Change Ford V6 Engine to a V8?

[garyve]

Sent: 4/14/2008

If an older coach has a 6 cylinder Ford engine how difficult is it to upgrade to a V8?  What size make would be the best?
Gary

[Slantsixness]

Sent: 4/14/2008

"difficulty" is the hard thing to swallow...

For example, based on your particular situation, you would need to be confident in two areas:
1.Engine and transmission installation (the engine, trans, frame mounting braketwork, radiator, exhaust and Driveshaft would need to be changed... unless its a 3 speed manual tranny, then you might get away with just a bellhousing change for a V8 and be able to nix the driveshaft modification too...)
2. Body and frame support modification. (the Dog house area will need to be modified)

(one other thing... if this is a straight axle front end, you can likely find most of this stuff in an old delivery truck in a junk yard... maybe even the motor etc....)

If your a pretty savvy mechanic, and can work through little obstacles like body modification and frame mods... then it's actually no harder than converting an old straight six Fairlane to a V8.... One thing for sure though... it's not a weekend job.

Now.. which do you choose? Stay with a Ford if you do... it'll make what little compatibility of parts there is much easier. Now if your goal is to shoehorn a big block in it, have at it! IT would be fun to see a 429CJ engine in a Winnie... and probably have a lot of oomph, too!

I'm thinking the 351 W (windsor, not a cleveland) would do very well.. Just not the FMX trans.... what was it... the C6... I think ...was the better trans?? (been awhile since I did much on a ford...)
 
Now.. if what you have is a 300 six cylinder ford.... I'm afraid that a 302 V8 or anything smaller than a 351 would not give you anything but worse gas mileage. The old straight sixes get decent gas mileage, and ample power to drag a motorhome around... and there are many modifications to the 300 six (and the 250 for that matter) that can make even more power... headers... a cam.... maybe a 2 or 4 bbl carb... you name it.. one things for sure... the straight sixes are darn hard to kill.

And all this is from a die hard Mopar man...

[DanielTBolger]

6Cly balance on the flywheel  v8 balance on the (crank shaft pulley ) harmonic balancer  small block engine will fit your tranny as long you use the flywheel for the v8   
Best thing to do is find old station Wagon  for a donor   fond  that SW has less  harder mile on them  you  will have all the bracket to mount every thing on it  no guess work with the belts too  (Sorry my spelling suck) hope that helps