400 with C6 swap in a '57 Ford Convertible

[hotrodtex1@yahoo.com]

Hey Guys,

Iam new here and a proud owner of '57 Ford convertible that was an original Tucson, AZ car so it very solid and needs mostly paint and interior work. The orginal motor was 292 Y block and 3 speed Cruise o matic, but unfornately the Y-block is stuck so I need another option.

Money is tight and I found a smoking deal on '79 400/C6 combo out of Lincoln that runs great was super cheap $200. I know they are not performers but  I just want torquey reliable engine to cruise the old convertible around. I have been told they are the same external size as a 351C and you just need to use 351Windsor mounts, elongate the motor mount holes on the frame to make it fit in the '57 engine bay.

Has anybody actually done this swap and could shed some details on what I need to do?

Thanks,
Tex

[RICH MUISE]

I don't, but should be plenty of guys here that have had that swap experience. Just wanted to welcome you to the forum. Solid convertibles are hard to come by. Congratulations. Is this a recent aquisition? "Tex"...sounds like you're from my way. I sent you a PM.

[hotrodtex1@yahoo.com]

Yes I am from the great Republic of Texas currently residing in Arizona. I have always been a hot rodder and really liked 50's convertibles  so when a chance came up to get a solid '57 convertible I jumped on it.

My plans are to get it running with the 400/C6 combo and do the brakes and drive it as is. We have beautiful weather here 8 months of the year so this car will not ever have the top up.

[gasman826]

Welcome!  The '79 Lincoln C6 has a Lincoln specific cross member and transmission mounts...PITA but will work.  The cross member will be custom as will the drive shaft.  Most likely, the C6 is the heavy duty version.  I understand tight budgets but you will forever be haunted with this combo.  As long as you know going in that any later upgrades will pretty much mean dumping this stuff.  Any older Lincolns would have a 460 in it.  Same trans but many new and used aftermarket parts for the engine.  Same work to install.

[RICH MUISE]

I don't, but should be plenty of guys here that have had that swap experience. Just wanted to welcome you to the forum. Solid convertibles are hard to come by. Congratulations. Is this a recent aquisition? "Tex"...sounds like you're from my way. I sent you a PM.

I misread your post...thought you were talking 460 when I said plenty of guys here with that combo. Glad Gasman was able to add something anyway.

[jumping jack flash]

I was driving down one of the county roads about 2 months ago, and I spotted a 58 ranchero in a yard. I spun around to check it out. The owner was super friendly and only too happy to talk with me a couple of hours about his car( truck).It had a 400, and the C-6 in it. I'm not in love with the M versions of the 351-400s but , I have to admit this installation looked as if it was a natural. He said he got 18 mpg. I asked about mounts, and he told me that he used truck mounts from a 77 F150, for the engine, and trans. It was reliable, cheap,and had a good appearance and sound to it. With that in mind, why not? It's not like the old days when we paid the ticket and it was over, so I' ve had to back way off the throttle myself.The 400 will do the job of a cruiser, but it isn't going to smoke any Mustangs, or Cameros. By the way , the cleveland and the M may look a lot alike, but the mounts are not even close.The M has a higher deck, and a wider measurement.I think the distributor will interchange, I know it does with the 460, and that is about all they have in common.The C- 6 from a 460 will interchange with the 400.Happy cruising.

[gasman826]

Absolutely correct!  As long as you are aware.  There was a ton of 400M made and hauled a lot of iron down the road.  There are aftermarket intakes and heads.  They are easy to work on and are similar to 351C and 460s but very few parts interchange.  Solid, dependable engine...just not fast.  Given its age (and so much easier to do out of the car), do a compression test and then I'd flip it over and pull the pan.  Inspect the inside for sludge and scratched cylinder walls.  Then, move on to plastigage the mains and rods.  If good, replace the rear main seal, oil pump, timing chain (maybe an aftermarket timing chain with no retard), water pump, and fuel pump.  The C6 requires modifying the cross member for pan clearance so making a cross member to match the Lincoln transmission mounts is a short trip.  Since the Lincoln tail shaft and tail housing is the longest of the C6s, finding a short drive shaft would just be luck.

The first engine/trans in my '57 was a Lincoln 460/C6.  It had 104k miles on the odometer.  I took my advise and did the compression test, inspected the lower end, and replaced a few items.  I used the stock exhaust manifolds and the long C6.  I made the cross member and drive shaft.  Worked great and drove it for a year.  Unfortunately, my cars are never done and I move on to the next phase.

The DuraSpark distributor is a good piece.  Wiring schematics are readily available to wire up with a OEM module or a MSD box.

[hotrodtex1@yahoo.com]

I appreciate the advice and I am fully aware that 400 is not a performer, but that is fine because I am not buidling a hot rod but a cruiser.

I have been told that the 351C and 400 are externally almost identical with the exception of the 400 with a slightly taller deck. So if that is the case at least one guy on here has put a 351C in 57 using OEM engine mounts.

I know this conversion has been done but can someone who has actually done speak up and share some detail?

[Ford Blue blood]

That would be me, 351C/AOD, there is a thread here some where with a couple of pictures.  See if I can find it. 

http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=3077.0

FYI, had a 76 Ranchero with a dead 400 in it, got a 460, bolted in, the exhaust pipe from the 400 bolted to the 460 manifolds.  I had just stuck it up in the engine bay to see how much to cut so I could get it to the muffler shop and suprise, suprise it lined up perfectly!  It was a Y pipe setup so it had to go in the long run for duals.

[hotrodtex1@yahoo.com]

Someone mentioned that I had a Lincoln specific C6 which is longer than the Ford C6 and takes a specific cross memeber and mount.

Should I try and get the trans crossmember from the guy that junked the Lincoln and modifiy it to fit the frame?

[RICH MUISE]

I dunno, but I am  sending you a pm regarding some upcoming events in your area.

[Boss/Cyclone]

I have been told that the 351C and 400 are externally almost identical with the exception of the 400 with a slightly taller deck. So if that is the case at least one guy on here has put a 351C in 57 using OEM engine mounts.

351C has shares its motor mounts with 302/289's.  351M/400 has a unique motor mount pattern, so any motor mount that works with a 351C will not work with a 400.  Also 351C has small block bellhousing pattern, 351M/400 has 460 bellhousing pattern.  You will find 400 is not exactly a tall deck Cleveland, but you should be able to make it all work if your handy at fabricating.   Good luck.

[lowrider]

I'll second what Gasman mentioned about what to do while the engine is still on the floor. Especially about installing a non-retarded timing chain set. In fact that's where you should start. No matter how many aftermarket parts you install to make it run better the cam will still be running retarded if you don't. Installed one in my 79 Ranchero 351M & was quite pleased with the results.

[hotrodtex1@yahoo.com]

Well guys the 400 install can be done no doubt with a little fab work, but the sweet exhaust note of Y-block has me wanting to go that route.  I found a strong running '61 292 for $250 and it ran good on the stand, so I just need to short out what transmission I am running and then find the time to do the swap.