Thread: Greetings from Salt Flat, Texas

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Just joined, my name is Sabrina, "Brie" for short. 63 Retired Army, been twisting wrenches since 1964 as a kid.
I have a 1959 F-100 that I want to put a 1971 Ford 400M with a C-6 into, will it work??
Brie

Brie, First thanks for your service to this country... welcome aboard.. Can't help you on your question but i don't know why it wouldn't fit... not sure how big the 400 is.. maybe someone else here will get back to you... hang in there and thanks again..

Brie--welcome


By going to a 71 400m you are only gaining 12 years into more modern stuff---------is there a particular reason you want a 1971 400??????? A 460 and accessories from a Lincoln would be a better choice

Brie,
I echo Parkwood's thanks for your dedicated service. Your F100 has tons of room up front, enough to sit on the inner fender with your feet on the frame to work on things under the hood. I saw a F100 of that era (maybe a '60?) with a 4.6L Mod Motor, and it still had room to spare. The Mod Motor is super wide, so I don't think you'll have any problems, other than either finding the right mix of motor mounts or fabricating new mounts on the frame. There may be someone here who can guide you to an OEM mount that works.

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Welcome to CHR Brie! Yeah, the engine and trans will fit in the '59 quite well. If my (feeble) memory serves me correctly you can use the 400 motor mounts, then the stands that bolt to the front crossmember from a '68-'72 F-100 with a small block in it. Should be real common item at a U-Pull-It yard. Might have to shorten the stands, can't remember, but once you get the whole thing mocked up you'll just need to drill new holes for the stands. Did a similar swap in a '60 a couple decades back. Oh yeah, trans mount was the same way, rubber mount from the C6, then just re-position the original trans mount and bolt it back into the frame rails. Whatever is rig is donating the engine and trans, you might want to grab the radiator, too.

Truck trans has a shorter tail shaft housing so you may need to shorten or lengthen drive shaft if new trans is from a car

Thanks Guys, basically the 400 M is a stroked 351 Cleveland. The 71 LTD had it's engine and tranny completely rebuilt in 2003 by a Ford dealer this guy loved it so much. He put somewhere between five and six thousand miles on it before he was diagnosed with inoperable cancer, and he and his Methodist Minister wife put it in storage in Carlsbad in covered, but open storage. She had been paying the 50 dollars a month storage on it ever since, when she approached me at a small Cafe' in a farming hamlet of 200 about a year ago. I left it in storage, but will make the 260 mile round trip to Carlsbad to bring it home next month. It has never been started since they parked it, the Interior and paint look fine but it can't be registered in Texas,I have the N.M. registration, but to the to the dead man, Etc.. All four tires are dry rotted, but I can turn the engine over by hand. Advice anyone?

Sounds like a great engine for the truck to me, but if you're interested in keeping the car together I'm pretty sure you can get a Texas title - might have to pay an attorney a few bucks, but people buy from estates all the time, even estates in other states. Get a bill of sale, and if the wife can find the NM title have her sign it over to you along with a short letter explaining the situation. Start with the DMV and go from there....

Whats in the truck for an engine now?????????


Since the LTD is a 1971 its probably higher pre smog compression and has a 9 inch rear end and front disc brakes????????????

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

Whats in the truck for an engine now?????????

The truck has a 292 mated to a T98 transmission. I put a wrench on the crank pully, and it spun easily through two complete revolutions. I grew up learning that the 292- 312 engines were legendary for having upper oiling problems that fried a bunch of engines. In a perfect world, in keeping with making the truck look like it was a hot rodded truck with early sixties paint and wheels I would put a 312 crank and rods into the engine, which is what a lot of rodders did, but I have heard too many bad things about the upper engine oiling. Your thoughts??
Since the LTD is a 1971 its probably higher pre smog compression and has a 9 inch rear end and front disc brakes????????????

It has pre smog compression, the 2 BBl Holly, a points type distributor which I actually prefer, A non-computerized transmission, and front disc brakes. I'm not sure about the rear axle, and won't know till I bring it home next week. As soon as I bring her home, I will pull the plugs, and throw some MMO down the cylinders. I am an active pilot, and have an engine pre-oiler with oil heating elements that I will use to heat and pressurize the oil in the engine. What I am NOT sure about, is HOW to bring the C-6 that has been parked that long back on line? Should I just take it to a good tranny shop and have them rebuild it? I have worked on anything from lawn mower engines, to Cars, short track stock cars, Motorcycles, and my aircraft, but I know absolutely nothing about automatics, so I'll leave that to an expert.

R is for backing up and d 1, d2, l are for going forward---put it in P or N for starting, holler out clear and turn the prop---------


Auto matic trans aren't like engines with cylinder walls and rings, valves, camshafts, etc 0000-----fire the engine warm it up and cycle the shifter between the gears to circulate some fluid and then try driving it--------


but-whats in the TRUCK now?????????

Jerry, I think Brie answered the question directly above your last post, 292 old Y block I think. Welcome from me down under too Brie. We love photographs so when you get this beast home don't forget to get the camera out please.

Brie,
Like Jerry says, the first test is to get it running, hit each gear position to see how it feels & sounds, top off the fluid and then see how it performs. Chances are the seals are going to be dried out, but you may get lucky and a little exercise softens them up enough. If you do decide to go through it ask around and find the independent, no name tranny shop where the mechanics take cars. Not many mechanic shops tackle transmissions either, and they know who fixes them right because they are going to be the guy guaranteeing the tranny guy's work. I doubt it will be one of the national chains. Around here it's Olathe Transmission, hidden back on an old feeder street, tall metal building with lots of "stuff" scattered around but about every shop in the area takes Paul their transmissions. He's the guy you can tell, "Just fix it" and he'll do what it needs to be right, and nothing more.

Welcome Brie.. good to see you here. Not sure what options are in the LTD but, if it's real nice.. maybe it's to nice to part out??

In any event, lube the cylinders as you planned and with the plugs still out, spin the starter and let the motor build oil pressure. You can also verify spark from the coil at this time. Drain any old gas and replace with fresh and then put the plugs back in and see if it'll start.

If you haven't heard it before... we love pictures!!! 8-)

I put a photo of the 59 truck which IS at my place as my Avatar, I'll try to load some more up in an album tonight.