390 in a 67 bronco?

phantom · Apr 14, 2011

i have a 79 ford f150 4wd camper special with a 390 and a high pinion dana 44 front axle. i want to take the engine, transmission,front axle and front supension and stuff it in my my 67 bronco. I am wondering can it be done and how hard. when i researched this i got mixed opinions. i have all the parts to the 79 so i thought why not try this instead of buying a used 351w some where. oh does anyone knw if the front crossmember will bolt onto the bronco frame

tasker · Apr 14, 2011

It has been done! ;D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F60Tl37dRcc&feature=related

bmc69 · Apr 14, 2011

Terry's is a good example of how an FE can be fit reasonably well. But..what on earth kind of Frankenstein donor truck are you working with that it has a 390 in a '79 (the 390 was never an option after 77 1/2 in ANY Ford truck and never an option a 4x4 truck period..they only came with 360s? You are sure its a 390?..and what transmission and t-case are behind it?

JLBachs · Apr 14, 2011

I enjoy off the wall engine combinations as much as the next guy, but isn't this adding a huge amount of weight to the nose? Those old FE series just seem so....heavy

broncnaz · Apr 14, 2011

I'd also double check that its a 390. Can it be swapped into a bronco sure anything can be swapped is it worth the trouble not really in my opinion. Wieght wise theres close to a 150 lb differance. Of course if you put on some aluminum heads and intake it will be real close to SB weight. but its external demensions are what kills you its 3in longer 3in wider but about the same height as a 302. you start running into clearnace issues for the exhuast and for the radiator real fast I would also imagine that it may require firewall mods to allow it to fit. many broncos have cooling issues already with 302's sticking a even larger engine behind a small radiator wont help any.

bmc69 · Apr 14, 2011

JLBachs said:
I enjoy off the wall engine combinations as much as the next guy, but isn't this adding a huge amount of weight to the nose? Those old FE series just seem so....heavy

Yup. I'm running a 400 in my EB and its the bomb for climbing uphill..often makes the lighter rigs look silly by comparison and has proven a killer rock climber for what it is. Going downhill, however..purely hatefull and often requiring some pedestrian hands holding down the rear of the truck.

The FE motor would be about another 60 or 70 lbs heavier than my 400.

phantom · Apr 14, 2011

i am sure that the engine is a 390 and maybe i did miss up on the year model of my donor truck. i knw it has a np 435 transmission and for the transfer case i dont knw some sort of divorced something,but i dont plan on using it. The donor truck is a long wheel base truck so i dont think i will be using anything behind the transmission

Apogee · Apr 14, 2011

bmc69 said:
The FE motor would be about another 60 or 70 lbs heavier than my 400.

I'd go 400 long before I went FE. You can get a crazy amount of torque out either engine, but the 400 is a much better/easier fit IMHO. Just having something doesn't really make it a better idea in my mind since you can fine free 351M/400's fairly easily in my neck of the woods.

What are you building? Is this going to be a street machine, a dedicated trail rig or something else? I've always thought a 410 would be a cool FE motor to build, but in something as short as an EB, it'd be a wheelie machine.

phantom · Apr 14, 2011

i am building a trail machine nothing too serious mainly just for mud and moderate trails

.94 OR · Apr 14, 2011

I've never known the FE motors to be that good on gas. Granted that was in High-Boy F250's. I would think the Modified motors would be a good fit if a 351W is not available.

Phil76 · Apr 14, 2011

No!!!!! don't do it. the previous owner of my 76 bronco put one in and had to cut the front crossmember to fit it. he also had to put a bigger radiator to cool it which required cutting out fenderwell brackets...and he had to modify the motor mounts. so it's taken me 6 months to fix everything.

got-broncos · Apr 14, 2011

Yep it can be done. Hang on when you press the skinny pedal. Im getting ready for a big brew tomorrow. I wont be back on till tomorrow night.

1sicbronconut · Apr 14, 2011

phantom said:
i am sure that the engine is a 390 and maybe i did miss up on the year model of my donor truck. i knw it has a np 435 transmission and for the transfer case i dont knw some sort of divorced something,but i dont plan on using it. The donor truck is a long wheel base truck so i dont think i will be using anything behind the transmission

A 79' F150 with a 390 and a divorced transfer case?:??:? You sure that's what you have? could be be it wasn't built by Ford like that.

phantom · Apr 14, 2011

my donor truck is a 76 ford f 150 camper special its a heavy half ton. It has a 390 and a high pinion dana 44 front axle,np 435 which is mated to a (i think) a divorced 205. i am basically wanting to put its drive train in my 1967 bronco. i have deiced that i am going to use everything except the transfer case. So i need a transfer case i have a spare transfer case out of a 77 gmc 1500 would this work with my np 435

RustyShackelfor · Apr 14, 2011

drops to wrong side

also, the divorced tranny is a 2wd tranny

bmc69 · Apr 15, 2011

RustyShackelfor said:
drops to wrong side

also, the divorced tranny is a 2wd tranny

No..the drop side will be the same as EB. But yr correct about the tranny; only way to use that tranny would be to find a D-20 t-case and buy the usual adapter kit to mate it to the 435 directly.

av bronco · Apr 15, 2011

Intake on those weigh about 2 tons..

bmc69 · Apr 15, 2011

av bronco said:
Intake on those weigh about 2 tons..

LOL..darned near.

phantom · Apr 15, 2011

okay guys thanks for the help does any one have pics of a big block in a early bronco and will the np 435 tansmision bolt up to the chevy 205 transfer case

bmc69 · Apr 15, 2011

phantom said:
okay guys thanks for the help does any one have pics of a big block in a early bronco and will the np 435 tansmision bolt up to the chevy 205 transfer case

Chebby case is different in many respects..including dropping the front drive shaft on the wrong side.

That NP435 will not simply 'bolt up' to any t-case..its a 2wd tranny configuration.

390 in a 67 bronco?

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