Engine Swap help.

[byreen]

Would a 429 thunderjet engine 4 barrel carb. out of a 69 thunderbird fit into my 1988 camaro coupe which has a v8 305 in it. Please let me know, thanks.

[MagicRat]

Welcome to AF.

Your Ford 429 is a great engine and deserves to be placed in a decent car, but the Camaro is not the best choice.

Your 429 is the same externally as the Ford 460 big block. It could be made to fit the Camaro, but it would be a very expensive proposition.

1. The 429 has a front-sump oil pan, so the engine would not fit the Camaro frame, unless it was changed to a 'rear sump', which would take some time and effort.

2. The Ford engine would not bolt up to the Camaro transmission. You would have so source a Ford transmission strong enough to handle the 429's power, such as a C-6 automatic or a Top-Loader 4 speed manual.

3. Lots of custom installation work would be required, to fabricate engine mounts, transmission mounts, a driveshaft, low-pressure fuel pump, throttle linkage, cooling system hook-ups etc.

4. the Camaro, I think, has a torque arm that connects the rear axle to the transmission..... I do not know if such a thing can be fabricated to mate with a Ford tramsission, so some rear suspension mods would be required.

It would be much better to sell your 429 and use the money towards building a Chevy 350 or 383 to go in the Camaro.

[MrPbody]

Agreed with MR. You could also look into a "Fox Body" Mustang of the era. Relatively cheap and plentiful, that chassis is actually better "equipped" to handle the power of a big block, AND... Many companies make the "swap" pieces necessary to install the Lima (BBF) in the little car, including very nice headers.

We DO often use GM transmissions behind Ford engines, mainly TH400 and PowerGlide. Adapters are readily available.

IMO, the MOST effective engine one can put in a 3rd gen Camaro without cutting it all up or "breaking the bank" would be a 383 Chevy ("stroked" 350). But that also comes under the "everybody has one" stigma...

Jim

[byreen]

Thank you both so much for the help, i honestly really appreciate it so much! Thanks again. This thread can be locked or deleted now.