[Idriveatincan]

I've been working on a '55 Fairlane and trying to get an engine that would work for my ride. As you can read in my project journal, I swapped my 170 for a 460 and swapped the 460 for a newer 302/C4 trans. My problems consist of:

1. Will I have to fabricate engine mounts for this engine?
2. Is there a way for me to find out if this engine is fuel injected or would I be able to toss a regular 2bbl carb on it?
3. The original driveline for the car doesn't fit the new C4 trans. Is there a place or suggestion that I might be able to render for this problem?

I have been running short on fuses and my brain cells are fried so any help that you can offer would greatly be appreciated. The new engine has an aluminum intake on it and I am without a clue on why there's offset holes on it. Fuel injected?....

[PatM]

Back in the day, FE based motors were a popular swap into 55-57 Fords. As I recall (my brain is fried) this was a bolt in for the Y-Block cars. Not sure about the I6 cars.

Let us know if you change directions.

BTW -- Denny's Driveshafts does driveshafts for everone. If you need something special, take the measurements they call for on their web page and order sheet. They are very good.

Pat

[CrashFarmer2]

I like the 55\56 Fords. I like them so well that I own four of them. I should be working on my 55 sedan delivery but I don't think I am going to get to it anytime soon. Anyhow, I have been going through the what to put in it process much like you, the difference being that I have all the engine\transmission combinations that I have been thinking about. When I bought the sedan delivery I intended to put a 390 with a four speed transmission in it. But then I got to thinking that with the price of gas maybe I should go with the HO 302 that I have sitting in a wrecked Lincoln LSC with an AOD. No, I like the idea of a four or five speed, I don't want to put an automatic in it. But then I do have that 351 Windsor that I pulled out of a 68 F100. That should run pretty good with a four speed behind it. I got to looking at the pickup motor mounts that are still attached to the 351 and I got to thinking that they look like they just might work in that 55. I got the tape measure out and as near as I could tell they should sit down in there and bolt up. I have been going to give it a try but I just haven't got around to it. There might be somebody else out there that have tried this very thing and could tell you if it will work for sure. They would be the motor mounts for a F100 with a 302 in it. I think they started putting the 302 in the F100 in 1969 so if you go looking for them 69 to 79 should be what to look for.

There is a guy that lives 17 miles away from me that has a 289 in his 55. I have been intending to get over to look at his but I haven't gotten around to that yet.

I have looked at your project journal and it looks like you are making good progress on yours.

Now I am sitting here thinking that 390 FE sounds very appealing. It could be that having multiple choices is a bad thing.

[cliff tate]

why not stay with a yblock, still parts available even adaptors for aods, i did a 56merc pickup afew progects back 292 bored to 312 bore adapted a 5spd mustang trans worked very well .decent power good fuel economy with the od trans,used the ecg heads 57 4v manifold(int) and exhaust. just my thoughts cliff

[CrashFarmer2]

Originally Posted by cliff tate

why not stay with a yblock, still parts available even adaptors for aods, i did a 56merc pickup afew progects back 292 bored to 312 bore adapted a 5spd mustang trans worked very well .decent power good fuel economy with the od trans,used the ecg heads 57 4v manifold(int) and exhaust. just my thoughts cliff

There are a bunch of 292s in old farm trucks around here. Ford put them in trucks and pickups until 1964. In 1965 truck and pickups got FEs.

I have a Y-block and a 4V manifold. I am saving them for my 55 Customline.

[Brian_B]

Crashfarmer: you want to look for a few Y-block parts from one of those farm trucks for me?

If you might be willing...PM me.

[56 customline]

i have just put a 390 into a 56 customline,you use the truck mounts and reverse them. i had to build a 2in spacer for the pass side and a 21/2 spacer for the drivers side. these polted into the stock frame stands. the reason i,m telling you this is because the 302/351w swap will work the same way. it really is no problem. if you are going to use a 4sd or stsndard trans,you will have to fabricate a mounting plate that will bolt to your belhousing bolts. these will have to go completely through the block so your plate can be bolted to the back side. your original linkage will then mount to this plate and it works fine.hope this helps

[JeffB]

'56 Customline is right on the mounts,I have a 302 Lincoln and AOD in my '54.I used a 89 Crown Vic driveshaft and Neapco makes a coversion u-joint to bolt it to the stock rear.A lot of the '54 & 55 Fords had 3.90 and 4.11 rears so I would go with an AOD instead of the C-4,unless you want to cruise at 4 grand. You might want to check out this website too:www.lovefords.org