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65 Ford F100...Biggest Engine without Cutting

9K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  timothale 
#1 ·
Howdie boys (and gals). I'm going to continue to search and find this info myself, but until I find it I figured that I would go ahead and put the question out there. I've found a nice 65 F100 StepSide (FlareSide, whatever you wanna call it) Roller and I'm start'n to track down the pieces of the puzzle. She has no engine/tranny. I've been told at another, less classy or sophisticated, site that I should run a stock 6 and tranny combo for "reliability". That sounds very boring to me. I'm wanting something that will break the rearend loose. The engine bay is bare....stipped COMPLETELY and looks big enough in there to squeeze an S10 in. Not counting the money that will be spent on the roller ($2500), my budget is going to be around $5000.....that's stretched over 2 years. Hit me with some of that knowledge and give me some ideals on a engine....better yet, and engine/tranny suggestion would be great too.

I'm going to try to post a couple pics, hope this works.

Is $2500 too steep for what your seeing in the pics????



 
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#4 ·
My brother has a '64 "slab side" that he put a 460/C-6 combo in to tow his race car trailer. The truck is gorgeous and runs 13s ("empty"), while getting around 13 MPG pulling the load. You can see it Oct 13 on MuscleCar TV. They're interviewing my niece because she drives a Maverick "bracket" car. They pitted the Maverick against the pickup for "fun" (running aginast his 9 second Mustang wouldn't be "fair"). He still had to "let up" to keep from beating her in front of the cameras.

I know he put a later front and rear suspension in it. Contact me at:

mrpbody@centralvirginiamachine.com

I'll give you his contact info and you can talk to him about the swap. As far as "gas" engines, hard to argue with 460.


Jim
 
#5 ·
Truck looks clean and straight. Good price!!
I had a 64 once with a 455 Pontiac and turbo 400 in it. Big engine bay. Anything will fit.
Maybe for a real torque monster look into a caddy 500 and T400.
You could buy a big caddy fairly cheap I'd think considering your gas prices are finally starting to get up there.
 
#9 ·
How big of a deal is it to put a 473/500 in? Would there be a lot of cutting to line her up? Please remember, I'm ignorant with 4 wheels and I have no ideal what to do. Yes, I'll be getting a couple of friends to help, but the more info I can get in here the less stupid I'll sound to the guys helping.
 
#11 ·
Cross-breeding is okay, but the Caddy engines are getting scarce and expensive. Since Ford already makes a world-class torque monster (460), might as well go with it. If you really like that "500" number, it's easy enough to make a 501 out of a 460 with just pistons and rods and machine work. The factory nodular iron crank is plenty strong for the task. It can be offset-ground to make 4.14" srtroke with BBC rod journals.

Everyone knows I'm a Pontiac "bigot", but I do like a certain level of
"purism". I can see crossing brands if your brand of choice (body) doesn't offer an adequate engine family. That's not the case here.

Lastly, I fully understand, a person wants what they want because they want it. That may sound funny, but we tell all our customers: "It's YOUR money. You tell US how to spend it". The GM swap wouldn't be "easy", but not insurmountable, either.

Jim
 
#14 ·
I found a company that builds what sounds to be a pretty solid 460. I'm going to start a new thread on the topic, but wanted to say something in this threat. The company is Phoenix Engines out of Arizona. They build a "Midnight 460 Crate Engine" that's pretty modest as far as price and what I've ran across. $5090 "TurnKey"....so I'm assuming that's bolt it in and go. I might go their route on the engine, not I'm going to search out a Tranny. This is actually a lot of fun!
 
#15 ·
Even tho it would be nice to have a crate 460 I wouldn't go that way on my first build. Turnkey only means it's got a carb, distributor etc. Ready to fire up. Cam already broke in etc.
THen you need a tranny, torque convertor, starter, motor and tranny mounts, headers and exhaust, a shifter, a better rad, maybe better brakes, rebuild the suspension, better rearend, driveshaft etc etc. Add another 5 grand.
It adds up in a hurry and becomes a massive budget beater.
Keep doing research, take lots of time, go to car shows and cruise nights and look at similiar set-ups in trucks like yours. You'll be farther ahead.
I'd look for an old LTD with a 460 auto and build from there.
If you buy the big motor for 5 grand then odds are a year or two from now you'll have a big motor sitting in the corner and no truck built. That happens all the time.
Save your money. Do it right!!
 
#16 ·
i'm agree'n with W-nuts

don't blow the wad on a motor and your project will sit.. but u got a really nice motor on an engine stand...
i would also look for a running ltd or something like it. if i sell my bucket that's what i'm doing on a truck.. but i have a friend that has a running ltd for $700.. thats for the whole car.. look at your options and do the best for u...
 
#17 ·
I'm definently going to take my time. I'm making 2 different "budgets". One will be with "new" or special built parts (engine/tranny, etc.) the other with "used" and picked parts. I'm a very meticulus person, and very persistent also. I'll be giving myself a 2 year window to do the build. Ya'll don't know this, but I'm a disabled Veteran, so I'm home about 90% of the time. No problem as far as my time restraints are concerned. I'm pricing used Caddys and LTDs as well as pricing new. Learning a lot and enjoying the hell out of it....and I haven't even put wrench to bolt yet. Thanks again for all of the advice guys and gals, I really do appreciate it.
 
#18 ·
460 oil filter.

I don't know about your your oil filter, clearance issues. The FE factory filter casting for trucks pointed the filter sideways, the car filter points down. Ford Vans with 460's have a filter mounting casting that you can rotate as needed for more clearance, the van casting will work on anything that uses a ph 8A oil filter, mabe even and some Mopars that use Ford Filters. Some Heavy duty 460 vans and trucks also came factory with an engine oil cooler. If you get a 460 the first thing you want to do is get a double rolller timing chain kit and install it straight up. Factory smog years retarded the stock cam and lost about 30 HP.. the stock timing chains stretch and retard ign and cam after 10 to 20 K miles. A 460 single diaphram distributor vacuum can is adjustable. pull the hose and insert an 1/8 allen wrench to fine tune the advance.
 
#19 ·
I don't know about your your oil filter, clearance issues. The FE factory filter casting for trucks pointed the filter sideways, the car filter points down. Ford Vans with 460's have a filter mounting casting that you can rotate as needed for more clearance, the van casting will work on anything that uses a ph 8A oil filter, mabe even and some Mopars that use Ford Filters. Some Heavy duty 460 vans and trucks also came factory with an engine oil cooler. If you get a 460 the first thing you want to do is get a double rolller timing chain kit and install it straight up. Factory smog years retarded the stock cam and lost about 30 HP.. the stock timing chains stretch and retard ign and cam after 10 to 20 K miles. A 460 single diaphram distributor vacuum can is adjustable. pull the hose and insert an 1/8 allen wrench to fine tune the advance.
Thanks man. That's going in the notes...HIGHLIGHTED. lol
 
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