428 into a 55 T-Bird

[Admiral428]

I'm new to this forum and not sure where to post such a question..! I have a 55 T-bird that I'm putting a 68 428 cobra jet in...I've removed everything and ready for install. Who can advise me on motor mounts for this thing??? I've done the oil pan treatment and trivials...but at a loss with motor mounts as I've heard so many different ideas..anyone out there currently running this combo???? You can call or text me at 801 347 6366...would like some clarification quickly!!

[fordrodsteven]

It has been done before but I cannot find any information about putting the big block into the little bird. I have seen you tube videos of little birds with big blocks but nobody goes into showing the mounting system they used. I know there was an article published about installing a 390 in an old publication back in the '1970's. I think it was in a monthly pamphlet call the Thunderbird Scoop" I'm not really sure. I think the author was a guy named Barry Thomas.
I have a 302 automatic in my '55. There are other issues you will find as you go to put the engine in. Many times the steering box is certainly in the way. There are other things you may run into. (exhaust headers, wiring differences, radiator relocation) My advice is to get a set of original Mustang or Fairlane mounts. The blocks on all those big FE's are pretty much the same so the mounts don't have to be specific to the 428. (390 mounts would be the same animal). Bolt the mounts onto the engine and get it in the frame where you will want it to be located. Then you will have to fabricate something to get from those engine mounts to the frame. I personally would make it something that can be bolted /unbolted from the frame also. I would have my transmission attached to the engine also so that you can see if you need to fabricate a transmission mount or crossmember or reshape the transmission tunnel. I pulled my 302 from a 1981 Thunderbird. I had to modify the power steering bracket to move the pump in 1" to clear the frame. I had to fabricate a new AC compressor mount to lower the compressor because it hit the hood. Good luck with your modifications. Just be patient and thoughtful about being able to work on the car in the future once the engine is in.

[Joe Johnston]

Moderator note: I have split these posts from the original and created a new subject line.

[fordrodsteven]

I'm going to a breakfast with the guys from the local Thunderbird club. It will be the last Tuesday of the month. (June 27) . I will see Barry Thomas and I will ask about the engine swap. He might remember the good and bad about putting that big block into the little bird. There might even be other guys there who know something about this particular swap. I'll update you afterwards.

[fordrodsteven]

I found this on a Mustangand ford web site. I went back an read the rest of his posts. He had a lot of issues because he not only went with the big block but he also mated it to a different transmission. I think your best bet is to have a good matched angine and trans and then work to mount them into the frame. From there you will find problems as you go along with the install. Don't be discouraged. You might have to design and fabricate much of your own stuff to get it to work. Just keep at it.

Progress on the FE/AOD swap:

I've got the engine and transmission mocked up in the car. the AOD slides into the trans tunnel with plenty of clearance all around and is about 3" shorter overall than the F-O-M. A longer drive shaft is being fabricated. The trans mount misses the stock holes by about 3" to the rear. I need to fabricate a plate to bolt to the stock crossmember extending to the rear. The speedometer cable works with the AOD. Shifting the AOD is not worked out yet.

I trimmed an inch of depth off a '93 Lincoln Mark VIII electric fan, a little notch for the lower hose and it fits the stock radiator like it was made for it. The stock radiator is going to be it for this year. It may be sufficient with the big fan.

The FE sits low enough the MR 2X4 intake will fit under the hood. A Ford FE high mount alternator bracket set works for the 3G 200 amp alternator. The Ford FE AC bracket works. I've whittled down a cast iron '64 Galaxie power steering bracket to mount the remote reservior power steering pump under the AC on the driver side so it clears the upper A frame mount. I'm found a set of steel Ford pullies from a scrap pile that will work, a 2 belt pulley on the crankshaft and a 3 belt pulley on the water pump. The accessory drive package looks like Ford put it there.

The headers are still not resolved. I have a set of stock cast iron log manifolds that will fit to get it running. It appears that the FPA Mustang FE Tri-Y with a modified tube at the flange for cylinder #6 will be the solution to missing the steering box.

No cutting, drilling or welding of the original frame/body has been necessary.

[fordrodsteven]

you should google the jalopy journal tech ford V8 swappers guide. There's a LOT of information there!

Total Control Products makes a lot of stuff for engine swaps. Though not for the Thunderbird. The tech department there might have some knowledge to help you out.

[fordrodsteven]

Well how about that. I went to the local car show today and I saw a couple guys from the Thunderbird club there. One of them (Barry Thomas) told me he has done the 390 swap into the little birds and yes he IS the guy that wrote an article about 45 years ago. Anyway. He told me that the steering box is a problem for everyone putting in anything other than a "Y' block. He said small block or big block doesn't matter. He did tell me that the 351W is more narrow and taller than the 289/302. He had his '56 Bird there with a 351W in it. He said he used a pan off of a truck engine. He used headers from Pypes that were for a 302 mustang (post 67 vintage) So... he told me that when putting the 390 into the Bird they took the high performance exhaust manifolds and cut off the first port on the left manifold then cut the same piece off a low performance manifold and put the first port from the low performance manifold onto the rear three ports of the high performance manifold. I don't know how they joined together. (maybe braze? Maybe someone to cast iron weld?). I personally would probably get headers and rework them to fit. So there you have it. It's difficult but it's possible.

[bms-3]

I have a "57 with a 428 Cobra Jet FE Engine and C6 transmission. It's a tight fit, but it works. The motor mounts were custom fabricated. The driver side motor mount straddles the steering box, making the steering box impossible to remove without cutting the motor mount out. I'm fabricating a new motor mount that is bolted to the frame rather than welded.

[DynoDan’55]

Likely not relevant (since ‘the boat has sailed’ for you guys), but don’t really see the point of FE/etc. big block T-Bird swaps anymore, since so much Y-Block speed equipment & expertise has become available in recent years. All the grief involved in making things fit could just as easily be invested in building-up the stock motor, which though indeed limited in displacement potential, could make more power than the stock Cobra Jet (check out the ‘Engine Masters’ competition stats) without all that added weight up front, which undoubtedly won’t help handling.