I'm a Mopar guy but for heaven's sake, PUT A FORD in a FORD! The world has seen enough "cookie cutter" small block Chevys.

 

Ford in a Ford

Amen, we have far too many Chevy powered Clonemobiles out there as it is.

 

427 Cobra Jet imp:





Mike

 

Completely agree with the two previous,howzabout go one better and retain the flathead?Ya can't get any cooler than that.

 

Any of the above are good choices lol, but to answer your question go with the 351 :thumbup:

 

If you put a sbc in there it will burst in to flames before being sucked in to the depths of hell.

 

any V8 ford will be appropriate.

 

its your car...do what you like..if it were mine it would be Ford powered...& im generally a Chebby guy

 

351,please.

 

TPI engines can be mean but I tend to like 429-460 fords. My 429 in my bronco was even beating my SBC in gas mileage( I guess that 14 miles to the gallon isnt great but I didnt find it bad for a big block with a holley 750 on it.) Other wise I would go with the SBC TPI it will be better for cruzing if you plan on driving it, if its all show no go then yea I would build a 351 or the original flathead.

 

351 or 350

Dont be dissing the 351W, its a very gutsy engine.

 

If you really want to get people going put a Mopar in it. You might get run out of town but it would be different.

Seriously it is your car don't worry about what others think. since you asked I am assuming you are concerned with the way others "see" your car. If that is the case go with Ford power in a Ford.

Either way you go someone will have something to say about it. If you go with Ford power people will say you are throwing money away (because they cost so much more to build the same power as a Chevy). If you go Chevy power then you are just a "follower", etc... Do what makes you happy. If you have the Chevy engine sitting there then use it, if you are starting from scratch and I were in your shoes building a Ford (that'll never happen) I would put a Ford in it. This is from a guy building a Buick and putting a Chevy in it (I already have the engine handy).

I think you will get more respect if you put a Ford engine in it (from the Ford guys).

Royce

 

the end result

Well the ballots are in, and Camaroman is right. The final choice is yours.

 

Heavens

Put the ford in it..the distributor is in the correct end... :mwink:

OMT

 

I'm a GM guy and primarily Chevy but if I had a '51 Merc I'd be inclined to use some type of Ford/Lincoln/Mercury motor in it. I've always wanted to find a 410 FE out of a mid-60's Mercury to put in something just because most people have never seen or heard of one.

For that matter when was the last time anybody here saw a '49-'51 Merc that still had a Flathead in it? How cool would that be? I'd like to see one with a tricked out Flattie with a tweaked AOD bolted to the back of it...............

As much as I like my Chevies PLEASE don't put a Chevy engne in it, P-L-E-A-S-E................. that is SOOOOO boring.

 

A tricked out flathead is the only way to go. :thumbup:

Rich

 

Engine

imp: Doc here, imp:

Now if ya really wanna be diff...go solar Powered Electric....

Chrome the motor...use the solar panels as a trick sunroof...and a 1/2 ton of battery's as "Trunk Balast".... LOL J/K

I once did a similar swap about a gazillion years ago with a 50 ford Sport Coupe...Choice was 350 Vs 390...and if I remember correctly, going he 390 route..was easier...(this too was back before you could Order mount kits to fit anything..)

And If I remember the 50 Coupe was about the same layout as the (49 Merc I owned at the time) maybe a little more cramped in the coupe...

This was back in the days when My Engine Puller was a big wood "A" frame made from wayy old fence posts, :nono: a (and never do this ain: ) a Chain fall device without "locks"..Engine stand made from "Foremost milk Crates" :drunk: and tools manufactured in Bedrock usa.... :sweat:

Stick with Ford in a Ford!

And Flatties Do have a nice "Sound and look to them...If your into retro" So don't rule that out either...

My 2 C worth...

Doc

 

Put what you want into your car. Funny how die hard Ford guys want a Ford in a Ford. Does not mater that this is a 51 Merc which had its own Flathead Merc, not Ford.

Now for the real decision. The front sump on the Ford motor presents a challenge when oil pan meets the cross member. You have a couple of choices there: 1. Use a 66-77 289/302 oil pan (if they will fit your 351) or make your own. 2. Modify the cross member (you still have to do a little of that with 1 above, or set the motor much higher than you should)

Centerline, if you drove your rods the way I do mine, availability of parts any where in the USA on any day of the year is important. I certainly would hate to sit in Timbuktu for 5 days waiting on a part to be shipped in to get me going again. That, plus the ease of installation of the SBC in the older Fords, vice the 2.5 inch longer SBF, means a lot to me. The SBC "Cookie Cutter" became just that because of the millions made, the glut of after market parts, interchangability over 50 years of production, and just plain old reliability. Many of us have seen so many ingenious engine swaps and have nothing but great words for this ingenuity.

Trees

 

trees, this same topic is goin on in a nother thread cause someone started it complaining about people putting chevy engines in street rods. All the reasons you mention have been talked about there. I personally understand the logic of using a sbChevy..., however, I personally, enjoy seeing something other than a SBChevy...rods are supposed to be unique..so I like to see unique is all. but clearly the SB Chevy is generally the cheapest & easist route

 

Put what you want into your car. Funny how die hard Ford guys want a Ford in a Ford. Does not mater that this is a 51 Merc which had its own Flathead Merc, not Ford.

Now for the real decision. The front sump on the Ford motor presents a challenge when oil pan meets the cross member. You have a couple of choices there: 1. Use a 66-77 289/302 oil pan (if they will fit your 351) or make your own. 2. Modify the cross member (you still have to do a little of that with 1 above, or set the motor much higher than you should)

Centerline, if you drove your rods the way I do mine, availability of parts any where in the USA on any day of the year is important. I certainly would hate to sit in Timbuktu for 5 days waiting on a part to be shipped in to get me going again. That, plus the ease of installation of the SBC in the older Fords, vice the 2.5 inch longer SBF, means a lot to me. The SBC "Cookie Cutter" became just that because of the millions made, the glut of after market parts, interchangability over 50 years of production, and just plain old reliability. Many of us have seen so many ingenious engine swaps and have nothing but great words for this ingenuity.

Trees

Haven't we all heard this argument done to death, lets not turn this into another Chevy vs Ford debate please. Notice that quite a lot of us who suggesting sticking with a Ford motor are actually Chevy guys. I think even the die hard Chevy guys are getting tired of seeing the same motor in everything.

Rich

 

I'd definitely go with a flattie. They are very reliable, make decent HP, and sound like nothing else through open lakers. A rebuildable 8BA can be had for 3-400 bucks if you look around a bit. There are tons of really slick speed parts available too. Maybe a Lincoln tranny as well. They are available if you look around some. Few people except restorers want them anyway.

 

nostalgia correct = flatty hopped up

period correct = flatty, 265/283 sbc, 331 hemi (had one in my 52 Ford back in early 60's so I'm sayin' it's period correct)

cheap & easy but it's been done = 350/350

cheap & easy plus you get bonus points = sbf or bbf

unique = early olds or nailhead buick

Take your pick. Nuthin' wrong with any of them.

 

I'm a GM guy and primarily Chevy but if I had a '51 Merc I'd be inclined to use some type of Ford/Lincoln/Mercury motor in it. I've always wanted to find a 410 FE out of a mid-60's Mercury to put in something just because most people have never seen or heard of one.

My neighbor is always going on about the potential of the 410 Merc. engine. This sounds like a good option to me. Keeping it in the same gene pool is always a good idea.

 

.....Centerline, if you drove your rods the way I do mine, availability of parts any where in the USA on any day of the year is important. I certainly would hate to sit in Timbuktu for 5 days waiting on a part to be shipped in to get me going again. That, plus the ease of installation of the SBC in the older Fords, vice the 2.5 inch longer SBF, means a lot to me. The SBC "Cookie Cutter" became just that because of the millions made, the glut of after market parts, interchangability over 50 years of production, and just plain old reliability. Many of us have seen so many ingenious engine swaps and have nothing but great words for this ingenuity.

Trees

No argument about the reliability and parts availability of the SBC. However, there are a zillion other reliable engines out there too (just try telling a Ford guy that his small block isn't reliable, or a Mopar guy that the small block Mopar isn't the same). It just seems that a whole lot of people build their cars without giving proper consideration to other options besides the SBC.

 

410 Merc

The 410 FE, which was essentially a 390 with a 428 crank in it, was a very torquey engine. They could pull pretty hard, but werent a high revver due to the bore/stroke combo, being almost square.
I think the idea of the 351W in the Merc is a great idea. The double hump pan off of the later 302's used in the smaller mustangs wont fit on the 351, nor wil any SBF pan due to the big difference in front and rear main cap sizes, However, there are a few companies out there making aftermarket double hump pans for the 351W. I am not sure that the pan will be a major problem, however. If there is anyone that has put an SBF in a similar car, will have knowledge of your project, as putting a 351W in it will be no different.