429 Stang Project

Me and two friends of mine have started a mustang project. We have a Ford 429 (not sure what from) and are looking for an older fox body mustang to drop it in. This is a low budget job and really have nothing but the 429, a nice carborater, manifolds, wheels and tires, and an array of junkyard vehicles to rob from. I am looking for a year # with a light weight body(main concern) that can fit the motor, with a decent manual trans. and a stout rearend with acceptable gear ratios. Any year numbers or info is greatly appreciated.

Your best bet for weight is going to a newer fox. Possibly an 88-93. The motor isn't going to drop in just like that, it's going to involve some body work and probably some metal fabbing of your own. You may be able to find some resources on the net from people who have done it before. I would look around before trying to go with the 429 in a fox, but it does sound intriguing.

definitely a later fox body, and it should be a notchback. hatchbacks are great for roadracing because of their lower drag coefficient, but notchbacks take drag racing because of their lighter weight. it sounds like a great project, hope it all works out!

that motor might be a cobra jet, did you check the numbers on it?

I had a friend drop a 460 in what think was like and 88 mustang. We called it the beast. It was way ugly but way fast to. He ran nitrous in it to too. Once going down the track it shut off on him so he coasted for almost the entire run and still crossed the finish line at 85mph's. He ran low 10's.

I know I 've seen engine mount/oil pan kits advertised to do this swap. I think installing the engine will be relatively easy compared to hooking up a manual tranmission. There might be special bellhousings availlable to put a T-5 behind the 429/460 but it wouldn't have a very long life unless you baby it all the time. That means a step up to the Tremec. I'm pretty sure it has the same bolt pattern as the Ford Top Loader. But you're also looking at a bigger clutch than the 5.0 uses. Not sure if a cable will do the job. It might? Ford used a linkage setup on their old manual trans/clutches and even those had problems with a decent clutch.As much as I like manual trannies, I think for your project, it would be easier to put a automatic behind this engine. You may have to do some clearancing in the tunnel depending on what you use.

A 429/460 goes into a Fox-body chassis with not too much hassle. Biggest need is getting a fiberglass hood with enough raise to fit cause a 429/460 is a tall motor hence why it's a fairly easy swap. My choice for what year Fox's would be a 86.

As far as trannies no stock manual tranny is gonna last long behind a big block except a 4-speed toploader. Don't confuse this with the SROD-4 found in 831/2 and early Fox stangs. For ease of install, use and cost I would be looking at a C-6 auto instead of a manual tranny. Also anything older than 86 has a 7.5 rear which won't last long mated to a BB with slicks.

My friend went with an automatic.

that motor might be a cobra jet, did you check the numbers on it?

the sticker on the valve cover is sorda scratched. i can see the engine families and a little more, but not much. there is a 4 digit # on the other valve cover. don't know if it's important, any other places to look?

Also, does anyone know what it might have came out of? It's sitting in an old ranger now.

It's likely a 429 thunderjet which besides a T-bird was put in a lot of full-size passenger cars back in the day.

Thanks. assuming it was that, do you know how strong it was?

Your best bet for weight is going to a newer fox. Possibly an 88-93. The motor isn't going to drop in just like that, it's going to involve some body work and probably some metal fabbing of your own. You may be able to find some resources on the net from people who have done it before. I would look around before trying to go with the 429 in a fox, but it does sound intriguing.
Intriguing is an understatement. I'd love to see and hear that project when completed. Anything is possible with enough $$$. I saw a guy drop an LT1 in a Cavalier. It was insanely fast. A 429 properly done would most likely eat him for breakfast.

Get the block casting number off the motor. It should be near the starter area. That would be pretty sweet to get running though.

I know a guy with a worked over 460 in a Fox-stang. They guy who did it knew I was thinking bout doing it to my 83 and convinced em out of it. Bottom line is other than going in a straight line it's not a very good road car. It makes an already nose heavy car heavier and you have now excluded yaself from any NMRA classes except one's that it takes to a $30,000+ car to compete.

Truth be know big blocks really are obselete except in the big heavy cars of yester year

If we get far along in the project or make a nice milestone, i'll try to post something about it in the future. Thanks for the help.

I have seen and heard of LOTs of 429/460 big blocks in fox bodies. They do fit, but as GTStang said, they're tall. You're going to have to either run no hood of a big ol cowl induction hood. A bunch of people make swap kits. Search on google. I searched for "429 fox body swap kit" and this is the first one that came up:
http://www.kaufmannproducts.com/mustangs.htm
Comes with headers, dual sump oil pan, and motor mounts. $900 sounds like a good price - Figure the pan is at least $300 anywhere else, headers at least the same, and much more if you have to get custom headers.
Here is the next site, a bit cheaper at $720:
http://www.mspmall.com/ddautospec/swapkits.html
Its a popular swap for drag racing, you shouldnt have any problem finding info on the swap on the 'net.