Rather B.Blown

I disagree. I love it. Anyone and everyone is taking a new computer controlled powerplant and shoving it into an old car. I'm sick to death of seeing Chevy engines in old Ford Hot Rods. Its unoriginal, even putting LS variants into late model Fords pisses me off.

This guy took a modern, computer controlled, fuel injected car, ripped it apart, and stuffed an old school push rod, carbureted, stroked, bored and built Ford motor into it. I ****ing love it, this guy has a big set of ***** (and obviously a big pocketbook). You know his ol' lady (if he has one) has been hammering his *** over an expenditure like this and he said "**** it, I'm gonna do something different, ol' lady be damned". I respect the hell out of this guy for going off the grid. I'd love to see this car/build up in Hot Rod Magazine. As a long time subscriber I may have to forward this build to them.

jsimmons

Swap Update - Day 10:

Accomplished:

- Finish up A/C compressor install
- Install air/fuel gauge in a vent pod
- Install headers

The lower radiator hose tee installed and connected to expansion tank:



The headers came back from the coating shop - $190 including tax.



The headers installed:

AlsCobra

Understandable. Maybe it's just my distaste for the S197 body. Different strokes is all I guess. Not my cup of tea but looks great regardless.

jsimmons

Of all the late model Mustangs, I prefer the 2010-12 body.

If I had my druthers, I'd rather have a 65/66 Fastback, but I have what I have.

AlsCobra

I got ya. Like I said. Not my cup of tea. And btw ROI is still very possible with hot rodding. Just gotta buy smart.

TripleBlack14

I think the whole idea is a hoot. He seems to be well organized, focused, and has a clear vision of where his project is headed.

I'm seeing this as a phantom, a "what if" build, as if a 60's Shelby was taken to it's next logical progression in 2014 had there never been a Coyote.

I have no doubt he'll pull this off, and I hope one of the Ford/Mustang publications picks up on this.

I admire all of those S197 and future S550 owners who'll be adding superchargers and radical suspension mods. But this guy is taking modding to a completely different level. He deserves his own zip code.

He's truly building a hot rod. He's a throwback to another time and dares to be different. Gotta respect a guy like that.

jsimmons

I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm not the first to go down this road (I might be the first to document it, however). There are a handful of guys (maybe five) that preceded me, and one is a Boss 429.

Hopefully, we'll be starting the electrical stuff today. Looking for the first start-up some time next week.

GrnT

Your not the first but your definitely in the club. Are you going to use Dual Electric Exhaust Gates for open exhaust? That motor is going to sound sick.

jsimmons

Update from yesterday:

- The exhaust is finished and permanently on the car

- Power harness is modified and wired up (including starter and alternator. We ended up with only 5 or 6 wires not directly related to power being needed, because most of the harness involved with the power steering rack (that is no longer present).

- MSD module and coil are wired up

- A/C clutch harness is run but not connected yet

- Transmission clutch has been bled and we have what appears to be proper throwout bearing operation

- Battery is back in the car

We now have enough wiring installed to start the car, but we didn't have the regulator plug to finish the fuel system (will have that Monday), and I'm having a bit of difficult finding a 3/8 NPT 90-degree fitting with a 3/8 hose bar on it for the PCV valve (all other solutions have been too tall). I'm gonna hit Lowe's and Home Depot today to see if they have anything.

We still have to wire up the transmission (speedo and reverse solenoid), and tackle the ECU harness. We've identified all of the connectors, and we have to tread carefully when removing stuff because we want to make sure that what we remove doesn't somehow have an impact on what we actually need to keep (throttle position, cylinder head temp, crank position).

BTW, I used the Ford Service Manual for a 2011 Mustang to identify the wires, and some of the wire colors changed for the 2012 model year.

In short, 99% of the nuts and bolts stuff is done, and we're down to the electrical stuff. Not bad - two weeks in and we're almost finished with what I would loosely call a significant swap. Sorry for no pictures today, but all of the wiring is pretty well hidden, and the rest of the engine bay still looks mostly like it did the day before.

I'll probably add the exhaust cutouts later.

2k7gtcs

I love it too

I loved the exterior of his car anyway and them you add the 427 and it becomes the perfect car to me. And it's better it started as a V6 if you ask me. It really doesn't change anything and for me the V6 would just be a forgotten memory of it but it's the motor wrapped in the body and all the V6, GT, and GT500 bodies all start out the same so what difference does it make that the car started out life as a V6. Because it doesn't matter now because it's got a 427 Windsor.

I love everything about it

I just regret not putting a 427 back in the bronco when I had the 351 out. But I was in such a hurry.

sid719e

Put me in the "I love it" camp too.

Mustang Freak

Or 'Priaprism thread'!

Mickstang

I dunno, Al-- I know you're a GM guy; remember the COPO cars of the '60's, arguably the neatest sleds GM turned out during the muscle car era? They were built on the basest of base cars, cardboard and vinyl interiors, taxicab hubcaps, etc... it was all about the Power.

Jsimmons' car has always been one of my favorite Mustangs on TMS, even before he began stuffing this widowmaker into the engine compartment. My favorite aspect of the project has been the Yankee engine-nuity he and his crew have demonstrated: "Let's put this here." "Aw crap, it won't fit." "What if we... no, that won't work." "Hey, here you go!" I appreciate the OP's ability to think waaaay outside the box, and his willingness to put his cash on the line to make it happen. I think we can both agree on that.

AlsCobra

Agreed its a cool project. Probably gonna be a great car. Just wouldn't be my choice of bodies is all. Now if it were to have the Retrobuilt body kit, hell yes. It's just something that doesn't settle with me personally. Just me then that's ok too.

jsimmons

But the visual of a 2011+ combined with the sound of a 65-70 is going to stop people in their tracks. If I were to get a retrobuilt kit, it would just look and sound like a 69/70 Mustang. Besides, the car already weighs enough.

David Young

Things are moving along good and fast. Cool cool cool

jsimmons

Putting a Chevy motor in a Ford is as American as apple pie, but for this American, it's bordering on an abhoration from hell.

Yes, I have a wife (but just barely at this point). Seriously though, she doesn't really get it, but she knows it makes me happy, and that's enough for her. Sure, she gripes and moans when the latest credit card bill arrives, but for the most part, she's okay with it.

And yes, this project is costing me about $25k, but only because I built a Dart-block, forged motor. If I had gone with my original plan of a 408, I would have probably cheaped out and got a salvage yard block, and the total would only be about $23k. However, I wanted 4-bolt mains, and the rest, as they say, is history.

There have been many people that said this swap wasn't worth it, or that I should just buy a Shelby because it's easier. I'm not interested in "easier", because at this point, I don't have to point at my car and say "I bought that" - instead, I can point and say "I built that". IMHO, THAT is what being a car guy and hot rodder is all about.

I think it would be a kick in the pants to have my car in Hot Rod Magazine. I know my dad would get a kick out of it, because even though he could never afford it with five kids in a single-income household, we always had a half dozen issues laying around the house when I was a kid, so I know the dream was there (he was a Chevy fan, and always wondered what happened that would turn me away from what he called "the one true way").

In the end, I'm enjoying my trip down the road less traveled, and the cost and effort are the nature of the beast. It's my American dream.

TripleBlack14

In 1962 Carrol Shelby, Dean Moon, and other SoCal hot rodders transplanted a 260ci Ford motor into small British roadster in the course of one night. No computers, wind tunnels, or sophisticated engineering...just plain old *****-out-seat-of-the-pants hot rodding. You know the rest of the story.

Mr. Simmons is just continuing the American hot rod tradition.

I can't wait to see this beast completed. And Caroll Shelby is smiling.

BBM3

Your project is coming along quickly and the details look first rate.
It's one thing to drop in a motor and transmission. Quite another to pull it all together and have it look like it was meant to be.
Impressive.

RubyRedMCA_Beast

I'm late to the show here but this is freaking awesome! Can't wait to see the final outcome and hear it!

Definitely an awesome Mustang and very well executed!