Roller 5.0 Carb'd into 1968 Mustang

Exchange the front cover, dip stick, water pump, brackets, pulleys, and all accessories from old engine onto new engine. Use old fuel pump ('cause now you have a fuel pump boss). [Of course, you can use '68 replacement stuff, if the old stuff is bad] That takes care of the front dress.

Swap oil pans and pickup. You must keep the 5.0 damper and get a matching flexplate. These are readily available.

If you plan to keep the 5.0 heads (and not swap them out anytime soon), then you need nothing more than a Performer intake 'cause those heads are all done by 5000 RPM, anyway. If you think you will get aftermarket heads (or port the stockers), then get the Performer RPM intake (Air-Gap if you have the extra cash) or Stealth. You need no more than 500cfm carb, but can use up to 600cfm, if that's all you have. You don't need the bigger carb for high RPM use, 'cause the heads don't make power there. A big carb is a waste. Smaller is better, for once in life.

Hope that helps.

If you use the 5.0 balancer, you're going to need a different crank pulley. Yours is probably 3-bolt, the 5.0's are 4-bolt.

No need to change pulley , just drill the 3 bolt for the 4 bolt pattern. You'll only have to drill three holes. He'll need a 50 oz/in flexplate for a C-4, B&M and TCI both make these. Also recommend using a newer, early 80's timing cover that has the locating dowel provision for 2 of the lower bolts, makes it easier to get a leak free seal on the front seal. Also use the pan rail stiffeners off the 5.0 oilpan and get a Felpro 1 pc pan gasket. And the 5.0 balancer timing marks won't work out with the early timing cover, they're keyed differently due to the location difference of the timing pointers. The 289 cover pointer is at 2 o'clock, the 5.0 is at 10 o'clock.

hey man i was right where you are now not to long ago, i had the 289 in my 1966 and it was worn out, i had a 1989 5.0 roller block and beefed it up and dropped it in. the car is not done but almost. i took the timing cover and everything off the 1966 and put it on the new roller block, so now you can use the older style fuel pump cause you have the timing cover that accepts it. im keeping the stock V belt system for now also. to get the crank pulley to work i bought a summit brand balancer and it comes with both bolt patterns, 3 bolt and 4 bolt, it will also need to be 50oz. summit part# sum-163302 this summit balancer also had the timing marks at both locations so your set there too.
i also went with a C4 from TCI the flex plate im using is 50oz and a 157 tooth, this is what you will want summit part# TCI-529610 i got the bellhousing to match summit part # TCI-513300 if you dont have the block plate that goes between the block and the bellhousing well you will need that too. and this is the one i bought summit part# PMA-pa26445 it needs to be for a auto trans because it has a converter service hole so that you can get to the converter.

i went with the performer RPM intake just because my 5.0 302 is now a 347 with afr 185cc heads and i need the extra air flow. i also have a 600cfm holley carb that i think might hold up but not to sure if im going to need a 650cfm.

ok well i hope i helped you out, let me know if you need any thing else and if i have an answer you will get it.

We are making the same changes to my son's '70, but will be going to a T5 5spd as well, which adds to the list of changes (cross member and clutch linkage).

We are keeping the '89 roller's timing cover and drilling it to accept the dipstick tube. We will be using an electric fuel pump. We want to retain the serpentine system that came on the '89 motor as well, but need to figure out how to do this while eliminating components like the smog pump. We recently ordered a Ford Racing A321 intake and an Edelbrock 1406 600CFM carb on the advice of forum members here. We decided to add regular height valve covers from Ford Racing as well, and picked out a new oil pan. Still need to buy a new oil pump and pickup, and since we had a 6 banger originally we also have to sort out the right exhaust that will be compatible with the cable clutch we will be using.

JamesW has a great website at http://www.midnightdsigns.com/james/ that does the swap w/ EFI. Even though we decided to go the old school carb route, he has a lot of great instructions in there complete with pics ( for example it outlines the required dipstick relocation).

Good luck!!!

D.Hearne said:

No need to change pulley , just drill the 3 bolt for the 4 bolt pattern. You'll only have to drill three holes. He'll need a 50 oz/in flexplate for a C-4, B&M and TCI both make these. Also recommend using a newer, early 80's timing cover that has the locating dowel provision for 2 of the lower bolts, makes it easier to get a leak free seal on the front seal. Also use the pan rail stiffeners off the 5.0 oilpan and get a Felpro 1 pc pan gasket. And the 5.0 balancer timing marks won't work out with the early timing cover, they're keyed differently due to the location difference of the timing pointers. The 289 cover pointer is at 2 o'clock, the 5.0 is at 10 o'clock.

Click to expand...

You can't just drill out 3 holes to convert the old 3 bolt pulley to a 4 bolt pulley and get the sheaves to line up because the 4 bolt damper is much longer than the old 3 bolt damper. Either buy one of the aftermarket dampers as suggested by someone who has done this swap, or you can buy a new 50 oz early style 3 bolt damper from several Mustang vendors. The Ford Racing/Summit dampers that are drilled for both set-ups are short like the early damper and require a spacer if used in a 4 bolt application; one for 70 up V belts and another for serpentine.

69gmachine said:

You can't just drill out 3 holes to convert the old 3 bolt pulley to a 4 bolt pulley and get the sheaves to line up because the 4 bolt damper is much longer than the old 3 bolt damper.

Click to expand...

Wanna bet ? I've done one my friend. Depends on what damper you're talking about. There are at least two different offsets for the dampers used on the 289/302/5.0. Then there's the 351W & Cleveland ones. I drilled one pulley trying to figure out the accessories to swap a 67 289 into my 89 Ranger. Worked just fine. He may or may not be able to do so successfully, but it's worth a try before buying other parts.

The summit damper I bought came with all the spacers and what not to fit a large variety of pulleys, so if you go that route you shouldn't have a problem.

You can reuse the serpentine pullies off of the 5.0 too. what accesories are you running?

phazersonstun said:

I want to run the power steering and alternator from the '68. All of this information is great! So I basically need a new 50oz flexplate, maybe new pullies, change out the timing cover, and oil pan. What about the water pump. It's reverse flow. How will that work if I change the front timing cover?

thanks guys!

Click to expand...

If you don't plan to use the serpentine system, you will have to get a standard (i.e. not reverse) flow pump.

How is your radiator openings arranged, both on th epassenger side or staggrered? You can buy the v belt pulley from a 70 model they are 4 hole to fit a late model balancer