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lfdsteve

Active member
Joined
Oct 7, 2014
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Location
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My Car
71 Grande Bar find
Not a ford guy but learning. Going to restomod a 73 fastback. If I was going to buy a donor car to use a modern drivetrain keeping in mind a reasonable budgets. What's the most adaptable year platform from a price/ power/ upgradability.?

Seems like there are so many different options going forward since ford whe to to an EFI platform.

Tnx

 
The popular 5.0's work well.

I think the over head cam engines will fit but it gets tight with the shock towers.

There are not any real good 'swap kits' that you can buy.

What's your plan? Are you going to drive it, race it, daily drive it, sell it, flip it?

 
I'm torn. My first project I just finished is a 71 firebird restomod with high powered 455. Thinking perhaps either restomod or 1/8 mile strip slash street drags kinda deal. Just not firm on and but thinking modern power plant either way.

 
I'd consider a 5.0 (stroked to 347) in front of an AOD, AODE, or 470RW... then out back to an Explorer 8.8" (for a cheap rear disc set-up. Slap on some 17" Mustang Bullitts and go from there. Could be a fairly cheap driveline, but a bit of work to get the 8.8 either way (stick with the '73's leafs, or work with the 8.8's factory link/coil suspension).

 
Good one, Garrett. ::thumb::

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, "We need a "Like" button for these threads. rofl

 
I would say a '90-'95 5.0 mustang. You could build up the 5.0, you can upgrade to a 351w based motor (Trick Flow even makes an EFI for a 351 Cleveland) and you can easily adapt the 5.0L EFI to a 460 BB. The T-5 5-speed will fit easily and you could always upgrade to a TKO without any modifications. Then, you could use the 8.8 rear. Very durable and even more when built with forged axles. You could always remove the dog bone and add a torque arm if you wish.. Seeing as the 71-73 and the '94-'98 cars are similar in size, you may also be able to adapt a lot of the interior as well.

 
Get in good with your insurance guy and have him find you a totaled Shelby that you could get the entire drive train out of. It would be a beast and get great mileage and not break all the time. The older engines cannot compete with the new ones and hang together. You can push one of them to 1,000 hp and still drive on street.

David

 
That's kind of what I was thinking. Looking for a totaled car and do a complete swap. I have a complete 351 c drivetrain but want modern tech. My 455 pontiac has an aftermarket EFI system on it but it's just not the same.

What year Shelby. How far back does that engine line go as I'm not real familiar with them.

Steve

 
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