Thinking about 460 swap...

Jacob_Royer

SCCoA Member
I came across a good running complete 460 truck motor and good c6 tranny for $500 74 model i believe. Anyway Ive been searching the crap out of the forum for info on 460 swaps and it looks like it has been done a few times, ive found out the basics, fox swap radiator etc. Anyway what i am wondering is this.

1: How hard is it to do the swap in a way that you can swap back to original drivetrain? ie: do you have to cut/weld to make it happen?

2: Does the driveshaft have to be shortened?

3: Has anyone done the swap retaining a/c, cruise, speedo, power brakes? If so what needs done to acomplish this?(i saw some posts mentioning a/c but no specifics on how to retain it)

4: Will a truck 460 from the mid 70s in stock trim perform any better than a SC motor or will heads/cam/intake be needed to get one to perform?

5: I used to have a f250 with a 70 lincoln 460 and it was an absolute beast! but from what i have read the 69/71 460 was 365hp/500ft lbs tourque! Is this mainly do to the heads? example can a set ove D0VE heads be swapped onto a mid 70's motor to achieve this level of power?

6: If i do this i will be refreshing the motor and adding a performer RPM intake, RPM camshaft DOVE or c9ve heads, 750 edelbrock carb and 2500rpm stall speed TC. My exhaust setup currently consists of 2.5" downtubes Y pipe 3.5" midpipe Y'd to 2.5" dynomax superturbo mufflers. Would this combination of parts get me in the 425/450hp range on 93 octane gas?

7: Will the above setup properly tuned get at least 15/16mpg in a SC?

And last but not least i saw some mention of offsetting the engine 1" in the engine bay? would this allow for retaining the stock master cyl setup and power brakes? Sorry for all the qustions! ive done alot of searching and got alot of bits and pieces out of it i am just trying to fill in the blanks and figure out if this is a silly thing to do instead of just putting my SC motor back together :)
 
1974 460=boat anchor. The 70 you had was a much better version. You would more than likely need to bump the compression up, cam it, head work and at least get an intake and carb. Leaving the compression alone I am really not sure how far you can go with performance mods without totally killing any bottom end you have..Someone more familiar with a 460 can help.

Things like swapping in earlier heads someone familiar with both engines needs to chime in, Dependant on CC of teh chamber you can either up or lower compression which you def dont want to do
 
From what i gathered the dove heads provided 10:1 compression (they where one the 365hp/500ft lb motors) but i dont know if they where running a diffrent piston then a mid 70's motor? I know chevy was all over the place on pistons and combustion chambers! ie the 307 had flat top pistons but HUGE combustion chambers and tiney valves, swap a standard set of 350 heads and they ran great! 305's had dished pistons with small combustion chambers so 305 heads with desecent valve sizes where an upgade on a 350.. on a 460 i have no idea!! i will try to get the #'s off this motor and find out more. guy i work with has it says its in a wrecked 86 f250 but it came out of a 70's car 70's is kind of broad it could be a high compression early motor or a later crappy compression motor i have no idea until i get casting #'s but im assuming its a low compression motor.
 
Jacob,

I'll come out and help you with that SC motor if you'll just put it back in! :):p

I don't know, but I would guess that you'd be pretty crammed in the engine bay with all your accessories and that big, wide motor. You'd definitely need to be mixing, matching, and MAKING parts to get things like the AC system to fit.

Big block in a SC body would be pretty cool though. :cool:
 
Jacob,

I'll come out and help you with that SC motor if you'll just put it back in! :):p

I don't know, but I would guess that you'd be pretty crammed in the engine bay with all your accessories and that big, wide motor. You'd definitely need to be mixing, matching, and MAKING parts to get things like the AC system to fit.

Big block in a SC body would be pretty cool though. :cool:

http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showpost.php?p=426663&postcount=2

This one doesent look too crammed! infact looks easier to get to the spark plugs :) Im tossings ideas around and if this can be done clean and retain a/c cruise etc it would be awesome!
 
Rich is the man when it comes to the 460 swap

Any change to the drive train componants most likely require a new drive shaft.
The 460 has awesome bottom end potential without a lot of mods. Run a two plane intake- better off idle scoot.
I am puting together some specs for my swap. Don't have a body yet.
Do have a '73-78 block (internal bal'd) tossing the iron heads and intake to ditch the 300+lbs and going with aluminum. Have a E'brock performer 460 intake that I am going to weld up to to convert it to EFI.
A 460 is a cheap HP maker. RV cam, dual plane intake, Fox swap headers and motor mount parts, dual exhaust, go with a C6 auto (3 speed) or do a manual conversion. (mine will be a 6 speed stick, to match the SC v6 6spd).
MikeH
 
The idea of twise the displacement and making 400hp on pump gas is really atractive when considering the price of making that kind of power with a SC motor. I'l probably just put the v6 back in but i want somthing that can handle SS camaros and supercharged mustangs.. Big block seems to be the most direct route on that one! Maybe i need to just put it back together leave well enough alone and go buy a Terminator :)
 
Is someone calling my name here???

This is by far one of the best swaps ypu can do to get cheap& powerful responce from. I have done a bunch of these swaps and they are very easy and cheap to do.
You can do it WITHOUT cutting anything on the car. You can go back to stock without any worries. Some of the things you will need to do this..
Get a good engine, you can get crate 514's new for around $4500 or less if you do some homework. You need a C6 trans, these were put into a lot of cars and trucks for many years. You can also get a C4 IF you find one with the right bolt pattern. The driveshaft needs to be made, and as far as the stock SC driveshaft goes it might last for a while but even if it would fit it will break as soon as you hammer on it too much.
You are best off running a carb and an aftermarket dist, as this is a lot easier to tune and get running.
The exhaust I use is a set of headers with one tube rebent to clear the steering. I also run a pair of 4" pipes out the back and use a fuel cell in the trunk. This not only sounds great, it lets the engine breath.
Let me know if you have any other questions on this swap.. Oh and for those that will cry big blocks are too heavy,,,, think again.... With a dash of alumium here and there they get to the scale on the light side... Even the blocks are now done in alumium if you want them.....Rich
 
So is a 70's truck engine worth messing with? i can get a complete running 4bbl 460/c6 for $500! or is this a boat anchor? Ive read that some of the 70s motors were only 210hp! that seems like a step backwords unless a head swap will get one to run good! also what about a/c? can you use bracketry off a 90's truck 460 to run serpentine belt and your a/c compressor?
 
someplace to start..

So is a 70's truck engine worth messing with? i can get a complete running 4bbl 460/c6 for $500! or is this a boat anchor? Ive read that some of the 70s motors were only 210hp! that seems like a step backwords unless a head swap will get one to run good! also what about a/c? can you use bracketry off a 90's truck 460 to run serpentine belt and your a/c compressor?

The truck engine will give you a lot of the parts you will ned to start with. You can even use the stock exhaust manifolds if they clear everything. You will have to do something to wake up that engine. Some of the good iron heads would help, but a good set of aftermarket alumium ones is a better choice. The cam will also need to be changed to bring it alive.
Now as for the air, you will have to do some goofing around to find what works for you. I didn't put it back on any of the cars that I have done. I am not much into air on a street car. There is room for it with the right setup, but I have never played with that part of it.. Let me know if you have any other questions....Rich
 
hey rich, whatcha say about a 557ci stroker? something we were talking about at work today. have you done one of these yet? what kinda crank are you using? and what block are you using?
 
IF you don't get it and do the swap...
let me know, my Torino guys will be all over that deal!
 
I'm a road racer . The handling on mine was great . I have pictures on TCCOA and Cardomain too (it died by the jerks at DMV and some theives ). I made custom motor mounts to lower the engine and close it under the stock hood and keep the ABS . I used the factory mounts and crossmember for the trany . The Alternator mount I made , power steering bracket came from a Lincoln . The Spal fan , driveshaft and the exhaust cost the most . I already had a engine an trany .
 
I'm a road racer . The handling on mine was great . I have pictures on TCCOA and Cardomain too (it died by the jerks at DMV and some theives ). I made custom motor mounts to lower the engine and close it under the stock hood and keep the ABS . I used the factory mounts and crossmember for the trany . The Alternator mount I made , power steering bracket came from a Lincoln . The Spal fan , driveshaft and the exhaust cost the most . I already had a engine an trany .



like i posted above, we were just talking about this today at the shop. i know you guys are all starting with sc's im starting with a lx so theres some differences to deal with. if i do this id like to keep the ac ps etc. but i have no idea what to use for them. anyone have any suggestions? whats the length of the driveshaft? id even love to keep the stock hood but if it doesnt oh well, but it would be nice.
 
go for the gusto..

hey rich, whatcha say about a 557ci stroker? something we were talking about at work today. have you done one of these yet? what kinda crank are you using? and what block are you using?

The car you got a ride in last year was a 514.. I did have a 557 but too much rpm's did that one in. You asked about cranks and other parts... If you want something good and not breaking the bank, I would go with some of the Ford motorsports stuff. They have some that are 557,514 and even 612. The amount of cash you spend will get you more of the good stuff. I did spend a bunch of $$$ on that John Kasse [spelling] 557 but to tell you the truth, I am not that sure it was all worth the $$$$$ to get the forged crank.. Now as far as blocks go, again go with the Ford motorsport ones. There are some alumium blocks out there and they do make good stroker engines, but mine has always been running a bit on the warm side. The thing is good at the track, but hates the drive to work in the morning. The temps have gotten to 230 and that just is not good with one of these things..
You also asked about transmissions, I am running a C6 with a brake and reverse shift pattern. That is what did the engine in at the last shoot out, miss shifting into "N" when I should have been going into second... I had changed the engine and trans in that car the week of the shoot out and just plain had a brain fart... That cost me a bunch of cash and now I have a sign to remind myself of the correct pattern.
I did do one with a Ford top loader four speed, but getting all the cluth stuff to work became more of an issue than I wanted to deal with. Stick to a good built C6 with a trans brake, and a good stall converter and you will be happy.......Rich
 
YO Rich!

Sounds like you need a neutral lockout dude!
To bad Mopar dosen't make the bang shifter anymore. Never had a problem hitting neutral from drive unless you push the button.
Good luck Rich.
MikeH
 
has a B&M rachet shifter already.

Sounds like you need a neutral lockout dude!
To bad Mopar dosen't make the bang shifter anymore. Never had a problem hitting neutral from drive unless you push the button.
Good luck Rich.
MikeH

There is a good shifter in the car, but when you change tranny's the day before and the shift pattern is 180 from what you normally drive it is very easy to go the wrong way when shifting. old pattern was "P-R-N-D-2-1 and the new one is "P-R-N-1-2-3" So as you can see if you are used to slapping the shifter forward as you go thru the gears you can understand just how easy it is to go from first to "N" at WOT.. now there is a sign on the dash that says "BACK ONLY" Some of us learn from our mistakes, the rest of us "old timers" just pay more for them....Rich
 
Doing the swap in a LX will be too easy . But is this a open road racer like my old one (DMV sucks ) or a drag/street car ? Fuel injection or carburator , mine had a double pumper and 3"inches of thread for the air cleaner .
 
for good 460 info, go to 460ford.com. I have a 78 F-150 with a nitroused 545 stroker in it. Makes 500whp/tq on pump gas and 700+ on nitrous. best it has gone in the 1/4 is 11.61 at 120mph and weighs 5200#. that was only on a 175 shot of nitrous though a toploader. last time I went to the track, I ripped all the teeth off 1st gear so I didnt get to run it with the 200 or 250 shots of nitrous. That engine has roughly 10,000 miles on it now without a refresh
 
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