Need Help Getting 5.0 INto 83 Mustang

[83StangRocks]

Hi,
I posted this once before and no one was really able to help me out, I have an 83 convertible that had the 3.8 v6 in it, and I am currently trying to put a 5.0 (302) out of an 80 or 81 3/4 ton van in it. I read on a lot of the forums and tech docs that you should use the 93 convertible motor mounts to get it in, I picked them up at Autozone and tried to drop in the motor but I have close to an inch gap on each side between the mount and the k member. Then thinking Autozone was wrong I bought them from my local Ford dealer and that made no difference. I noticed the hole in the k Member is slotted with a tear drop shaped hole should I try opening it up? Id appreciate any help you can offer, the car was my daily driver and since I started this Ive been getting rides from friends to and from work and school. Heres a link to the previous post I have pictures of the mounts next to the 3.8s and I have pictures of the k member. http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?p=6892488

Thanks
Anthony

 

[silver1983gt5.0]

did you try and bolt them to the motor first then to the mount in the k member? thats what i did and it went great i used solid motor ounts i dont know if that made a difference though

 

[83StangRocks]

I had them bolted to the block and then tried lowering it into the car and it almost seemed like they didnt stick out wide enough from the block.

 

[93 LX]

I could be wrong but I thought the K-member was different for a 6 cylinder then th 4 or 8. You do have the right oil pan> With all the 5.0L HOs in the boenyard why would you opt for a non-HO motor?

Allen

 

[83StangRocks]

I got the motor from my buddy's van before he junked it, it only had 75,000 and had gotten mobile one at every oil change since it was new, and he gave me a rebuilt c4 with it. Basically it was to good to pass up especially for free. I gave it a quick rebuild (rings, bearings, cam bearings, new gaskets, rhodes lifters, and had the heads freshend up) just to be sure it was still perfect and could take me driving it the way I do. Plus my 3.8 was pretty much dead (2 cracked heads and about 5 bottles of bars leak stop) so it seemed like perfect timing for him to give it to me. Has any body had this weird problem with the mounts before? I really want to get this thing going.

 

[93 LX]

I would check around to see if the 3.8 K-member is the same as the 5.0. If ot is then you need a pan from a Mustang for the 5.0 engine. Remember to get the pickup too.
Allen

 

[83StangRocks]

I have the pan off of a 93 and I just bought a new pick up if you goto the link toward the top of the page you can see all the stuff I have. Because I put a few pictures up. I called a few guys who deal with parting out mustangs and they said the v6 k member is the same only the straight 6 cars were different. Also the K member looks welded in is it easy to change with out extensive work? There are a few 5.0's in the junk yard by me so I could get one. I'm not sure if the early 80s cougars and Marks are the same I've heard mixed things but theres a bunch of them up there to.