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Looking for others who swapped in a 4.6L engine

  • Thread starter Thread starter PeteFL
  • Start date Start date Jan 15, 2025
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PeteFL

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Jan 15, 2025
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Jan 15, 2025
#1
  • Jan 15, 2025
  • #1
I was looking for others who swapped in a 4.6L engine without deleting the shock towers while keeping the stock suspension and a Borgeson setup. It seems like there's no clear answer here either. However, if anyone has done a 4.6L or Coyote swap while retaining the stock suspension (I have a Borgeson setup, so there's a bit more clearance down there) and shaving the towers instead of deleting them, I'd love to hear about it.
I'm currently 3D scanning everything. I should know soon enough once I cross-fit all the components in 3D.

For those interested in a Coupe-to-Fastback conversion, here's my 19-page log for reference: here
It took me about a year, working every other weekend, but the second time, it would take me about 5 days to finish. So you can do math depends on your engineering skill level.
 

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air
Mod Dude
Dec 6, 2005
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Jan 15, 2025
#2
  • Jan 15, 2025
  • #2
Welcome to !

While I've never done this swap, I was curious and spent a little time researching. I know Ford shoehorned a 390 into the 67s and a 428 into a 68, so I started there. There are a few different measurements that popped up while searching, but from what I can gather, the 4.6 is wider than them both. Here are a couple resources I found:

https://mustangsandmore.com/ubb/EngineDimensions.html

chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/pdfs/EngineDimensions.pdf

Swap Sizing: Engine Dimensions & Tips for Popular Swaps

Ever since that first hot rodder dumped his Model A’s four-banger for a flathead V8, engine swaps have been a proven way to get the extra horsepower we all crave. Some swaps …
www.onallcylinders.com

So whatever they did to fit the FE engine, you'd have to do more of it. Whether it's doable or not is the question....

To fit the Boss9, Kar Kraft shaved the towers - as you're talking about. That's probably your best bet if you're looking to retain something resembling the factory suspension or a factory look.
 

Noobz347

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  • Jan 15, 2025
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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slyCaUyg92U
 
P

PeteFL

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Jan 15, 2025
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Jan 16, 2025
#4
  • Jan 16, 2025
  • #4
LILCBRA said:
We

To fit the Boss9, Kar Kraft shaved the towers - as you're talking about. That's probably your best bet if you're looking to retain something resembling the factory suspension or a factory look.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Glad to be here!
Interesting article - added to the knowledge base

Current course of action: people say the 4.6L is wider than the 5.0, so instead of flailing about with a tape measure, I’m employing a 3D scanner with 0.1mm precision.


I scanned 289 right inside the engine bay, then pulled it out and scanned both the bay and the engine on the hoist.


That gave me an aligned 3D view - like automotive X-ray specs - of exactly how everything fits. Good for a swap novice like me



Then I parked GT in front of my garage unplugging hoses, labeling cables, and quickly 3D scanned the engine bay to make myself busy tonight



This weekend I’ll yank out the 4.6L, will do detailed 3d scan it mid-air, scan the now-vacant GT bay, and see if the entire front and rear suspension can be grafted onto my ‘ex-coupe-to-fastback-turned-retrofuturistic-wonder.’ It’s only an inch shy of the GT’s width, so maybe I’ll slice and dice until it fits - or possibly just plonk in the engine and transmission. The 3D fitment results will decide my next move.
 
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LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air
Mod Dude
Dec 6, 2005
6,382
5,370
194
Corn County USA
Jan 17, 2025
#5
  • Jan 17, 2025
  • #5
It might be a little late, but I'd also suggest taking a tape measure and measuring the tightest gap between the engine and the strut towers in the late model. Then once the engine is out I'd measure between the strut towers at those points. I'd then compare those numbers to the distance between the shock towers in the 67. That would give you a second set of numbers for clarification as well as confirming what you've scanned.
 
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