•  

    Click HERE to join our forum and participate in the discussions.

     

To V8, or not to V8


Toasted

New member
Joined
Apr 24, 2021
Messages
12
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Vehicle Year
1987
Vehicle
Ford Bronco II
Little backstory here. I have an '86 BII that doesn't have spark, or fuel. My guess is the pcm is garbage, but spending 100$ on a new module would be dumb.

Buddy of mine has a 351w I can have, for free. Free! It's carbureted but it's coming from an RV.

My 93 f150 just seized, so i've got a good source of parts there, though I could also put the 351 in there.

I've got a few other cars n whatever to drive, but having this move under its own power in 6 months would be cool.

Frame is in great condition, has dana 28 front and 7.5" rear, 3.45's. May switch out for 150's ttb dana44 and 8.8.

Hasn't ran since I got it, but it would be pretty cool to have a v8 rbv. Not the smartest when it comes to custom fab, but I'll make it work.

What manifolds can I use? (bodylift for sure, maybe 1-2") I'm gonna have to move my crossmember back anyway (fm145), but will it need to be back any farther than swapping in an m5od-r1? (truck is r2 but theyre the same size I think) Could I use "heavy duty" james duff mounts? Mounts from advance adapters say they arent to be used with a 351w.

Body is practically junk (front roof reinforcement metal is gone + floors + rear cargo area edges) so i was gonna swap in a ranger cab at the same time, which is a 90. Cab comes last obviously, cus it's the objectively easiest part of it.

Any feedback, insults, whatever are welcome. Hope this doesn't get buried like a few have, but those are old.
 


duffy

Active member
Joined
Jan 12, 2020
Messages
168
Reaction score
49
Points
28
Vehicle Year
1989
Vehicle
Ford Bronco II
It sounds like the B2 is pretty much junk? I would put the 351 in the F150......If you like the challenge of cramming that V8 into a B2 then have a ball. I have done numerous things that didn't make much sense just because I wanted to.
 

Toasted

New member
Joined
Apr 24, 2021
Messages
12
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Vehicle Year
1987
Vehicle
Ford Bronco II
It sounds like the B2 is pretty much junk? I would put the 351 in the F150......If you like the challenge of cramming that V8 into a B2 then have a ball. I have done numerous things that didn't make much sense just because I wanted to.
The body is gone, but the frame is good. I may just patch it up if the '90 cab is too hard to put on.

Other than that, I don't really care for it but I bought it for a grand(!!), as they're sorta hard to find.
 

85_Ranger4x4

December 2013 OTOTM
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
95
Reaction score
77
Points
18
Age
39
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
2022
Vehicle
Ford
Engine Size
2.3
Suspension Style
4wd
Ranger cab swap has been done. "Todd" had one on TRS.

I have heard of guys running 289 manifolds on 351 swaps as they hug the block tight.

Duff mounts should work. I used fox covert mounts for my 302 swap, if I had it to do over again I would use 4.0 mounts with adapter plates.

My R2 has the rear crossmember sitting in the same place it was with the A4LD. My Ranger had three sets of bolt holes for various transmission options, when I had the C5 behind the 302 the crossmember was clear ahead.

Your 351W probably won't be anything too terribly hot as far as breaking stuff. Most stock carbed ones are 150hp+/-

If you can do it find a belt drive off an Explorer, gives you more room on the front of the engine. They make an adapter crankshaft pulley for your 351.

It would be a lot easier to just put it in the '150...
 

Toasted

New member
Joined
Apr 24, 2021
Messages
12
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Vehicle Year
1987
Vehicle
Ford Bronco II
Ranger cab swap has been done. "Todd" had one on TRS.

I have heard of guys running 289 manifolds on 351 swaps as they hug the block tight.

Duff mounts should work. I used fox covert mounts for my 302 swap, if I had it to do over again I would use 4.0 mounts with adapter plates.

My R2 has the rear crossmember sitting in the same place it was with the A4LD. My Ranger had three sets of bolt holes for various transmission options, when I had the C5 behind the 302 the crossmember was clear ahead.

Your 351W probably won't be anything too terribly hot as far as breaking stuff. Most stock carbed ones are 150hp+/-

If you can do it find a belt drive off an Explorer, gives you more room on the front of the engine. They make an adapter crankshaft pulley for your 351.

It would be a lot easier to just put it in the '150...
That's real assuring to know there are stock manifolds that I can use. As for the trans, that's also good to know, makes the r1 writeup somewhere easier to follow. Same for the expo belt drive, didn't know about that, but I guess it is the factory 5.0 swap.

Now, it would be easier to put it in the 150, however it was recently broken into and smashed up. Guess someone hated my truck and took a sledge to it a few times. New cabs aren't worth the effort, so I'm using everything I can off of it.

The motor swap will either come before or after the front is swapped to the fullsize d44 ttb. Probably before, so I know what will and won't clear.
 

Top