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LS1 In an Early Bronco

EvilWS602

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
11
Hi guys. New to this forum and looking for some help and was told this the place to come. My father and I are rebuilding our 66' Bronco. Quick back story is I wanted to upgrade it to a 5.0 HO or a 351 but he wanted none of it. He asked me one day about converting the 289 to fuel injection so we started looking for the top end of the newer 5.0's. I convinced him if where where looking for the top end why not just drop the 5.0 in it. Kind of had him on board. Then I, being in the late model seen and big into the LS seen told him we should drop a LS1 in it joking being I've been seeing more and more Ford and especially fox bodes with them. He actually was very interested in the idea. We would love to have put the new Coyote 5.0 to leave it Ford but we had and LS1 readily available and the Coyotes and still much harder to come by and much more expensive. Now I know this hasbeen done before and have actually seen a couple for myself but not in detail.

My questions are addressing the headers. The frame rails are so tight in these Broncos we are having an extremely hard time finding something to fit. We have universal motor mounts ready to be welded in soon as position of the motor is determined that can fit a header. Then we'll fabricate a cross member. Any one have any help or advice for this conversion.

Thanks,
Clint
 
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BRONCOchild

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 4, 2005
Messages
2,029
Chevy heart inside a Ford body. But, then again, it's your project. As long as you are content with it.
 

Timmy390

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
5,609
Loc.
Conway, AR
A few guys have done it....Not my cup of tea. I would go diesel before I went LS.

The LS1tech.com site has a bunch of threads on it.

Go to google and search "classic bornco LS"

Tim
 

TheGanzman

Full Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2012
Messages
329
Loc.
San Clemente
Kinda like a penis on a woman - it's BEEN done before, but not what *I* wanna see when I "open the hood", if you know what I mean and I think you DO...:-[
 

bmc69

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 11, 2004
Messages
11,852
I'd bet there are some shorty headers that can be made to work; that's the direction a lot of end up going with some of Ford engine swaps in EBs too. Long tubes?..you are undoubtedly going to have to buy a kit and fab up your own.
 
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EvilWS602

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
11
This Steve (yeller) is a member on here?

I'm a very active member on LS1tech and actually have posted this very question on there already. Havent gotten help from any one that has done one yet just ideas and opinions which I've tried already. I have both the factory GTO and truck manifolds that I tried for mock up and if they would have fit I would have ordered a shortie for that application but have yet to have squeezed them in. May have to go down the route of custom fabing a set but was trying to avoid the troubles and that cost. One I saw in person had custom ones built for it which exited through the fender-wells and went outside the frame rails. We'd be happy to throw a shorty and let it eat if we can know they fit and how.

That's why I'd like to talk to someone that has done this to get pics or measurements or something.

As far as the Chevy heart.... Guys are putting these LS's in these Fords for a reason. I am a Chevy and LS fan but I would have loved to drop the 5.0 Coyote in it bc they finally caught up with the LS performance market. But still not as familiar but I definitely like the late model market stuff. So it's all in the eyes of the beholder. Will be very nice when done regardless and will be appreciated.
 

Yeller

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
5,883
Loc.
Rogers County Oklahoma
Ok yeah I'm the notorious LS guy......LOL

Unfortunately I've never done a swap, mine was born and bread to have an LS, its a customer chassis from bumper to bumper built like a race car. but I've built a lot of really tight chassis. I've had really good luck finding Sanderson Headers that fit whatever I'm working on, there's not a header made that is any closer, I have used them in 23" wide chassis's without an issue, although not a bronco. They have center, rear and rear swept headers for LS's that are really nice pieces. I've been wanting to try a set of there rear collector units, they are very similar to the short headers that fit a small block Ford in a bronco.
https://www.sandersonheaders.com/

Welcome to the board, there are a bunch of nahsayers about gm engine swaps but no worries, they are a great bunch of guys and gals that as long as you prove to be good people will let it slide. And just remind them that you have less in your entire factory supported fuel injected engine than they do in heads and intake just tryin to keep up:p some are just jealous;)


edit: did a bit of poking around, the S10 conversion headers might just be the ticket. Sanderson has always been great about returns when i guessed wrong too...

I've not run headers on mine mostly because I'm anal and want to build a set of 1-3/4" primary long equal length in the 36-38" length like these motors love and just haven't committed to it and I'm enjoying driving/wheelin it.:cool:
 
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EvilWS602

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
11
Thanks a lot man. I'll try contacting them and asking. No one suggested the S-10 option. I too would love to run equal length long tubes but considering this thing probably will not be doing much wheeling as it was intentionally being built for due to the fact that we are now seeing how much money we are actually doping on this project, it will probably be more a weekend drive with very light wheeling, shorties would do just fine. I am still working the ol man seeing if we can build a custom set of long-tubes that will exit the fenders and run out side the frame-rail, but even the shorties will dress it up nice and make a tone of more power over the stock 289 that cam in the truck.

I really appreciate the help and will look into it. I anyone on here is interested I will keep them posted as we go.

And I absolutely agree, these GM LS engines are by far the most bang for the buck which is why there is so many of them out there in swaps.

Thanks,
Clint
 

77-302

Full Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2012
Messages
315
Loc.
Canton, MI
I love seeing another Bronco get a second chance at life but why would you take on all that Fab work when a 289/302/351 is a direct bolt up. If you want Fuel injection there is a ton of aftermarket support through vendors for Multiport Ford OEM systems. Or if you want simple, many of us (including me) are going the throttle body injection systems like FiTech, MSD, FAST etc...

Just my $0.02.... but save the LS1 for a Heep...They need all the help they can get...
 
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EvilWS602

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
11
When my father came originally came to me with the fuel injection set up, that's what i starting looking into, the MSD and such. he did not want to spend that kind of money on the 289. We started looking for the used Multiport Ford setup but that's when I suggested doing an LS swap while working in the shop with him on my 02 Trans Am WS6, being I had just saw a couple Fox bodies with LS swaps and I said "I wish they still had the 5.0 we could throw in our Bronco." I know them very very well, have access to them and tuning and just about anything we need for them. Plus my father and I love this part of it. We are in no rush so we just tinkle and play with the fabing till we are satisfied. Plus it will make great power for not that much money, sound amazing, and be every unique!
 

dave67fd

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
2,863
Blasphemy!

But It's your truck, do what you want. Probably make it much harder to sell as well as a value drop I would think if you ever decide to sell.
 

TheGanzman

Full Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2012
Messages
329
Loc.
San Clemente
The LS-1 is a GREAT engine; no doubt about THAT! And there's no shortage of hot rods that are sporting Chevy V-8's; it fits especially well in narrow-framed early 30's Fords...

Having said that, there is just NO reason WHATSOEVER to put one in an early Bronco, even if the engine is free! If a man already has an LS-1, sell it and buy an appropriate Ford mill; you'll be glad you did!
 
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EvilWS602

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
11
LS's are great engines, much better than the Ford counter parts, we were not going back with the old out of date carburetored engines, so the only alternative would have been the new Coyote 5.0 which is much much more expensive and harder to come buy. We are building our truck be new, front and rear-ends are all new rebuilt, suspension, fuel tank and system, fuel injection aluminum engine, digital dash and radio. So it will be pretty much a new modern truck with new technology in the old body and look. The truck will never be sold and will remain in the family as it always has. Re-sell isn't a concern bc we would never get the money back out of it with Ford or Chevy power plant. So it is our build. It will be extremely nice. So thanks for those that had help or advice, as far as the rest, we'll gladly make an ass out of ya'lls Bronco when we're done. It's all fun guys. We do what we love.
 
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