

Buy yourself a 51 Chevy coupe instead, then you won't have to ruin the Ford.

 

???????? Do you know me well enough to say that? Show us your Ford powered 51 anything. I built and owned a Ford powered 50 Chevy Sedan Delivery and heard the same stuff only the other way around.

 

Lame comment.
My 50 Ford looks like it came from Ford with the SBC in it. Simple swap. It fits, fast, cheap, reliable and *****en. It's a fricken car. It doesn't know who made it.
If that means it's ruined, I'll take ruined all day every day.

 

Those vocal Ford in a Ford guys never seem to have cars at all. Here on FB or anywhere else we never see actual photos of their cars.

 

Worth noting, even if you update with a SBF, or whatever, you'll still need to upgrade the transmission, and eventually the rear end.

 

Just over 80K miles on it and hasn't missed a beat. How can that be wrong?

 

Here's mine. A 514 FORD in 1957 FORD. It's called hot rodding. Yes it's a tougher fit, but I suppose I could have went the SIMPLE route and dumped in the same old same old right? Never owned a 49-51 Ford, but Im damn sure I could fit a 427 SOHC if I needed to.

 

Bingo. No reason to have to switch to a Scrub engine in that 51.
"Those vocal Ford in a Ford guys never seem to have cars at all. Here on FB or anywhere else we never see actual photos of their cars." BS- just BS. And I don't have to prove anything to you with a picture. Can't find a Chebbie to put your Chebbie in?

 

I was driving a winter beater, $130,1977 Camaro. Mid winter I bought an engine-less 49 Ford coupe. and when the snow went away, I rebuilt the tired 350 out of that beater Camaro. Had the 350 turbo gone through too . I yanked the fine running fathead 6 and gave it to a co-worker.
I used 69 chevy pickup s.b. mounts and mounted the engine a little higher than most guys do so I didn't have to screw around with dropped tie rods. In the photo it shows the engine sitting on2"X3" square tubing spacers. After the photo was taken I boxed in the ends.
My car sat low and the 350 sat a little high so I had to raise the floors. No sweat as they were rusted anyway So Built new ones. Flipped the spindle supports, heated and bent the steering arms down, incorporated a swaybar from a Firebird trans am [1.25"thick] and it drove like a slot car.
Not telling you how to build your car, just telling you how I built mine..Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I also used a v/8 Maverick, 8" rear axle, 3.00 to one. I had to replace the mount saddles as the maverick mounts were for a car not nearly as low as mine, the angle was all wrong and they were about 1/2" different in width[ATTA[/ATTACH] from my old axle.
Let me tell you something about shubox Ford axles and transmissions as I've had over a dozen of them..They're weak as hell.

 

Just so ya know I happen to have more than one Ford with a Ford in it. Ya it's an FE also, same with my 59 sitting next to it. Big deal, they are just Toys. Oh, and the 57 runs Tri power and a 4 speed. All that and I still have to pay for my own Coffee. These guys don't mind the Chevy powered 51 sharing there Stable with them and never look down there nose at it.

 

As long as it is fast, who cares.

 

I always figured if you have a vehicle without an engine, or one that needs one, the vehicle doesn’t know or care.
It’s OT, but before I p***, I have a 440/727 going into what originally had a 6.2 Deisel.
My kid will be able to tow her horse trailer with it, pretty sure that PU won’t care.

So, isn’t this about the time someone posts up the pic of the Vette with the FH in it?

 

I have a 51 Ford powered, and I don't see the big deal with shoving a mouse into a shoebox. Sbc's are everywhere in the hobby, for obvious reasons. This site is great, lots of great guys and great info, but the guys that always chime in with something negative to say I just don't get. If it's not your bag, don't comment, go to the next thread. Some of the at***udes on here purplex me...

 

The 302 in my '50 is getting tired...good thing I have a fresh 350 Chevy on the stand.

 

THIS IS A HOT RODDING SITE. IF YOU WANT A FORD IN A FORD, A CHEVY IN A CHEVY, OR A MOPAR IN A MOPAR, GO TO THAT SPECIFIC SITE.