302 to 460 swap

**Maxpowers** · 08-23-2013, 11:26 AM

Came across a 1979 F-150 4wd with a 460 and a four speed. I'm thinking of picking it up and swaping the drivetrain into my 1970 F100. It is a 302, three speed, 2wd. I want to keep it 2wd. The guy said the truck was originally a 351 that someone had swapped at one point.

My biggest concern is changing the trans from 4wd to 2wd. Can't find anything searching online. Anyone know where I can buy the parts or what used parts I should be looking for?

Is this something I should just take to a trans shop? I would assume I'm going to need a driveshaft made up anyways, could just kill two bird with one stone.

I'd assume everything else should fit right in. Has anyone done something similar?

**PaxtonShelby** · 08-23-2013, 11:52 AM

I don't think the 460 drivetrain is a bolt in swap on a truck that came with a 302 or a 351. But your truck is much earlier than mine (1994) so maybe it would work. Check ford-trucks.com - it is a really good forum.

**Maxpowers** · 08-23-2013, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by PaxtonShelby

I don't think the 460 drivetrain is a bolt in swap on a truck that came with a 302 or a 351. But your truck is much earlier than mine (1994) so maybe it would work. Check ford-trucks.com - it is a really good forum.

I'll do that now.
I know the mounts wont be the same, but the ones on the truck should work? Since I want 2wd, the exhaust shouldn't be very difficult either.

**Dan B.** · 08-23-2013, 04:10 PM

We swapped a 300-straight six for a 429CJ into a 1968 F-100 2wd. The mounts were of course way different. The BBF mounts are even different from a SBF. The SB's are two bolt that go into two "tabs" vertically into the block. The BBF's use a three bolt mount that goes into the block at a 45 degree angle. I think the mounts we used were from Summit and came as two pieces for each side. Would be easy to fab IMO but the owner wanted to buy them. The trans we used was also a 2wd 4 speed unit that the owner had so I know nothing about swapping out the tailshafts or removing the transfer case.

Also, watch you oil pan. We used a front sump pan and had to relocate the drain plug since it resided right over the crossmember. If you went with a rear sump it should be fine.

Also.......since the new motor/trans located the bellhousing slightly different, we had to fab up a new pivot ball mount so the clutch linkage (that goes from the frame rail to the bellhousing) would work correctly. Headers can also be a pain with this clutch linkage location. We had to use Sanderson headers, which are shorties.

**Maxpowers** · 08-23-2013, 04:53 PM

Great info. I did find a place that sells a kit from sbf to bb. I guess I should wait to see the truck because it was originally a 351, so the parts may already be there.

Learned the hard way about putting a front sump pan in a 4x4 79 f150. Smacked it pretty hard with the front pumkin.

I'm thinking most 70's trucks had married transfer cases. I guess I need to find that out next.

**Maxpowers** · 08-24-2013, 07:51 AM

Do all 351 / 390 / 400 / 429 / 460 use the same transmissions in the old F100's? Having a hard time getting a good answer through searching. I'm thinking it may be easier to find a 2wd 351 take the trans out and add a 460, than finding a 460 2wd.

I'd rather hear the motor run and see the trans work before buying it. The people selling the engines on craigslist are on drugs. $500 for something that need rebuilt. $1000 for engine/trans combo, may need work.

Edit: Found this through searching. It's nothing I want. Looks very clean and cheap:
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/3981028936.html

Edit #2: Found what I was looking for with trans codes:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/art...tion-page.html

**juice_man_86** · 08-24-2013, 02:34 PM

Trans bellhousing will be different

**Maxpowers** · 08-24-2013, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by juice_man_86

Trans bellhousing will be different

From what I'm reading, the 351/400 is the same as a 460. Is that right?

**Dan B.** · 08-24-2013, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by Maxpowers

From what I'm reading, the 351/400 is the same as a 460. Is that right?

My father in law will know....he has a basement full of that stuff. I'll check with him tomorrow.

**juice_man_86** · 08-26-2013, 03:12 AM

As far as I know, the 351w, 351c, 351m, and 400m all use the same sbf bellhousing

**gpfarrell** · 08-26-2013, 04:01 PM

I'd be really suprised if the 351w matched with the others. I could see the others all working together, but I wouldn't think a Windsor would interchange. Not saying you're wrong as I don't know myself, but the Windsor is a different engine.