Ok here's the story guys, I have an 84 third gen f-body with the 2.5 iron duke, been in the family since it left the lot. About 5 years ago I received it as a graduation present, the following summer it started on fire because of some poor mechanic prepwork. Now I'll cut to the chase, I've read a few threads on here about people swapping in or thinking about swapping in a 351 Windsor, keep in mind I'm a full time student, working a full time job, and I'm married so some of us know the maintenance that comes with that. I found an EFI 351 Windsor, still running, with a 5 speed from a fox body, all wiring and ecu included for $300 and it just seems like a logical decision at that point.

Now I've read it can have issues with the front Kbar, the AC pump, the transmission crossmember, and the drivetrain length, do you guys see any other foreseeable issues besides the ford motor itself? Haha

 

with enough cutting and welding, anything can fit, lol.

i think if you search, there was a guy on here with a furd motor installed?

welcome aboard!

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...c-521-bbf.html

 

Very useful! Thanks for the link

 

By the time the car moves on its own power again, you will have spent a bunch of money and even more time getting there.

You'd be money ahead (and likely power, too) putting most any Chevy motor in there - SBC, BBC, LT1, LS1...

 

My thing is, I want to make this thing beautiful again, take it to a car show and turn heads, not be a run o the mill engine swap

 

You will get torched by everyone at the car shows for putting a Ford engine in it. Hell I wish I had a stock air cleaner on mine. Lots of people put chevy small blocks into Fords but not Ford engines into chevys. If you want a nice show car engine find a nice TPI 305 or 350 and you will get lots of compliments on it. Probably the best looking engine ever put in a SBC in my opinion. A nice carbed SBC with an 5.0 H.O. dual snorkel air cleaner really looks nice under a 3rd gen hood also. A Ford 351 isn't half the engine a Chevy 350 is in no way form or fashion..period.

 

I freely admit I am not into the car show scene (one look at any of my cars should tell you that).

Having said that, what appears to appeal at car shows is bling, not a mixed-breed powerplant. Like dmccain said, TPI is probably the best looking induction system the factory ever made. Polish it up, chrome plate or powder coat everything, that'll turn more heads than a SBF in a 3rd gen.

Of course, a Duramax wouldn't be "run o the mill", either. Not many of them have been swapped into 3rd gens. Be sure to chrome the turbo.

Or maybe you could channel your inner Jay Leno and put a turbine in it.

 

This would look nice

 

There you go...

Somebody did that in a 3rd gen, may have been the factory R&D shop.

 

People mostly don't like these because of the HP limitations and the quirkiness of them but man the OP is right, probably the best looking engine by far. They look real nice dressed up and car show ready!