6cyl to V8 Please don't yell

[GMHAHA]

I know this has prob been talked about a thousand times....but I have been searching the site and can't seem to find anything substantial. I am looking at a 67 6 banger and was wondering what it would entail to swap a 289 in...could someone point me in the direction of a site, or thread, or something....I greatly appreciate it!!

 

[rbohm]

the good news is that a six to eight swap is easier with a 67-70 car than with a 66 and earlier car as you dont have to change spindles. however you still need to change transmission, rear end, driveshaft, springs, radiator, hoses, linkage, wiring, etc. the job isnt hard, but is long and involved. better would be to hop up the six, and have some fun with that motor instead.

 

[brianj5600]

It is involved, but a lot of people change everything on the above list and more that start with a V8. That is what I was looking at so I found a 6cyl car for alot less money than V8's. After looking at a few V8 cars and thinking, let's see new brakes, aluminum radiator, 351w, better rear end....it seemed like I was changing everything anyway. It came down to motor mounts being about the only thing extra I was going to buy, everything else was going to be upgraded sooner or later. 67 frame mounts are odd so if you buy it email me about that, no big deal you just drill a new hole in the mount.

 

[65conv50]

I not only went from 6 to 8, I went from carb to EFI. Absolutely the way to go... wouldn't have it any other way!!

I say go for it - you want all the suspension and stuff new anyway, so upgrade as you replace.

 

[steel1212]

I've done it and its not that hard. If your going to want a performance oriented car then get the 6 as you'll change out everything other than the block anyway if you get a v8 car. If you want a sat night cruiser keep the 6 in there and smack a turbo on there. You still will want to replace the springs and rebuild the brakes anyway. I got my I6 with only needing new 1/4 because I knew there is bondo in there and everything else is great. I also knew I would be switching everything else out anyway. Its really not that hard just make sure you get what you want first so your not re-buying things. I bought a 8" then decided I wanted a 9.

A list of things that will be switched on the swap:

engine
tranny
driveshaft
rear (if your going to get one might as well get a 9 not much more $)
front spindles (several sell new ones, even with disc brakes)
radiator
suspension (springs, shocks (probably need these anyway))
wheels (going from 4 lug to 5 lug)

 

[D.Hearne]

the good news is that a six to eight swap is easier with a 67-70 car than with a 66 and earlier car as you dont have to change spindles. however you still need to change transmission, rear end, driveshaft, springs, radiator, hoses, linkage, wiring, etc. the job isnt hard, but is long and involved. better would be to hop up the six, and have some fun with that motor instead.

67's got the same crappy suspension the 65-66's had. 4 lug wheels, brakes, the whole 9 yards. About the easiest way to go about it is to buy a complete front end kit then go find a late 70's Granada, Monarch or Lincoln Versailles for the brakes and rear end.

 

[brianj5600]

67's got the same crappy suspension the 65-66's had. 4 lug wheels, brakes, the whole 9 yards.

That is not true. 67 suspension is interchangable with 68 if you don't mix and match lca and strut rod. From what I have read all 67 spindles are the same, 6 or 8, disc or drum. 67 did have the same steering box as the 65-66, but I'm not sure anything else is the same

 

[GMHAHA]

I've done it and its not that hard. If your going to want a performance oriented car then get the 6 as you'll change out everything other than the block anyway if you get a v8 car. If you want a sat night cruiser keep the 6 in there and smack a turbo on there. You still will want to replace the springs and rebuild the brakes anyway. I got my I6 with only needing new 1/4 because I knew there is bondo in there and everything else is great. I also knew I would be switching everything else out anyway. Its really not that hard just make sure you get what you want first so your not re-buying things. I bought a 8" then decided I wanted a 9.

A list of things that will be switched on the swap:

engine
tranny
driveshaft
rear (if your going to get one might as well get a 9 not much more $)
front spindles (several sell new ones, even with disc brakes)
radiator
suspension (springs, shocks (probably need these anyway))
wheels (going from 4 lug to 5 lug)

Smack a turbo on a 6? How much is that?? The motor that's in the car is locked up. I kinda like the turbo idea....

 

[latamud]

don't forget headers, exhaust kit. For engines, 289, 302, 351w, 351c to stay in the small block family. They all bolt up to the same trannies. I did a 6-8 swap a few years ago. I went 302 and in the middle of the project(after everything was running) a guy sold me a 351w, so I had to redo my exhaust. I should have just planned for the 351w in the first place.

 

[D.Hearne]

That is not true. 67 suspension is interchangable with 68 if you don't mix and match lca and strut rod. From what I have read all 67 spindles are the same, 6 or 8, disc or drum. 67 did have the same steering box as the 65-66, but I'm not sure anything else is the same

The spindles may be the same but for sure, the rear end's not going to be an 8 inch. And the steering box was changed somewhere in the middle of the model year. My 67 had the later style rag joint in the shaft.