Squeezing a new engine in a 67 Coupe

[67stangboy]

The wife has agreed to let me build my new engine as long as I don't get a motorcycle so I have some questions. Right now I have a 302 in my 67 coupe, the headers sit low as it is, if I put a 351 or a larger engine what kind of problems am I going to run into as far as engine compartment space? When I re-built the car I had the engine compartment sprayed to match the rest of the car and I'm just worried about what is going to need to be moved/chopped/destroyed, to make the engine fit. Thanks for any help.

 

[mfp4073]

up to 390 class motors will fit in there from the factory....I will not tell you what you have to do to change the spark plugs, but they fit!

 

[65ShelbyClone]

When I re-built the car I had the engine compartment sprayed to match the rest of the car and I'm just worried about what is going to need to be moved/chopped/destroyed, to make the engine fit.

If you stay with 351W and 351C-based engines, then you do not have to do anything to the engine bay. I'm not sure that a 460 even needs bay hacking, but don't quote me on that. Like mfp4073 said, 67s were offered with a 390FE from the factory, so those fit as well as 427 and 428FEs which are dimensionally the same as a 390. However, since you already have a smallblock, it would be easier/cheaper to use a 351W/C since they are almost a drop-in replacement for a 302. You would probably just need different headers. (maybe....the 351W headers just put the collector lower to make up for the taller engine. The 302 headers will bolt up, but may hit the floor)

To put an FE in there, you'll need FE engine mounts and at least the right bellhousing. If you have a Toploader, you'll also need a bigblock-specific input shaft, flywheel, clutch, starter, clutch linkage, release fork(?), not to mention accessory brackets, etc, etc. With that in mind, I'm trying to decide whether my future engine build will be a 390FE or 393W .

 

[67stangboy]

Im leaning towards the 351W and making it a 408 stroker, but man I've seen alot of power out of the FE's. I'm just trying to get every little detail figured out before I start buying parts.

 

[67stangboy]

So whats every ones opinion on the stroked 351W compared to the FE, would one choice be better than the other, this car wont see much of the strip, mainly for shows, only out in good weather not alot of mile being put on it each year.

 

[latamud]

I met a guy in Hawaii tht had a 460 in a 68 coupe. He had an exhaust shop make custom headers, and the shock toweres stayed. He gave me a ride around the block in it. That thing was a beast.

 

[67stangboy]

Thats what I'm going for, not so much a car to drag race just somthing that I built with my hands that is a beast. I'm planning this out over the course of the next 2 years with the engine build, new tranny, and new rearend. Cannot wait to get started.

 

[67428CJ]

motor

i have a 67 fastback that originally had a 390 but currently has a 428CJ in it... dunno what modifications were done b/c it had it in it when i bought it but it is prettttty tight.

 

[THX 138]

i was at a speed shop and they had a FE big block and a 351 stroker. i was talking to the old timer and he didn't like the idea of the 351 stroker due to clearances and you could see the FE had the ports angled down more than the 351.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

So whats every ones opinion on the stroked 351W compared to the FE, would one choice be better than the other, this car wont see much of the strip, mainly for shows, only out in good weather not alot of mile being put on it each year.

For that purpose, either one seems like a good candidate. I suppose it comes down to if you want to save a little money and effort with the Windsor or invest a little more for the sake of uniqueness with the FE. With the max overbore and some mix-n-match Ford parts you can take the 390 out to either 400 or 406, I forget.

I guess if you mainly want to show it off, the 390 would stand out in a field of Windsors(390 is a good performance engine, too).

 

[D.Hearne]

To put an FE in there, you'll need FE engine mounts and at least the right bellhousing. If you have a Toploader, you'll also need a bigblock-specific input shaft, flywheel, clutch, starter, clutch linkage, release fork(?), not to mention accessory brackets, etc, etc. With that in mind, I'm trying to decide whether my future engine build will be a 390FE or 393W .

Just as a point of reference, the 390 4 speed cars had small block input shafts on the transmissions. It IS shorter than the other small block Toploaders, but the same diameter. Only the 427-428-429 cars got the big in/out toploaders. The shorter length was only due though to the front snout, ahead of the splined part of the shaft. The small block Toploaders can be used to replace the big in/out units.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Right, I was referring to that fact with an FE, you have to get the input with the shorter pilot bearing snout, not that anything else has to be changed. From what I've seen, the big shaft Toploaders were also usually close ratio. My Toploader came from behind a 390 and is of course a small shaft trans. Not like I'll ever break it with a smallblock.

 

[kmterrill]

Stroke the FE...

 

[SoCalCruising]

You are going to have an easier time with a 351W-based motor, I think. Plus there are tons of aftermarket parts available for making big power. FE stuff is getting harder and harder to find. Not impossible, certainly, but tougher than parts for Windsors. I would spend a lot of time researching what size stroker you want for the application at hand. A 408 would make a lot of power, but my personal preference would be to build one around a 3.75" stroke crank and a long rod - probably 6.2-6.25 inch. That would leave a rod ratio of 1.65+, which is my personal minimum for a long-life street motor. That's just me. If I could get a longer rod, reasonably priced, I would go bigger.

There are lots of good heads available for the Windsor for not too much money - aftermarket heads for the FE will be pricier. $$/hp, you are better off with Windsor. Certainly, if you build it right, you will be able to blow off the tires in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears (w/ manual tranny). Beyond that, your wife probably won't get in the car with you, LOL.

 

[D.Hearne]

I agree here, much as I like FE's, a Windsor with good heads to match the displacement will make just as much power with virtually no engine swap hassles. If you've already got an FE Stang, go FE. If it's a small block car, go with a stroker small block, either 302 or 351 based, Cleveland or Windsor. If you have access to a quench headed Cleveland, you won't have to buy heads.

 

[67stangboy]

Thanks for the advice looks like I will go with the 351W, What am I going to run into as far as problems with shocks and such? If later down the road i win the lottery/save some money and add a roots style blower what problems will I run into with a stroked 351, any thing I should plan for now to save myself headaches down the road?

 

[D.Hearne]

Suspension, brakes, transmission, rearend. You get the point......... it's no fun trying to handle all that power with 30 something year old suspension and brakes.

 

[67stangboy]

Rear suspension is new as of 3 years ago, so that should be fine, I plan of upgrading the front disc to a large disc and calliper. What kind of front suspension upgrades do you recomend? I still need to do my research on the transmition, just know I want to go with a manual tranny.

 

[D.Hearne]

Suspension ? Change it all. Do it all at one time. You can buy every part of the front suspension new and it pays in the long run to do it at one time instead of piece-meal. You can do stiffer springs and sway bars too. What transmission do you have now?

 

[67stangboy]

Stock 4 speed manual tranny for my 302,