The More I Think, The Worse It Gets, The More It Hurts

NickPohlAandP

I'm motor boating a tranny
Sep 5, 2017
72
64
38
Lake Charles, LA
So I'm in the midst of tearing down my Fox and getting it ready for a big block swap. If you've read my other post you know that I have a 454 and TH400 that I plan on using for this project. The more I think about it, the more I understand that space is going to be an issue. I know this. I haven't changed my mind to the point where I'm dead set, absolutely going to do this, but I've been mulling over the idea of picking up a 460 from somewhere and using that for motivation instead. The front distributor would just help a lot with me being able to set the engine back a tad further, and being a big block, I want it as far back as I can get it without cutting into the firewall. If I could find a C6 or PG trans I'd use that behind a 460, but that's not weighing very heavy on my mind because the TH400 is a stout bastard and I can get a bellhousing to mount it to a BBF.

I'm a "member" of probably 10 different forums and countless FB groups, but I only visit about 3 forums on a regular basis (before I joined here it was two). So here's a shout out for advice. I'm located in SW Louisiana. Does anyone have any clever ideas (other that CL) on how I could find someone who might want to trade a BBF form my BBC? Any thoughts are welcome and much appreciated.
 
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Maybe someone at a local machine shop might know someone in the exact opposite situation?

Good call. I should call my machinist. Sometimes the simplest solutions are right in front of your face.

I know in my other post I've been fairly set on using the 454 because I have it, but I'll still need to buy aluminum heads for it at some point to achieve my power goals, so the cost of decent BBC aluminum heads and comparable BBF heads is about the same, I can actually get my power goal on a cast crank if I wanted to with a BBF due to the larger journals, and having the distributor in front would allow me to move it back 2-3 inches. 2-3 inches might not seem like a lot, but I think it'd make a big difference with weight distribution.
 
So I'm in the midst of tearing down my Fox and getting it ready for a big block swap. If you've read my other post you know that I have a 454 and TH400 that I plan on using for this project. The more I think about it, the more I understand that space is going to be an issue. I know this. I haven't changed my mind to the point where I'm dead set, absolutely going to do this, but I've been mulling over the idea of picking up a 460 from somewhere and using that for motivation instead. The front distributor would just help a lot with me being able to set the engine back a tad further, and being a big block, I want it as far back as I can get it without cutting into the firewall. If I could find a C6 or PG trans I'd use that behind a 460, but that's not weighing very heavy on my mind because the TH400 is a stout bastard and I can get a bellhousing to mount it to a BBF.

I'm a "member" of probably 10 different forums and countless FB groups, but I only visit about 3 forums on a regular basis (before I joined here it was two). So here's a shout out for advice. I'm located in SW Louisiana. Does anyone have any clever ideas (other that CL) on how I could find someone who might want to trade a BBF form my BBC? Any thoughts are welcome and much appreciated.

Maybe I missed it, but besides its the motor you have atm. Why are you set on a Big block? The junkyard 5.3/6.0s are easy horsepower in comparison to the cost of a BB imo. Just a thought if you were still going hybrid (ford/chevy), but Im all for the BBF.
 
Maybe I missed it, but besides its the motor you have atm. Why are you set on a Big block? The junkyard 5.3/6.0s are easy horsepower in comparison to the cost of a BB imo. Just a thought if you were still going hybrid (ford/chevy), but Im all for the BBF.

MONGO WANT BIG BLOCK!!!

Just something I've always wanted to do. I love the sound of a big inch motor. I'd like to have a close to or slightly over 500 inch N/A engine that runs like a bat out of hell and sounds nasty as F***. At some point I'll build a truly high hp engine for the car, which will require lots more dollars and time. The way I figure is go ahead and build the car, get the big block in it, and have fun. Then I can tinker away at my shop, collect parts as my funds allow, and build something stupid fast. That will require turbos though. When I start playing with turbos my bank account plummets like the Dow Jones on an election year.

Basically, a big block will get me to where I want to be the cheapest way possible. No streetable 5.3 or 6.0 is going to come close to a 8.2+L unless they're boosted.
 
I have about decided that my next motor will be 500+ inch motor, probably closer to 600". I want to make 800-1000 on motor with a G Force 101a manual trans. :)

Joe