I'm new here so bare with me, I'm looking into building a 914 with a v8 conversion. It seems to me that most are the smallblock Chevy or a v6 of come sort or the Porsche 6. Has anyone ever done a small Ford 289/302 or a 351 Windsor? The 289/302 is lighter than the small Chevy and with aluminum heads even lighter it is narrower and only a 1/2 inch longer. Ther must be a reason. Anyone know of one?

Welcome!
Im sure many will chime in here. The main reason is the length of the engines. The SBC is shorter and fits better in the engine compartment without modifying the firewall. The Ford front mount distributor does not help matters either. The availability of SBC conversion kits also helps.

Mark

there are a few 302s (carb and efi) and 289 conversions as well as 3.8 V6 (at least one is supercharged)........

Like Mark mentioned, the main reason is that there are no kits....you can buy the adapter plate and flywheel from Kennedy Engineering....the motor mounts and other "hard" parts like that you'll have to make yourself.....the cooling system can be made or you can buy a pre-manufactured setup from Renegade or one of the other Chevy conversion guys......most of the people that do the conversions want a near bolt-in conversion with no welding or fabrication

I am not sure how true this is, but someone told me that the Ford Motors are too wide to fit into the engine bay so they would require substantial mods to fit. I'm not claiming to KNOW this. This is all "hear-say" your honor!!!

I don't know how the fit would be, but I know if I ever was going for a v8 conversion I would try my hardest to put in a 289.

QUOTE (Carlitos Way @ Sep 21 2005, 11:56 AM)

I am not sure how true this is, but someone told me that the Ford Motors are too wide to fit into the engine bay so they would require substantial mods to fit. I'm not claiming to KNOW this. This is all "hear-say" your honor!!!

I hope you don't take investment or finacial advice from that person, because they are clueless

so I guess in my post above I was dreaming and don't know for a fact that there are a few Ford V8 installed??

now if you are talking about thier new modular V8's then yes, those are pretty darn wide, but those motor are not included in the question/subject

QUOTE (jd74914 @ Sep 21 2005, 12:08 PM)

I don't know how the fit would be, but I know if I ever was going for a v8 conversion I would try my hardest to put in a 289.

The 289 would be a great engine if your goal is to have a short-stroke motor, like the 302 SBC. The standard 289 has a 4" bore and 2.87" stroke compared to a 4" bore, 3" stroke for the Chevy. Of course the stock valve train and intake are going to crap out at high rpms. But with an upgraded valve train, high-flow heads and intake that would make a sweet motor for a 914.

I looked hard at doing the SBF in favor of the SBC. Advantages that the SBF has are as follows: 1. A very reliable stand-alone EFI system with tons of tech info out there. 2. Lighter weight, 75-100 lbs less, depending on who you talk to. 3. If you get the late Explorer motor ('98?), it will have a DIS, so no distributor clearance hasstles (and they come with the GT40 heads). 4. Transaxle friendly torque from the 302. Down side: 1. Need to fab your own motor mount, though I see no reason why you couldn't modify the Chevy one. 2. The waterpump mount is the timing chain cover. Requires fabricating some special hose adaptors. Not sure if there's enough room for that. 3. The water outlet on the intake maifold points straight forward. I'm not sure if there's enough room for the thermostat housing. 4. I don't think running a distributor will be an option, unless you cut into the firewall, and build a box.......but I don't think it would take very much, so it may be minimally intrusive (?).

SBF parts are now down to the SBF level, so cheap is a possibility even for performance parts. With the SBC, there is no EFI with performance potential available at reasonable prices. Only hope is TBI, but that's pretty limited.

Andys

Thanks for the replies, I would like to know if anyone has any pics of such an install, I will most likely be doing the Ford conversion. Fabricatin is not a problem, nor will be finding a Mustang donor car. Now I have to find a good 914 to start with, I'm in western NY..... anybody?

Check my signature link to the club conversion list for Ford V8, then search those members ID's. You'll find their threads...

There must be a reason why so many Ford street rods use Chevy motors. I noticed that particularly while watching Barrett-Jackson Auctions. Course, the big buck cars generally had Hemi's.

QUOTE (andys @ Sep 21 2005, 12:54 PM)

With the SBC, there is no EFI with performance potential available at reasonable prices. Only hope is TBI, but that's pretty limited. Andys

I beg to differ.. with the RIGHT SBC there's plenty of EFI performance potential..

(I'm doing an LT1 conversion.. It's not too hard to upgrade to LT4 specs, it just takes money)

QUOTE (bondo @ Sep 21 2005, 01:32 PM)

QUOTE (andys @ Sep 21 2005, 12:54 PM) With the SBC, there is no EFI with performance potential available at reasonable prices. Only hope is TBI, but that's pretty limited.   Andys I beg to differ.. with the RIGHT SBC there's plenty of EFI performance potential.. (I'm doing an LT1 conversion.. It's not too hard to upgrade to LT4 specs, it just takes money)

Royce,

Ok you've got my attention. Which (non Gen III) SBC, and which EFI that will fit a 914?

Andys