[Venomfmj]

Hey guys I'm trying to out a 351w in my falcon. I was wondering if I should go with an 8.8 rear end or a 9? Also will a borg t-5 fit the 351w and if so will I have to modify anything? The car started as a 170 inline 6 with 3 in the tree.
Any help is appreciated.

 

[65FalconLover]

This question has been asked here a lot so you could search previous discussions and look over them as well. The short answer is: "Yes, it will fit". The long answer is: "It's going to take some work - quite a bit of it too". That is if you plan to do it right in the first place. Finding the mounts and getting the engine in is only a small part of the battle. Everything in the engine compartment is tight with a small block, tighter still with a taller deck Windsor. Headers are another issue you'll have to work through. I'm not sure if the small block headers will fit due to the higher deck/ports so custom ones might be the better way to go.

Now that you've got the engine in you'll also have to deal with suspension upgrades. You need to get the I6 stuff outta there and use all V8 suspension, braking system, springs and I believe steering components (I could be wrong on that part). Something else that you'll need to change out is the fuel line and some tank modifications. The tiny fuel line that served duty on the 6 isn't going to cut it on a 351W, expecially if you plan to hop it up. Even if you were to leave it stock I seriously doubt it will keep up. That means everything from the internal pick-up to the carb needs to be larger. I went with 3/8" aluminum line all the way.

Now to your question on rearend choices. It depends on how far you plan to go but the 8.8's have been known to take on all sorts of power. If you can get one for less than a good 9-inch that would work fine and you might end up with rear disc brakes if you start with one from an Explorer or other 4 wheel disc donor vehicle. Make sure you find one with the correct width or you'll be adding rearend narrowing and new axles to your budget. If you plan on making bigger power I'd suggest a 9-inch. They're out there and you can also buy new housings from places like Currie or Strange.

I went down this same road several years ago and like some people ended up selling the I6 car for the original V8 ride that I have now. It's just a LOT of work swapping out what ends up being the entire driveline, front to rear and mostly everything in between that's related in one way or another. In the end I've now changed almost everything except the mounts, etc. but it made it much easier in the beginning if that makes sense?

I can't answer your question about the T-5 but I've seen just about every transmission out there in them. I just don't know how much work it was. I stayed with my C4 but I like automatics if they're built right. With a floor mounted ratchet shifter, internal hop-ups and the right valve body, etc. it shifts just about as fast as I can bang the shifter handle.

You have a lot of work ahead but it's all do-able and the parts and assistance are out there waiting. Have fun!

John

 

[Venomfmj]

Thanks, i appreciate the feedback. As for the specs of the motor, to get a little more performance out of it I think I'm going to put in a ford lightning camshaft and maybe go with a 600 Holley carb. If the 8.8 will support that ive found that they are a little easier to find and a bit cheaper. And I don't have a massive amount of money to throw at it so... I'd like to not have to modify a rear end and just by one that mainly fits it. Im only 19 and pretty new to this I don't know a whole heck of a lot. I've done all the work on it up till now and I've helped build a few engines but as for the steering components I don't know anything about it. But what I gathered from what your saying is that I'll probably have to get new tie rods? I figured I'd have to get better brakes with the bigger engine so I was kind of counting on that. But right now it's manual everything, brakes, steering.. All of it.
I've read up on the headers and I keep seeing Tubular pop up as having good headers but I can't find a website or anything. Any possibility of pointing me in the right direction?

 

[65FalconLover]

I've never heard of them so I can't help there. I'm running Hooker Super Comps but I'm just not sure if they'll work on a Windsor motor. They're really tight so the slight height and width increase of your motor might be too much. Someone will comment on this I'm sure.

As far as your other mods og it all depends on how much power you want to make. I don't know anything about the Ford Lighting cam but I'd bet that there are much better cams out there for what you plan to do with it. As I tell people all the time, if you want input on items like cams, gearing, carb sizes, etc. you'll need to hand out all your cars "secrets" such as gearing, engine specs (everything you know about it), tire sizes and use plans. Everything must work together and even if one part of the combination isn't right, the car won't run correctly and you'll be fighting a loosing battle.

I'm running all manual stuff too (steering & brakes) and have no complaints. It's a little hard to steer at really low speeds but otherwise it's fine. I wish that I had done something about the steering box when I had the engine out last time but that's my fault. It's pretty sloppy in that area. As far as brakes go it had front discs when I bought it and I've since added rears so it is 4 wheel disc now. I can't really tell a differance but I hate drum brakes so I changed them out when I had the rearend narrowed.

Since I had a V8 car already I don't know much about what steering parts have to be replaced, if any, but I've heard some parts might not work.

I'm sure others will chime in here and help you on that part.

John

 

[ROG30Y]

do yourself a huge favor and forget about putting a 351 in it,to many issues to deal with(i mean headers!!!!)

build a nice 302(347) so you can buy regular headers and save yourself a ton of headaches.

 

[65FalconLover]

Something that I would also consider doing if going that route, would be to notch the shock towers some. I won't solve the header issue or anything else but will give you a little more room to work.

John

 

[d_day]

But what I gathered from what your saying is that I'll probably have to get new tie rods?

Steering box, pitman arm, drag link, idler arm, tie rods, spindles, all brake parts. You can keep the springs if you move the battery to the trunk and use an aluminum intake, otherwise you're changing those too.

As was suggested, starting with a V8 car would be easier, and probably better. A V8 car has a much stouter front frame. I've seen front frames in 6 cyl cars ripped apart by running as little as 350hp.

 

[Venomfmj]

Hmm.. Alright let me ask a different question then.. Is this swap possible without completely custom headers? And can I reinforce the frame enough for it to handle the motor?

 

[mustangboy]

Do a search for JustJims falcon..He is running a 351 in his 62 using a set of hedmans if I remember correctly..

 

[65FalconLover]

Hmm.. Alright let me ask a different question then.. Is this swap possible without completely custom headers? And can I reinforce the frame enough for it to handle the motor?

I can tell you that there are kits available that make it possible to install a big block FE motor so I know this can be done. It's just going to take lots of work. I hadn't heard that the I6 frames were any different than the V8, but I'm not an expert in that area by any means. Like I suggested, look around here in older posts by doing a search. I'm sure there are others asking the same questions.

John

 

[Venomfmj]

Thanks for all the help guys. I really appreciate it. And I understand it'll be a lot of work but I dont really plan on selling it so I'm prepared to do whatever is necessary. Ill start searching older post today, been to busy this week to do it before now. And if I have anymore questions I can't find in older posts I'll come back to this thread. Also something completely different and off topic does anyone know where I can find a stock falcon radio?

 

[brihvac]

Mine are not custom headers, but I do not see any kind of name on them

 

[BlueBird]

...Also something completely different and off topic does anyone know where I can find a stock falcon radio?

Do you have the deluxe dash or just the Mustang type instrument cluster?

 

[Venomfmj]

Ummmm.. I dunno what's the difference look like?

 

[d_day]

Ummmm.. I dunno what's the difference look like?

Deluxe has plastic trim going all the way across the dash. Regular model just has an instrument cluster, and the area around radio is all metal.

 

[Venomfmj]

Then i have the regular dash

 

[cmefly]

I would go the 347 route if it was my car. I have a 64 Comet with a 408W, I used the Rod and Customs MII front end and still had issues with headers. Ended up using BBK long tube foxbody 351w conversion headers and had to make a small notch in the passenger frame rail to clear one of the tubes. On my 65 Falcon Sprint I am installing a 331and keeping the shock towers. If you still want a 351W I would use the Crites shock tower kit and the Crites headers.

 

[Venomfmj]

I'd love to go to the 347 but this motor was in great condition and considerably cheaper so I went with the 351w

 

[cmefly]

I've read up on the headers and I keep seeing Tubular pop up as having good headers but I can't find a website or anything. Any possibility of pointing me in the right direction?

CRITES HEADERS and SHOCK TOWER KIT you will need this setup to install your 351w. Call them and get some info. I have seen a 65 Comet with a 351w using modified 302 super comp headers and it was tight. just install the crites kit and headers.

 

[Ronbob]

I have a 64 that was an inline 6 w a 3 on the tree. I have put in a 351w and c4 and an 8.8 out of an explorer in the rear. As was said you will need to replace ALL the steering components except the steering box. I went with a granada disc swap on mine.(another subject to research here) I have not driven it on the street yet but at the track it was fine.
I used the crites shock tower kit and headers. You will need to be a good welder or know a good welder to install the shock tower kit. The headers are a good quality kit and fit fine and the tubes are bigger than any I could find for anywhere near the same price as the crites. Its still a tight fit but not nearly as bad as the 72 v8 comet my sister had.
For the rear: you will need to narrow it to get it to fit. If you look at an explorer rear, the center section is not in the center. One side is longer. You will need to make the longer side the same length as the short side and get another axle for the short side and then you will need to relocate the spring perches. Again you will need to be a good welder or know one.
I put a fuel cell in the trunk of my car instead of using the factory tank. In my opinion if you are not taking trips in the car where you need the trunk for lugage who cares if there is no room?
All this work plus body work and paint took me a little over two years to do in the eavenings and weekends. I probably have a little over 6k into it and that was with alot of bargain hunting and doing EVERYTHING myself.
Be prepaired to get frustrated. Ford did alot of changes during these years and some things dont fit the same year car. :^( Take your time, do LOTS of research before you buy anything so you wont be wasting money and you will have fun and have a cool car that very few guys your age have.