SBC in fox

[bynummustang]

Flame away.

I'm wondering what would be needed to put a Chevy 350 in a fox. I'm only entertaining the idea of doing this because I can build a 350 much cheaper than I can do a SBF. I'm on a big budget, and I can get the motor built, I just need to know what I would need to put it in my fox.

I'm thinking that I would need:

New motor mounts
K-member
Double sump oil pan
bellhousing from an old Camaro


Thanks,

Jordan

 

[Vipersix]

Well, you've got the right idea. I'm not sure if anybody manufactures a k-member which works so you may need to do a bit of cutting and welding yourself. The motor mounts and oil pan are a given as they are part of the engine. The bellhousing obviously would need to mate to whatever xmsn you are using. The headers would need to be custom most likely. The biggest headache you would get by far is electronics. Even if the connectors are shaped in the same manner, Ford and Chevy use different sensors for the most part which means they have dissimilar resistances and reference voltages. Short of getting some MAJOR computer work done, you would probably need an entire new engine management system. And, thus, offset the cheaper cost of a Chevy!

 

[bynummustang]

Ah, the only connectors I'll use are for the gauges, and ignition. Part of the reason I'm going to a SBC is for carb power too. So that EFI stuff is coming out and staying out.

Do you know where I can get a double sump oil pan for the 350? Will the stock 350 motor mounts work? Or custom too?

 

[Vipersix]

I would guess Jegs or Summit would have an oil pan sufficient for your application. I would first experiment with the K-member so you can get some accurate measurements for the pan. That way you only have to buy one pan and not have to deal with trial and error fitting. The stock 350 motor mounts should work just fine depending on the K-member. I really foresee that as you biggest headache initially.

 

[bynummustang]

It'd be nice if I could get a 350 bare block and motor mounts, and place it down, see what happens. I'll keep searching around for more info. I know many of people have down it, but I'm not able to find any write-ups.

 

[ajeracing]

AJE has a k-member with poly engine mounts to mount the engine. We also have a trans crossmember to mount the PG or Turbo400. Lemons Header or Kooks Headers are building headers for this application.

 

[Juggalo95]

1st thing you need to do is go to the barber get a Mullet cut. Next go grab a 18 pack of PBR. Go out to the garage and blast some poison on your radio. Go knock on the neigbors door and ask if you can buy that rusted 85 IROC Z in thier back yard and put that small block chevy idea in the camaro. J/K but seems like its more expensive to do the chevy swap. I dont find fords to be that much more expensive than a sbc especialy when goin carbed...SBF gotta be the cheaper than mopar or BOP,AMC engines? Why not keep the ford? Ive had many chevys and used to think the same but if you at least got a paper route job Im sure you can build a SBF

 

[bynummustang]

1st thing you need to do is go to the barber get a Mullet cut. Next go grab a 18 pack of PBR. Go out to the garage and blast some poison on your radio. Go knock on the neigbors door and ask if you can buy that rusted 85 IROC Z in thier back yard and put that small block chevy idea in the camaro. J/K but seems like its more expensive to do the chevy swap. I dont find fords to be that much more expensive than a sbc especialy when goin carbed...SBF gotta be the cheaper than mopar or BOP,AMC engines? Why not keep the ford? Ive had many chevys and used to think the same but if you at least got a paper route job Im sure you can build a SBF

Chevy blocks are stronger, and I can find core blocks cheaper here. If I can find a 351 block near me that I can build up to 13:1 comp. for the price of the chevy blocks I'll do it.

 

[Vipersix]

I don't know about stronger but they are definitely cheaper. There is something to be said about the genius behind making cookie cutter engines like Chevy did. Smart engineering if you ask me.

 

[RWDtech]

what a dream mustang!

 

[82CapriRS]

1st thing you need to do is go to the barber get a Mullet cut. Next go grab a 18 pack of PBR. Go out to the garage and blast some poison on your radio. Go knock on the neigbors door and ask if you can buy that rusted 85 IROC Z in thier back yard and put that small block chevy idea in the camaro. J/K but seems like its more expensive to do the chevy swap. I dont find fords to be that much more expensive than a sbc especialy when goin carbed...SBF gotta be the cheaper than mopar or BOP,AMC engines? Why not keep the ford? Ive had many chevys and used to think the same but if you at least got a paper route job Im sure you can build a SBF

+1 why have a ford when your gonna put a chevy motor in it. i understand your point but it doesnt mean it should be ok. why not sell the mustang an get a chevette an put your 350 chevy in there. sorry but when i see people puttin chevy motors in a fox or even a ford in general it just gets to me. if its about cost then sellin your fox an buyin the chevette will help you there too. im with juggalo95 on this one, after all the parts you buy to swap the chevy motor in you could have just done a sbf..

 

[Gearbanger 101]

I'm wondering what would be needed to put a Chevy 350 in a fox.

An IQ below 80 would be my guess.

 

[irish]

Ignore the naysayers and do what you want, however the money issue is a moot point as there are tons of both roller 351 blocks, early beefier blocks, Clevelands, and sub 2000 dollar aftermarkets if you are really going wild, any of those can be built to have enough horsepower to make you change your shorts. If you ever have been in a Fox with more that 500 rwhp, you know what I mean...

Matt

p.s. 460s are dirt cheap and are comfortable with 1000 hp

 

[WhiteFox342]

A double sump pan would not be needed for a Chevy motor. The double sump is needed for the 5.0 because the oil pump is mounted in the front of the motor. The front sump is for pump clearance. On a sbc the pump is in the back so only one sump is required.

 

[bynummustang]

Thanks for the info guys. I found the K-member on Jegs, from ARE. That, and weld up some trans. mounts, and I can get the driveshaft stuff free.

I can do a 12.4:1 SBC around 450 RWHP for about 3k with the stuff around me.

 

[bentley429]

Yep chevy is much cheaper. Good luck!

 

[slow84lx]

I can't imagine that the conversion to a built chebby drivetrain can cost less than building up the Ford drivetrain but some people create mutts with this excuse. My preference would be to retain like drivetrains with respect to manufacturer. SBF's can be built to run very well and comparatively priced to chebby also. That wasn't the case 20 years ago.

In the end, it is your car to do with as you please. Good luck with that project.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Yep chevy is much cheaper. Good luck!

To build the engine alone perhaps, but it's not going to be cheaper to convert the SBC to the Ford drivetrain than it will be to start with an existing Ford package and work from there.

Dare to be different sure....but don't be fooled into thinking you're saving any money over all because a few of the parts by themselves are a little cheaper.

 

[Bullitt347]

Chevy blocks are stronger, and I can find core blocks cheaper here. If I can find a 351 block near me that I can build up to 13:1 comp. for the price of the chevy blocks I'll do it.

So how much power are you going to make that the Ford block cannot take? I seriously doubt that the chev can be built and installed cheaper than doing a Ford engine. This kind of reminds me of German engineering, "we will do it this way (upside down and backwards) because we can, and you WILL like it! or else!"

 

[bynummustang]

I will be shooting around 500 RWHP. I don't want to mess with power adders.

I would need tubular k-member for saving weight eventually, and for the times that I want, an auto would in line. The new kmember for the SBC is saving me weight, and allowing me to run a motor that I can put together cheaper anyways.

Most of the things I'd have to buy for the swap are things that I will need anyways, for saving weight, strength or what have you, but I will have them for a chevy motor, not a ford. I'm not really spending anything extra for the swap.