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72 gts 460 swap

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72gts805 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72gts805 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 72 gts 460 swap
    Posted: 10-May-2018 at 8:50PM
Anyone done it? What would I need? Just want to save my original engine for the numbers. Want a bb to bang the gears n have some fun
1972 gts 351cj 4 speed
2001 f250 4x4 4wd 37s
1993 jeep gcl 5.2m 4wd
2000 Nissan frontier daily
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hogfiddles View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hogfiddles Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 3:57PM
My '73 GTS Q-code had a 429/460 in it when I got it.i'm swapping it back out for a 351.......though the 460 may stay in for awhile first
1973 Gran Torino Sport - Q code “Q-Clone” project-on-hold
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:19PM
To make it work in the '72 GTS, you will need the motor mounts from any 72-76 torino or montego that came with a 429 or 460 engine. Or any 72-77 ranchero that came with a 429 or 460 engine. You can also get the motor mounts from any 72-76 Lincoln mark IV, 77 or 78 lincoln mark V, or any 72-76 thunderbird that came with a 429 or 460 engine, not the 400 engine motor mounts.


Edited by dave302 - 12-May-2018 at 12:43PM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:23PM
You will also need front coil springs from a 72-76 torino, or montego, or a 72-77 ranchero that came with a 429 or 460 engine. The front coil springs from a 72-76 torino, montego or ranchero that came with a 400 engine will prbably work good too. You can probably use your original 72 GTS front coil springs with the 460, but the front end will sit lower. You might also need a 3 row radiator and fan shroud from the 72-76 torino or montego or 72-77 ranchero that came with a 429 or 460 engine. Some 72-76 torinos, montegos and rancheros with the 400 engine came with a 3 row radiator. There are also aftermarket radiators available that will fit. If you are going to install air conditioning then you will need the front coil springs from the torino, ranchero's and montego's listed above that came with a 429 or 460 with air conditioning.

Edited by dave302 - 11-May-2018 at 9:54PM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:26PM
You might also need the drive shaft from a 72-76 torino or montego, that came with a 351 modified, 400, 429 or 460 engine. The 72-79 ranchero chassis is based on the 72-76 torino station wagon chassis. They have the correct drive shaft, but it is probably too long and you will have to have it shortened. If your 73 GTS has a 302 or 351 2V with a C4 transmission drive shaft, that driveshaft might be too long and you might have to have it shortened, to install the 460/C6 combination. I do not know if the drive shaft from a 72-76 torino or montego with a 351 Cleveland 4v Q Code/C6 would fit. You will also need a drive shaft yoke that will fit. You might be able to use the original transmission mount.

Edited by dave302 - 12-May-2018 at 12:49PM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:27PM
You might also need the speedometer cable from a 72-76 torino, montego or ranchero that came with a 429 or 460 engine. If you are going to install hooker headers into the GTS with the 460, you will have to raise the engine approximately one and a quarter inches up on the drivers side to clear the power steering gear. Or you can remove the power steering gear to install the drivers side header and reinstall the power steering gear after the drivers side header is installed. Or you can grind down the pedestal step on the drivers side of the engine block below the cylinder head near the firewall, to install the drivers side header with the power steering gear installed.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:29PM
If you are going to install hooker headers on the gts with the 460, you might have to relocate the front brake lines where they attach to the gts chassis near the front upper control arms. You might have to raise the engine up to 5 degrees (after engine installation) on the passenger side so the passenger side header does not crush the passenger side front brake line near the front upper control arm. You also might want to install heat shields so that the drivers side and passenger side headers do not heat the brake lines at the chassis mount near the front upper control arms.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:33PM
Notice in the picture below where the mounting locations are for the front brake lines on the frame near the front upper control arms. The hooker headers come very close to these brake lines. It might be possible that other brands of headers will come close to the front brake lines as well.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:34PM
Crites also makes motor mounts for the 429/460 gran torino, but they might lower the engine approximately half an inch on each side. So you might have to use crites headers with the crires engine mounts. You might not be able to use the hooker headers with the crites engine mounts.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:40PM
What year is the 460 engine that you want to install? The 72 GTS came originally with a breaker points distributor and a breaker points ignition system, the 1974 and later 460's used an electronic ignition system with no breaker points. If the 460 that you are going to install is a 1974 or later engine, then you should try to get the electronic ignition module from the vehicle that the 460 came out of. You will have to wire the electronic ignition into the 72 GTS. Or you can use an earlier distributor from a 1968 through 1973 429 or 460 engine, and you can install an aftermarket electronic ignition module into the 1968 through 1973 429 or 460 distributor. Or you can go back to breaker points in an earlier 1968-1973 distributor.

Edited by dave302 - 12-May-2018 at 12:12PM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:40PM
You should use all of the accessories, brackets, pulleys and belts from the 460. The motor mounts can sometimes be difficult to find. They have 2 or 3 parts to each motor mount. The parts are: The engine side of the motor mount, the frame/chassis side of the motor mount and possibly a rubber insulator in between each motor mount. You will also need all of the nuts and bolts for the motor mounts.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:41PM
I believe that the 351 Modified and 400 engines use the same ignition distributors as the 429 and 460 engines that were built the same years. They all switched to electronic ignitions in 1974. The distributors that use breaker points use a slightly different ignition coil than the distributors that use an electronic ignition system.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:43PM
To install the drivers side header easier and not have to remove the Power Steering gear, you can cut the pedestal off the block just below where the head meets the block, just below the drivers side head bolt near the firewall. As seen in the picture below the pedestal has a step in it, you can cut it at the first step and use a die grinder to smooth the area. The piece is about an inch wide X 7/8" tall and about 7/8" thick. You can do this with the engine installed and it allows a much easier drivers side header install, with no adverse effects to the block since nothing mounts to this pedestal.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:44PM
The picture below points to the pedestal on the block.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11-May-2018 at 9:50PM
The area in the engine bay that needs the most attention is the Air Conditioning evaporator case, just above the Passenger Side header. You can fabricate a heat shield that protects the entire box where the evaporator resides and it also protects the Passenger Side footwell area from heat. The A/C evaporator case is very close to the passenger side header and cylinder head.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fordismyboss Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-May-2018 at 5:24AM
Right on dave302, you covered it! My additional comments below:

I swapped from 72 GTS 351c2v C4 to 429CJ C6.

Drive shaft and yoke from 73 montego 400 2v C6 fit perfectly! Move the cross member back to the C6 mount holes. Use a stock C6 tranny mount. Cut half a coil, or maybe a touch more, off the montego 400 front sprigs. 
Use original Ford 429/460 motor mounts if you can find them! Fit perfect with correct engine height.
I used 1971 Mustang 429CJ exhaust manifolds. They fit perfectly and made the swap much much easier. Peak dyno HP dropped only 22HP from race headers to 429CJ manifolds.
You must protect(heat shield) the front brake lines in the picture above!
Three core radiator minimum and plan for an additional electric fan for grid lock city traffic!

Go for it! I love the swap!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72gts805 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12-May-2018 at 2:06PM
Wow thanks for all the info guys. Wealth of knowledge I didn't know was necessary. Hogfiddles would u be interested in parting with all the parts? I will have my own engine
1972 gts 351cj 4 speed
2001 f250 4x4 4wd 37s
1993 jeep gcl 5.2m 4wd
2000 Nissan frontier daily
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