69 Coupe (update) Project

[Steelcityfan29 10]

I have a 69 Coupe, I purchased last year. Knowing NOTHING about cars. The body is in great shape, no rust at all. One nice thing about cars in Idaho is not a lot of rust at all.

 

The bad.. the engine in it was replaced by the PO with a 351m.. It also has a turd of a C6 in it. No power brakes.. actually no brake booster at all right now and no power steering.

 

The rest... The interior is in decent shape, the body is good.

 

So I have a 92 F150 that I have had since high school. I'm thinking of using the 5.0 out of it since I know its been well maintained and I would have the fuel injection and the computer and everything matched right there out of that truck. The F150 has nearly 300k miles.. so the engine will be rebuilt once I pull it. I understand the 5 speed out of the truck cant be used so I might just get a C4 and go that route and keep it auto .. though I really prefer a manual. it seems like a ton of work to get the auto to manual swap into that car.

[Steelcityfan29 10]

Edited March 23, 2011 by Steelcityfan29

[Steelcityfan29 10]

Any info on dropping in a fuel injected 92 302 would be appreciated. Thanks.. I dont know much about it but I guess Im going to learn LOL. Im just using it because I know its been taken care of and I am basically stripping everything I can use off the 92 f150 and moving i to the mustang. I don't know exactly what I can use yet but know the engines in good shape and I have all the tin with it. New alternator and a few other parts that have recently been replaced.

 

Now I need to learn about upgrade parts for newer fuel injected 5.0s since Ive been only reading about carbureted engines.

[Steelcityfan29 10]

Any experience stories or ideas or hints are greatly appreciated. Thanks! I'm pretty new to working on cars but have a lot of 12volt and stereo experience from my college years.

[70mstang 11]

Welcome to the forums =) Sounds like you have a good basic plan. There are some folks here that have done what you're looking at.

 

I've got no clue about the 5.0 swap but did a T5 swap with a 93 Mustang 5 speed. The stick swap really isn't that difficult considering the rest of the work you are looking at. There are companies that sell kits for this and can save work/rework by getting quality components up front. Modern Driveline is one of the top T5/Tremec swap sites.

 

Take a look at your budget and get your plan in place before you dig into anything or it will turn into a money pit and never finished.

[Steelcityfan29 10]

Oh it will be a money pit LOL.. I'm sure. My son is 3.. I want it perfect by the time hes 16 LOL.

 

Are all of the T5s the same? Are they easier to find used in like an older mustang? Or should I look at getting one from like the Tremec site? Even with the cost is it worth it?

 

Thanks for the reply!

[70mstang 11]

They are all close, depending on the HP you want to push to the rear wheels you want to figure out which is the best for you. I've got about 320 hp on mine and don't plan on pushing for more ... yet LOL

 

So I grabbed a used world class T5 from a 1993 Mustang which is rated at about 300 ft/lbs of torque. More than enough to take care of my little 302. I bought mine used from a fella out in TX and had it checked over by a local transmission shop. I probably saved a couple of hundred versus getting from one of the vendors. But the vendors do carry warranties on their items.

 

Above the 400hp mark (I believe that's the number) that they suggest going to a more robust transmission. Visit Modern Driveline and hit thier tech support tab.

[Crazyhorse 21]

Any info on dropping in a fuel injected 92 302 would be appreciated. Thanks.. I dont know much about it but I guess Im going to learn LOL. Im just using it because I know its been taken care of and I am basically stripping everything I can use off the 92 f150 and moving i to the mustang. I don't know exactly what I can use yet but know the engines in good shape and I have all the tin with it. New alternator and a few other parts that have recently been replaced.

 

Now I need to learn about upgrade parts for newer fuel injected 5.0s since Ive been only reading about carbureted engines.

 

the truck EFI will not fit in the mustang engine compartment, it is a MUCH taller intake. The truck EFI is also a batch fire, speed density system, which is piss poor from a performance standpoint, and does not support aftermarket upgrades easily.

 

If you want an EFI 302 (5.0) you will want 89-93 mustang electronics and intake manifold setup. you could also use a 5.0 from a late model explorer, as it would come with GT40p style performance heads and intake, however most people still use the 89-93 mustang harness and computer with them.

 

I have done several 5.0 swaps over the years, the first being in my bronco in 98, it now has a 5.8 running mustang EFI in place of the 5.0. Post up your questions, and I can try to help you sort them out...

[Steelcityfan29 10]

the truck EFI will not fit in the mustang engine compartment, it is a MUCH taller intake. The truck EFI is also a batch fire, speed density system, which is piss poor from a performance standpoint, and does not support aftermarket upgrades easily.

 

If you want an EFI 302 (5.0) you will want 89-93 mustang electronics and intake manifold setup. you could also use a 5.0 from a late model explorer, as it would come with GT40p style performance heads and intake, however most people still use the 89-93 mustang harness and computer with them.

 

I have done several 5.0 swaps over the years, the first being in my bronco in 98, it now has a 5.8 running mustang EFI in place of the 5.0. Post up your questions, and I can try to help you sort them out...

 

Thanks you SO much for the info! Thats very helpful. So I might look for the mustang engine then. I just had that other 5.0 available. Though I want this car fast but functional as well. So Im kind of up in the air. I read everything about clevors, clevelands, bosses, EFI.. no EFI. I have never built a car like this. Just Jeep Cherokees LOL .

 

So Im pretty new to this. I need something easier to work on that I can afford parts for so I thought going the EFI 5.0 route might be the easiest if I can get the right year of mustang.

 

The GT40 heads on the later explorer engine? Is there any downside to that engine as compared the the 93 mustang engine? I was thinking about GT40 aluminum heads once I get to building the engine but if those GT40 heads are nearly as good that would save me 1200 bucks.

 

So if you have any realistic suggestions on a good fast easier to build engine thats not insane in cost. Please let me know your opinion. Thank you so much.

[Steelcityfan29 10]

So i have a guy with a 351C recently rebuilt for 700 bucks.. or another guy with something out of a Thunderbird like an 86 but has 90 mustang injection setup and manifolds on it. I'm not sure. This is all just confusing LOL. I want some power and some fun, but I want to be able to do some work myself and afford it. Maybe I'm going all the wrong way. I guess I need some ideas or good solid direction on what to look for and what to do after that. The engine and tranny are the only items I have issues with. Most everything else I have a good idea of what I want to do.

[Steelcityfan29 10]

So in talking to some friends I have decided I think.. to go with a 460 big block and go that route. My friends are telling me to get the 460 out of a 70s Lincoln because of the heads? Anyone have any big block experience and offer any advice? Why a 460 and not a 429? are they just easier to find and get parts for? I don't really know the details but I want to drag the car against some friends as well and they're saying a 390 or 460 is the way to go. Though the 460 is easier to find performance parts for.

 

Thanks again for any advice.

[Steelcityfan29 10]

PS crazyhorse Thanks so much! I just want you to know guys like me who dont know much about engines REALLY appreciate your time and effort to help.

 

 

If anyone has stereo questions or computer questions LOL or alarms.. 12Volt anything. I am more than willing to help.

[Steelcityfan29 10]

not so much eh? no one? Anyone know of maybe a suggestion to a more active forum by chance? Where a guy with no clue like myself can go to bug people about questions like these? I would appreciate it! Thanks!

[Pakrat 1,043]

This is probably a subject you should do a seperate thread on, adding a question like this to your general project thread won't necessarily get you the attention of our Big Block and 460 fans if they aren't already following your progress.

 

I'm sure we have many folks here with an opinion on this but your question is not on their radar here.

[Daves69Coupe 10]

What you building the car to be? Drag racer. Road course or just a cruiser?

[Steelcityfan29 10]

This is probably a subject you should do a seperate thread on, adding a question like this to your general project thread won't necessarily get you the attention of our Big Block and 460 fans if they aren't already following your progress.

 

I'm sure we have many folks here with an opinion on this but your question is not on their radar here.

 

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Steelcityfan29 10]

Weekend warrior drag car but I want to be able to drive it as well. I imagine a mustang going fast in a line, I didn't buy it to corner well LOL or I would have bought an STI or an Evo. So yea a weekend warrior streetable drag car. I want it to look good and be able to drive up and down I5 when I get a weekend off. Though I want enough torque to make it so I get pushed well into my seat when I stomp on the gas. Basically.

 

I want my buddies in their turbo eclipses and civics to know that when we race they're not just racing bobs mustang from down the road and i would love to beat them also LOL. Thats the friendly trash talking part of it.

 

I also LOVE the low rumble of a big block though some strokers sound great as well and get with it. I was just told by a friend that dropping 3 grand into a 302 gets you less horse power than a stock 460 with D0VE heads in general. So why not get a 460 and put a couple k into it.

 

Im also looking at the TCI front end kit, they make one specifically for the 460 builds as well so the shock towers wouldnt be an issue there once I get that going.

 

Is a stroked 351 a better option or a 351C? I really dont know. Some people hate the 460s it seems, others say its not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. The 200 Lbs difference in engines doesn't matter as much when you have custom suspension and whatnot.

 

I have only built jeeps up to this point.. so there was no big block swapping or anything, just lots of lift kits and alternator replacements LOL.

[yamahasrx700 14]

I just finished a 460 into a coupe... Nice and simple. Fantastic. Unless you are a "numbers matching" guy, I don’t know why someone would do any other swap. My car also has NO Power steering or brakes. PM me I can help you and your car do 70-foot posi burnouts and excellent drivability.

http://www.460ford.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151019