Is this possible? just an idea....

wicked93gs

15 Year Member
Sep 30, 2006
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Nashville TN
I would love to put a modular motor in my 66, but I dont want to put in a mustang II front end or a RRS-type coilover system...I want to keep the stock suspension setup...or fairly close...I was wondering if its possible to notch the shock towers and keep the UCA....most likely not and give enough room for a mod motor....what about a shorter version of the UCA? would this throw the suspension movement all out of whack?I can imagine the arc would be shorter....what would this do to the suspension travel and handling?
 
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unfortunately the mod motor is too wide to fit the 65-66 stang engine compartment. remember that the 351c and 351w engines barely fit, and they require swap headers. with even the 2v mod motor being as wide as the 390, you would have to slim down the shock towers too much. at that point the mustang ll suspension is the best choice. that or pick up a 67-73 stang and swap the mod motor into one of those.
 
This should give you a better idea about why it isn't feasible to put a mod motor in without removing or greatly notching the shock towers:

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OMG!!! I knew the 4.6 was a wider motor, but I never imagined it was THAT wide! That thing if frikin huge!


Yep . . . it's as wide as a 460 (if not wider), which is why I can't understand why anybody would want to put one of those in a classic Mustang--if *I* am going to put something that wide in *MY* engine compartment, it's gonna have some CUBES!! :D
 
Simply because of the 4 valves per cylinder...airflow, they are very capable engines, I've gotten used to DOHC engines with my neon....theres definately nothing wrong with a pushrod, but my car is going to be restomod...and since my 24v V6 (already converted to RWD and virtually ready to drop in)was stolen I have been debating which other engine I can go with, I keep swinging back and forth between an explorer distributorless GT40P engine, and a 4.6L DOHC engine....with my planned suspension setup of opentracker stuff(or global west, or control freak, whichever) by the time I am done with that and a rack and pinion upgrade, I'd be at the cost of a mustang II front end anyway, though a mustang II front end wont handle quite as well, it will allow me to use a mod motor...I'm not too worried about the "weaker" mustang II front end, since I would be reinforcing the frame rails with some tubing running to the firewall anyway, as well as some type of monte-carlo bar and export brace(whatever I would be able to fit around the engine) Sadly enough, one of the main reasons I want the DOHC 4.6L is I just love the sound of the engines(pretty much a v8 version of my 2.4L neon engine) I have seen some mustang II front ends with mod motors in 67+...not sure that I have ever seen one in a 66 though...I am pretty sure it will physically fit tough....
 
My 408 Clevor in my 66. The 351W with 351C heads is wider than a 351C.
22053500124_large.jpg


Here's a 460 in a 66, notice you can see the driver's side control arm there.
23995970021_large.jpg


If the 4.6 is close enough to a 460 you could notch the shock towers to gain clearance. I don't like the MII front setup, but to each their own.
 
well, I ended up getting a MII setup....and while there are better handling setups, there's nothing wrong with it, especially once re-inforced, from what I hear it still handles better than stock(through not as good as a performance design based off the stock stuff) I just wish I could have fit the engine without going to a MII setup....and while the RRS stuff is nice too, the macpherson strut setup isn't any better than say global west, control freak or opentracker stuff...also rather overpriced, but that's neither here nor there
 
i think there is still a company that makes OHC conversions for windsor engines and i'm fairly certain that there is a DOHC conversion for them as well. if you're that dead set on the DOHC sound that might be the way to go.

here's a setup for a 351C with 32 valve, not an overhead cam swap but still pretty cool!!!!!!

4Valve Cleveland Boss351 and Pantera Heads


here's another for windsor engines

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check out the aardema 427 FE with overhead cams

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imagine doing a clevor style head swap using the arao cleveland heads on a 302.....:nice:

or even a twin turbo 32 valve BOSS 302.......
 
imagine doing a clevor style head swap using the arao cleveland heads

Hi, I was just searching out some stuff and came across this thread. I am going to be doing just this with a cleveland, possibly cleavor but with 400+ ci. Just messing with some Dominion-Arao 4V cannonball version heads right now. Planning on putting it in 70 mustang so with these heads I probably could keep the shock towers but I think I would still prefer to use a mustang II suspension conversion. I would love to find some weslake stuff, they made some really neat 3-4 valve heads in the past.

im005123.jpg


im004530cs9.jpg
 
Have you considered a 4.6 3V?

Sure, may not have the RPM potential of the DOHC engine, but should be a bit smaller and has a number of other positive attributes like variable cam timing and a plethora of forced induction options if you go that route.