Need some advice on what type of Mustang / frame I would need to drop a 396w stroker 450hp in . Am new here and any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
The Po Po
Posted by: MadScientistMatt
Although the newest generation would be uncharted territory, 351W-based engines have found their way into every other generation of Mustang out there, including Pinto-based Mustang II's. The exhaust, as Merc noted, will be different, but it will bolt to factory 302 motor mounts. Pick a year and body style that appeals to you and fits your budget, and you'll be able to find a way to stuff that in there.
Posted by: John
Everything you could possibly need to drop a 351W or a 429/460 under the hood (well, not really "under" per se) is available in the aftermarket. If I remember correctly, Hooker still makes headers for for both swaps.
The 351W will bolt right in but it sits higher in the engine bay and has a taller deck height. This pretty much means that a stock hood will not work, you'll need aftermarket stuff to clear the intake.
As far as frame, a 351W based 396 will fit into any Mustang except the Mustang II from the 70's and the 96 to present Mustangs. Those would need some serious frame work to fit a 351W. It's not that they aren't set up right, it's just that the Windsor engines were not options so the frames and crossmembers don't work out so well. The Mustang II had Windsor engines but they do not have the support or the placement for a 351W. You'd have to do some work to the crossmembers and box and brace the sub frame to hold the 351W.
The Fox-chassier Mustang requires little work. It doesn't even need new motor mounts, it just needs a new hood and headers that fit. You would probably want to get an upgraded K-member but they are usually tubular, bolt-in parts. The nice thing about an aftermarket K-member is that they can be made to accept a 351W and let it sit lower in the engine bay to clear a stock hood. Helps with CG and weight transfer too.
Any Mustang from before the Mustang II will fit a 351W with virtually no modifications. You'd probably need to get the right motor mounts and maybe drill some holes in the cross member but they will drop right in.
Posted by: StoneFox
Quote:
Originally Posted by John
As far as frame, a 351W based 396 will fit into any Mustang except the Mustang II from the 70's and the 96 to present Mustangs. Those would need some serious frame work to fit a 351W.
Actually 1996 - 2004 Mustangs with the 3.8 will work just fine with the 351w based engine. The 4.6 K-Member has different motor mounts. We put a 408 in a friend of mines 99 GT. He used a V6 K-member and convertable motor mounts for a 95 for the swap.
Posted by: John
I didn't even think about that. Although, I thought they went to a 4.0L derivative in 2003?
I might be wrong though. I know the new ones have a 4.0L Cologne V6. IIRC, it's a 60 degree V6 with a variable length intake manifold and is good for 210 hp and 245 ft·lb of torque. It's a SOHC version of the 160 horse 4.0L in the Ranger. The intakes are different but the new 4.0L is supposedly a better built engine than the 3.8L of past. The 4.0L is a bigger version of the old 2.8/2.9L from the 80's and 90's that was also in the Ranger and Mustang for that matter. In it's current version, it's a heavy breather and responds very well to boost. A mere 6 pounds of boost gets you into the 300 horse range. Due to the increased stroke though, it's not as happy to rev as the older 2.8 and 2.9 siblings. There was also a 2.6L pretty much in Europe only and it would rev very well and make good power with better flowing intakes and heads. Cosworth made a DOHC beast rated a 195 horses and 203 ft-lb of torque for a 2.9L engine but we never saw it here. However, a 2.9L Cosworth fitted with more modern EFI systems, better engine management and stronger internals it could likely hit the "100 horsepower per liter" mark so coveted by the ricers. It would probably rev like crazy too and likely weigh as much if not less than a comparably sized 4 cylinder.
However, the 4.0L is a very different engine. Same overall design but not so easy to spin due to the longer stroke and higher rotating mass. At 245 lb ft, it's a torque monster for it's size, especially since it's a 60 degree V.
However, don't fret, the 4.0L Cologne engine will be replaced by the new Cyclone engine coming out. That is supposed to be a 3.5L V6 based off of the Lincoln/Jaguar Duratec 30 DAMB, and includes variable cam timing on the intake side. It's rated at something like 265 horses and 250 pound feet. Should be a wee beasty with displacement capable of reaching 3.8L and specific output climbing somewhere north of 300 horses without forced induction. Yeah, that should be a neato little lump of aluminum!
BTW, the 3.0L found in the Ranger is the old Vulcan pushrod V6. While it did tend to make some good torque, it's power rating were about 120-150 horses. It's peaks were pretty high and output was peaky. This pretty much meant that it was sluggish in anything bigger than a Ford Probe and absolutely anemic in anything bigger than the Taurus/Sable.
