Old School V-8 Swap?

[4X50 Exploder]

Looking at the miles of wiring that came with the 4.0 got me thinking...

Is there an old school V-8 that would bolt up to the auto transmission of a '92 Explorer? Anybody done it? Would I have to go with an adapter or different trany???

I'd sure love to put something in this project that has the simple carb. alternator, battery and lights setup...

 

[mshuler009]

Wellllll.....honestly it would require just as much work hard wiring everything to work with a carb setup; considering the PCM is all powerful and mighty! lol.... Just wondering...but why don't you like the OBD setup? Of all things fuel economy and performance will be top notch with a computer controlled engine. Maybe you should consider an OBD II upgrade?

 

[410Fortune]

You can go carb or EFI V8 into a 92 no problem, it has been done every which way

the bet bet is a Mustang or F-150 5.0L V8 and transmission, 5 speed or auto

 

[4X50 Exploder]

Back to the basics.

Thanks but let me be more specific about the post/question.

This is a project where I'm taking the body off a 1950 truck and putting it on the Explorer chassis. By "Old School" I mean no computer control just the alternator, distributer and carb... Yea, computer control may be neat but I like the old simple to trouble shoot, raw horse power!

If there is an older V8 that will bolt to the existing tranny, the install would look so much cleaner and I wouldn't have to figure out how many miles of that stupid harness I have to keep...

Specificaly, Is there a motor that will bolt/adapt to the existing trany?

 

[Gadget X]

I think I remember hearing about somebody doing this same project a while back, using a 2nd or 3rd gen X with the AWD! I kind of like your "old school" aproach to the project, I'm a fan of the simpler non-computer-controlled age, myself! I do not think that there is a direct bolt-up V8 that will work with the A4LD, and I don't think the tranny would hold up to the extra power, either. They were designed to go behind the 2.9s in the B2, and are just barely beefy enough to handle the 4.0. You could look into a 302/AOD, that might be a route you could take that would give you fewer headaches. I have also heard of a couple of people putting a 351 in a first Gen, but I think that there was a lot of modification that had to be done for that. Good luck with the build, I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do with it!

 

[IZwack]

To answer the question, nope - the v8s wont bolt up to the v6's bellhousing

 

[glfredrick]

To answer the question, nope - the v8s wont bolt up to the v6's bellhousing

BUT... V8s can bolt up to an F150 EOD transmission and transfer case.

 

[Claytonc]

I am in the process of doing just the thing you are asking about.
I am am going to use a 302/aod combo from a Thunderbird. I mildly built the motor but yet to do anything with the heads yet. I got all items for my local O'reillys store. I went online and looked up the swap from several sites and got the part numbers. such as the special headers that this swap will take, made by hedman. you also need to knock the firewall in to make room for the p/s valve cover and cut the heater box.

 

[4X50 Exploder]

I am in the process of doing just the thing you are asking about...

Thanks for the reply, What year Thunderbird? What mods will you have to do to mate up to the transfer case?

The firewall and heater box are non issues, It's gonna end up with the 1950 body on it...

 

[rookieshooter]

To cloudy up the water a little...FWIW In my Bronco 2 build I ripped out about %95 of all wiring and computer...there must have been a bundle of wire about an inch in dia. going to computer. I loved that part.
As simple as I can say it, the process went like this.
Took 81 Ford Cougar and took out 302 and bellhousing.
Scraped the AOD tranny.
Dropped in the 302 Carbed with the matching bellhousing.
Found C4 out of Mustang.
Took off C4 tailhousing.
Took C5 that came with B2 and pulled out main shaft and put into C4. It is shorter.
Then took the C5 tailhousing and bolted to C4.
Then a direct bolt on of the B2 Borg Warner 1350 transfer case.
One other thing, make sure you have the right spacer plate between engine and bellhousing for starter installation. Because there are two different flexplates. One has 164 teeth the other 157, might want to check on those numbers.
But even if you don't have the right spacer plate you can always drill the appropriate holes for starter.

At least that's what I think I did LOL

 

[Fordman75]

I'm going to be swapping a 1954 F100 body onto a 91-94 4x4 chassis.

I'm going to be using a 84 351W out of a F250. And I'm using a transmission and transfercase out of a 78 F250 4x4.

Since you are swapping bodies why not just grab a carbed engine and C6 transmission out of an early to mid 80's full size truck or Bronco. The C6 is a lot easier to find then a 4x4 version of a C4.

 

[4X50 Exploder]

I'm going to be swapping...

This is why I posted here! Great food for thought without heading off to the bone yards and figuring it out on the fly...

1. Any one know what year trucks and full sized broncos had a carbed 351W without computer controled crap?
   
2. Would keeping the rearend out of the truck or Bronco be stronger than the Explorer?

The weather up here eats bodys like mad and finding an old beater should be pretty cheap if it's not hunting season...

The thought of another donar truck in the yard isn't gonna set well with the neighbors though. Sux to be them...

 

[Claytonc]

I also think if you plan to use the truck for any amount of driving an AOD is a good choice since the overdrive will drop rpms and help gas milage.
I got the combo from an 80 thunderbird so no electronics. I'm not doing any mods to the tranny except the shift kit, so when I get everything installed I will have to cut the driveshaft down a bit. Advanced Adapters sell a plate to get the, i believe transfercase to bolt up. Quite costly though.
Also no the heater wont be an issue for you since you aren't using the explorer body.

 

[Claytonc]

oh and how long till your 50th birthday

 

[Claytonc]

Also forgot to tell y'all my explorer is a 1993 2wd xl

 

[Fordman75]

The carbed 351W was available as an option 80-86 Full size trucks and Bronco's, I know they were also available in the F250 and F350's in 87. Not sure if the 351W powered F150s and Broncos were carbed or EFI in 87 though. The 351W was available with a 2V carb and starting in 83 or 84 there was also a 4V option ( 351W HO ) .

If you get the early 80's truck with a 9" rear diff it would be worth swapping but it would be much wider then the stock X diff. If the truck you get has an 8.8" you wouldn't be gaining much by doing the swap except a really wide diff with the larger 5x 5.5" bolt pattern. Personally unless you are also doing the sas I wouldn't worry about the rear diff swap unless you wanted to get a 2nd gen X diff with the disc brakes.

I'm in Minnesota so I know all about rusty trucks.

This is why I posted here! Great food for thought without heading off to the bone yards and figuring it out on the fly...

1. Any one know what year trucks and full sized broncos had a carbed 351W without computer controled crap?
   
2. Would keeping the rearend out of the truck or Bronco be stronger than the Explorer?

The weather up here eats bodys like mad and finding an old beater should be pretty cheap if it's not hunting season...

The thought of another donar truck in the yard isn't gonna set well with the neighbors though. Sux to be them...

 

[rhauf]

well i think most of you're questions got answered already. but i may be able to help some..

first my opinion, which is that i'd wire up the 4.0 and keep it's trans etc and run it that way.. fuel injection is nice to have, and the 4.0 will get much better mileage than any carb'd v8 ever will.

that said, ANY 302 or 351w can be run with a carb easily.. if you got a late model 302 or 351, the only thing you'd need to do to make it carb'd would be bolt a carb'd intake onto it, a points style distributor, and slap on a carb. simple as that.

the explorer's axle is an 8.8, which is the same axle all ford half ton stuff came with starting around '86 (broncos, f-150's etc) so it's a plenty strong axle. a 9" would be an upgrade yes, but too much hastle in my opinion since the bolt pattern wont match, it'll be wider than the front, and you'd haveto modify the spring mounts and all to make it fit

if you do decide to do a v8 swap (which i'd probably try to talk you out of since i like the 4.0 and EFI etc) you're going to have to fab up engine mounting brackets, trans mounting brackets and crossmember, you may have to modify you're steering box (or else mount the engine up high so it doesn't conflict with the box) and you may have to modify the crossmember under the engine to clear the oil pan of the v8. (or else mount it high...)

i'm in the middle of doing an essex v6 swap (v6 mustang engine) into an explorer right now, and so far i've modified the frame rails, made engine mounts, cut out the heater box, cut out the battery box, chopped up a bunch of other little crap... it's really turning out to be a bit of a project. and even with all this, the engine's mounted a bit on the high side (i dont think the hood will clear) and it's off center, and crooked

 

[rookieshooter]

If you want Old School, go V8, there is nothing sweeter then the guttural sound of a V8. Sound is a big part of the total experience. Also I use a Holley Truck avenger, other then a factory casting problem when these carbs first came out, I have not had any problems. Only mod I had to make was to tune the carb for altitude and then put in a different power valve due to the light weight of the truck. Now a EFI 4.0 does get better gas milage. But if your worry so much about gas milage forget any SUV including any 4.0 and get a 40+mpg 4 banger small car. Got one of those next to my 302 HA HA.
Ok, with that said, let's say I'm going to the local Dunkin Donuts, do I take the 4 banger or the V8, what do you think

 

[Claytonc]

I was also told that if you want your truck to be 4 wheel disc brakes, You can get an axle from a newer explorer and it would bolt in with minimal problems.
Not real sure though just what i was told.

 

[Fordman75]

I was also told that if you want your truck to be 4 wheel disc brakes, You can get an axle from a newer explorer and it would bolt in with minimal problems.
Not real sure though just what i was told.

Yes a rear diff out of a second generation Explorer will give you disc brakes. But you'll also have to change master cylinders and proportioning valves.