Projects What motor should I put in my '52?

351w with a toploader for sure

 

Very happy with my 53 with a 302 & c4 .

 

When I was an ignorant 18 year old kid I bought a 54 Ford and a 352 engine out of a 58 Ford and dropped the engine in and bolted it up to the stock 3 speed tranny. I still do not know how I made it work, but I do not remember having any problems at all except the exhaust manifolds, when I updated the engine to a full race 428. This was in the early 60s. JB2wheeler

 

Its actually not that suprising. The fe notor mounts and the y-block motor mounts are in the same position on the block and the 3 speed tranny will bolt up to almont any ford motor into the 70's I think it is with the right bell housing. Its still a tight fit, but does slide in pretty good.

 

410 Merc Marauder

 

Your car is MUCH to nice for a vanilla 302 or 350. Go traditional Y block. Caddy, Olds, Nailhead, or FE., more spendy more time but with a car as nice as yours it is well worth it. I would also go three pedals.

 

I'll throw in a vote for the big inline 6 Ford.

 

have to agree sbc best chioce

 

He already got a 302! And I really like the choice on the intake, gonna be SWEET!

 

I'm running a 302 with a c4 in my 40. I love this set up. If you can get the newer 302, The 5L H.O. I took off the F.I. and put on a carb.

 

Traditional, Chevy grill teeth louvers cry out for Flatty 8, 49-64 Olds, Y block Ford or early Caddy but a 302 AOD will be very nice too.

 

i think you can dress up a 302 really nice and they are far from vanilla. this is my 302 in my truck and i think it looks pretty good for being what it is. a traditional block is always kool and a good way to go, but more times than not life and money get in the way of what you really want. im excited for you devin and cant wait to see it going down the road.

 

302 is cool, but say NO to the automatic transmission. Real hot rods have 3 pedals.

 

It wouldn't be cheap, but you could buy my nailhead and make a Buford.

 

I see late model Crownvicks, Loncolns etc on Craigs list with 302, aod, ac set up in the $800 range all the time here thats the way I'd go.

 

except for lazy ass people like me who sit and shift all day long in a big truck and have no desire to shift when we get off work to go home. but i would agree that back in the day the manual tranny's were far more superior than the auto's ever were, but i think now days with the auto's the way there are made they can be a nice convenience and make a hot rod more pleasant to drive at times.

 

I built a 54 custom and I used a '57 MEL mercury 430 with a toploader 4 spd.
It fell right into place and I even used the Y block mounts! was a very nice install.

 

Here is the motor installed

 

Not any more on this side of the pass. Minimum bids around here start at over 200 bucks and you don't know what you are getting.

right now a mid 70's Ford with a 302/C-2 goes for about 500 here in the valley if the body and interior are just so so. I agree 100% that buying a running and driving doner car is the way to go. Get the engine and trans sorted out in the doner and then pull them and stick them in the 52. The left overs get sold to the scrapper or to someone needing parts and you get some of your purchase price back.

A 302/351 would get my vote but back in the mid 50's my stepfather at the time had a 52 vic with a 56 TBird 312 that rocked and held one C/G track record in those days.

 

C9 once wrote about a Shoebox with a 413. An RB MoPar would be cool.

If it had originally come with an inline six, I'd be amongst those saying 300 Ford.

Small-block Fords just look lost in most engine bays - they were designed for Fairlanes where the shock towers were crowding in on them. Only the 351s adequately fill the space to me eye.

-Dave

 

Thats what I am talking about!!!!

 

I am building a 51 ford and it getting a Y block, I have a 327 but it just feels wrong

 

73RR= prick!

 

thanks.

 

i've always run flatheads, but i started in the 70s when people gave 'em away. back then they'd use an sbc with mid-60s chevelle frame/motor mounts. avoid the dropped tierod with an aftermarket chevy II oil pan (the kind with a notch in the sump). you'll need and electric fuel pump or cut a hole in the front crossmember for the stock fuel pump. your car is a keeper!

 

a Y block with glass packs .

 

5.0L with AOD

Roller cam and overdrive.

What ever you do dont put a SBC in it... my 2$

 

Put in what ever makes you happy..

If it were mine, I would go Y block with a stick, and nice set of pipes.

To nice a car for a boring 302 IMO.

 

I think it's the wise and FUN thing to do. the car really looks bitchin' congrats on such a cool ride.
people can say its "boring" under the hood, But ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS remember... They'll never see it from 4th gear.

 

...and what, EXACTLY, did I do to rattle your cage...? Grow a pair and give us all the details.

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