Tired of the vapor locking, weak ass, non-buildable Ford 400? Ready to step up to the monster balls, part breaking torque, and inferior fuel economy of a big block? So was I. That's why I slapped in a mildly built 460 into my 1979 F250. I have to say that the big block has been sweet!
The following is a step-by-step guide to installation:
First, find a 460. I got mine complete out of the newspaper for $50. The I plunked$ 5000 into a rebuild. If you're smarter than I am, you might try AutoZone or Checker for a rebuilt long block in the range of $1500 with a warrantee.
Next, remove the old motor and trash it. Make sure to mark wires, hoses etc. I always recommend keeping the old motor handy in case you need anything off of it. You can get rid of it after the conversion is done.
If your 460 came out of a car (mine did from a 79 T bird), then you will need to relocate the power steering pump and the alternator from the bottom of the engine to the top. The bottom mount setup used in the cars will not clear the frame cross member in the trucks. Luckily L and L products out of Texas (214) 475-8063, sells the mounting brackets and the conversion motor mounts to do the job right. The motor mounts are rubberized and carry a lifetime guarantee. The total cost for all three components is around $350. The brackets come with everything you need right down to the bolts. The motor mounts are
ridiculously tight, so be ready to wrestle with them a little.
If you have a C6 automatic, the bell housing will bolt right up to either the 351 or 400 (same block). However, you will have to switch the flex plate over to the 460 model because the crank on the 460 is much larger.
*****Do not use the flex plate bolts from the 400 - they are too long**** Get the right ones from Ford.
If you have the common Borg Warner T18, it will also bolt right up. Plan to buy a flywheel for a 460, as you will find that the crank is much larger than the 351-400.
****Do not use the flywheel bolts from the 400**** They are too long and will bind the crank to the block. Buy the right ones from Ford.
Install the engine in the truck. When the engine is in and the tranny is bolted up you will notice that the fan sits back further than the 400 fan did. This is because the 460 water pump and front end configuration is different than the 351-400 block. I had a machine shop trim down a fan spacer for about $10.
You will also notice that the fan now sits more to the driver side than with the old motor. This will make the fan shroud impossible to fit. You can trim out you shroud or fashion your own. I have been unable to locate a factory shroud that will work with this application. I ended up welding my own shroud.
Also you may notice that you will need a different water neck as the factory 460 set up will put the upper radiator hose out in the wrong direction. I got one that worked at AutoZone for about eight bucks. I also had to root through their hoses and find an upper and lower hose to fit.
The cavernous engine compartment left plenty of room for a dual plane manifold and an Edelbrock carb. The only other issue is that the right side exhaust pipe will not clear the right frame rail. The frames are so beefy that you can notch the top of the frame and the pipe will clear. L and L also sells low clearance headers if you think you need them. You might also think about switching in a 460 radiator if you don't have the heavy-duty truck radiator.
