With a mammoth 532ci big-block hanging on a cherry picker, and a teeny-tiny 3,000-pound Mustang waiting to get stuffed, the entire scene looks terribly wrong. Like trying to fit Albert Einstein's brain into Paris Hilton's head, the very notion that the squeeze-fest that's about to ensue is even feasible seems entirely preposterous. On paper, we know darn well that this particular swap will work, as hot rodders have been transplanting 460-based big-blocks into Fox-body Mustangs for many, many years. Nonetheless, considering that Ford's 385-series big-block originally came equipped in gargantuan land yachts like Torinos and Continentals-cars that weigh between 1,000 and 2,000 pounds more and measure 3 to 5 feet longer than the Fox-that knee-jerk skepticism is difficult to escape. Optical illusions aside, once the wrenches started turning, the big-block dropped in real nice using nothing but off-the-shelf hardware. Aspiring to shoehorn as big of a motor as possible into as small of a car as possible is what this hobby's all about. It feels dirty. It feels good, and in this instance it's remarkably easy to pull off.
Over the past few months, our '93 Mustang project car has been getting prepped for 9-second battle with a custom 10-point chrome-moly rollcage, an Anthony Jones Engineering front suspension, a Competition Engineering rear suspension, and an 8.8-inch rearend fortified with Strange internals. What warrants all that chassis work is a 775hp big-block-built by the School of Automotive Machinists-that's been waiting for a new home since it was finished last spring. For the ultimate in durability in a compact package, the beastly mill has been matched up with a bulletproof TH400 trans from Phoenix transmissions. Now that the time has come to finally install the hybrid powertrain, the swap-specific parts we've been accumulating while building Project Fox are about to finally come in handy. They include a Moroso oil pan, Hooker headers, and an AJE trans crossmember and motor mounts all designed specifically for installing a 429/460 big-block Ford into a '79-93 Mustang chassis. Furthermore, the JW Performance bellhousing, flexplate, and crankshaft adapter leftover from our past trans build enables adapting the GM transmission to our Ford motor.
Despite the undeniable glory of dropping a carbureted big-block into a late-model chassis, we'd be remiss if we didn't acknowledge that swaps like this aren't legal in some parts of the country. In many states, the law frowns upon installing carbureted motors into cars equipped with EFI from the factory-regardless of the quantity of hydrocarbons they emit-so it's wise to check out potential legal ramification before considering a similar transplant. This obviously isn't a concern for track-only vehicles, but our Mustang will be driven to and from the dragstrip, which means it needs to be street legal. Fortunately, Project Fox hails from the Republic of Texas, which boasts more realistic vehicle regulations.
With that boring bit out of the way, it's time to get on with the show. Once again, we're indebted to the folks at Bill Buck Race Cars for letting us take over their shop for a day. Despite the fact that many of the swap-specific components came from several different manufacturers, we were pleasantly surprised by how seamlessly it all went together.
Back in the June 2009 issue,...
Back in the June 2009 issue, we covered the buildup of Project Fox's 532ci big-block. To recap, the combination uses a Scat rotating assembly, Kaase P-51 cylinder heads, a COMP 273/280-at-.050 solid-roller cam, an Edelbrock Victor intake manifold, and a Holley 1,150-cfm Dominator carb. For a total investment of $9,600, the big-block rips out 775 hp and 673 lb-ft on pump gas.
Although a Ford C6 is plenty...
Although a Ford C6 is plenty capable for our application, we opted for a GM TH400 for its superior efficiency, smaller external dimensions, and legendary durability. Built by Phoenix Transmissions, our PT400SX includes high-capacity clutch packs, a 300M billet steel input shaft, a five-pinion rear planetary, a billet clutch hub, a Kevlar band, and a 34-element sprag. Rated at 900 hp, it's a raging bargain at $1,645.
There's just something mischievously...
There's just something mischievously satisfying about tearing all the EFI-related components out of a late-model. The Mustang's stock 302 small-block and five-speed trans were pulled and sold off long ago. Since this car will see limited street duty, the A/C hardware, heater assembly, power steering, and power brakes were all chucked in the dumpster. After a quick pressure wash, the engine bay is ready for a new tenant.
It's tough to beat the ruggedness...
It's tough to beat the ruggedness of a motor plate, but we like the bolt-in simplicity of more traditional motor mounts. These AJE units are designed to position 429/460 Fords perfectly inside the Fox Mustang engine compartment. Furthermore, the modular nature of AJE's K-member means that it will also accommodate small-block Fords, big- and small-block Chevys, and LS1s by simply swapping out the mounts. To simplify installation, the mounts have elongated holes on the chassis side to make lining them up to the K-member much easier. Likewise, AJE offers crossmembers for Powerglide, TH350, TH400, C4, C6, and T56 transmissions. The mounts were included with our K-member kit (PN MU-40), and the crossmember (PN MU-7051) lists for $159.
During our engine build, we...
During our engine build, we ordered a Moroso rear sump oil pan (part No. 20620) designed for big-block swaps in Fox Mustangs. The front of the pan features a low-profile design to help clear standard-height steering racks, eliminating the need for costlier drop-rack configurations. It's proved leak-free thus far, and set us back $300.