Searching for older posts? Question about big blocks in early Mustangs.

[spirockp]

I'm sure this question has come up in the past, but I can't seem to find anything when trying to search.

Does a Big Block fit in a 66 Mustang and if it does are there any modifications.

Thanks for the help.

Peter S.

 

[LMan]

big block what? Lotta 'big-blocks' out there.

 

[danny clemens]

Without modifications a big block won't fit in a 66. I was told by a knowledgeable person that if you change the shock towers to the 67 style that an FE would fit. I think that there would be hood clearance problems then. You'd probably have to put a taller hood on it. The transmission as is will not bolt up to the big block. A 9" rearend would be needed to handle the extra torque and horsepower. Driveshaft would have to be made to fit. Probably need a bigger radiator. I'm sure there may be other small things but it sure would be a cool mod.

 

[spirockp]

Sorry, a 427. My bad I wasn't detailed enough. I'm just concerned what it would take to fit. I do realize that there would be many other changes.

Thanks.

 

[D.Hearne]

Nothing physically larger than a 351C will fit under the hood and between the shock towers in a 65-66 Stang. Replacing them with ones from a 67-70 won't do it either, the track width of the 67-70's was widened to fit the FE big blocks in them. Now, if you remove the shock towers and add something like a Mustang II front suspension, anything will fit there, Mod motors included.

 

[spirockp]

Thanks, that's exactly the information I was looking for!

 

[TOM B]

Nothing physically larger than a 351C will fit under the hood and between the shock towers in a 65-66 Stang. Replacing them with ones from a 67-70 won't do it either, the track width of the 67-70's was widened to fit the FE big blocks in them. Now, if you remove the shock towers and add something like a Mustang II front suspension, anything will fit there, Mod motors included.

100% correct. Im working on A 65 2+2 fastback im putting a 429 in and a mustang II suspension is the only way to go, get the power rack also

 

[dennis112]

From the "I often wonder" file. . . .

There were a few 65' and or 66' Mustangs that were reworked for big blocks in the 60's strickly for drag racing (they even moved the rear axle more forward and modified the quarterpanels.)

They certainly did not have access to Mustang II steering stuff. What did they do to shoehorn them in there? Can the stock towers be cut down enough and an L shape plate replace it? Anyone remember those cars?

 

[D.Hearne]

The cars you're talking about were drag strip only cars. These are the ancestors of today's Funny cars. All the ones I've seen had straight front axles. These were fairly easy to do then, as there were thousands of donor cars and trucks to use. Latest one I've seen is a local guy here that did this to a 66 Galaxie ( can't figure that out) and had a junkyard 460 under the hood. It looked the part too. A big scraggly 4 door car, original paint, white with a black vinyl top , but it ran 10 sec. 1/4's

 

[danny clemens]

Is it 100% that an FE won't fit in a 65/66 in an engine bay. I haven't talked to my friend since making the last post but I definately remember him telling me with different shock towers that it would fit. He usually knows what he is talking about and if he doesn't know he will tell you that. He owns a shop that caters to Mustangs and said the frame rails are the same distance apart. Wish I had a 67 here so that I could measure. I know the rear rails are the same distance apart because the spring perch width is the same and the wider track is from a wider axle housing. Could the wider track in the front come from wider spindles? I'm not saying that an FE would fit but I still won't rule it out. The Mustang II front end would be a good way to go but would be more expensive than changing shock towers (if changing shock towers would make it work).

I saw a 454 (ugh) in an early coupe one time but didn't even bother to look how it was set up. This guy definately had no class.

 

[D.Hearne]

Ford did the swap in the 64 T-Bolts with different towers(or were they just cut back?) and if I recall correctly, they used T-Bird upper control arms and/or spindles. Changing towers is about as hard as doing the Stang II swap. Neither is what I'd call easy, but you'd gain more room with the Stang II. I've never measured the frame rail width on either the 65-66 or the later ones, but I know that the car is physically wider. I'd highly doubt something as simple as a tower swap using 67-70 towers would work.

 

[67efivert]

the frame rails are the same just the shock towers and lower control arm mounts think bout it they used the same motor mount bracket from 66-70 for the v8?