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460 swap into a 78 Bronco

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viven44

460 swap into a 78 Bronco

This will be a thread to document the 460 swap I'm doing in a 78 Bronco. I know the forum is Bullnose focused but the 460 came from a 86 Bullnose so hoping that may qualify me

I have 2 other threads discussing some work done to prepare the 460 for the swap.

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/460-Smog-Delete-and-Oil-Cooler-Delete-for-a-78-Bronco-Swap-tp146228.html

https://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/460-Straight-up-Timing-Chain-upgrade-tp147525.html

Hopefully by reading this thread, it will be clear what worked, what did not work.

For now, the 460 is installed. The following had to be changed to suit the 78 Bronco for now

- Motor mounts .. Trans Dapt 4225 Motor Mount. This is a simple design and it has good reviews. It is a solid mount however, so i'll have to see how it works. It's an Econo-choice, so if I don't like it I can later upgrade.

- Oil filter .. I 'deleted' the oil filter adapter and the oil cooler that the Bullnose trucks used and I installed a Allstar Performance Oil Filter Adapter SBF ALL92003 to install the oil filter straight to the block. It says its for a Small block, but the threads and everything work just fine on a 460.

- At this point in time, I will retain all the accessory brackets/belts that the 460 came with from the donor truck. Will update later if things work, don't work.

Today the 460 was installed in the Bronco with a C6 behind it. The motor mounts fought me a little, but even factory stock mounts put up a bit of a fight, so nothing too bad. Wife was gracious enough to help, and with some finagling the 460 fit just fine.

Vivek

- 'Big Blue 2WD' - 1984 F350 RWD 460/C6
- 1978 Bronco with the heart of a 1986 F250 Bullnose - under restoration
- "Bonded Bronco" -1985 Bronco - 302 4-speed fuel injected, Hibernating future project

Gary Lewis

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Administrator

Looking good! And no worries about it being a 78 Bronco. We are a family and even some of our moderators don't have a Bullnose to their name.

I like the documentation that tells what you've done so you, and others, can get back to it if need be. (Try that on Facebook.) Detail it out and, at some point, put it in a document.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Thanks Gary! You sound like my ex-boss who wanted me to put everything in a document!

Documentation is not my strength. I do something and move on to the next thing. All my previous projects were undocumented so much so I forget what I did 'back then', so this ability to document here is wonderful. I'll take advantage of that

Gary Lewis

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Administrator

Jim will object if you do as I've done and create a Word document and imbed it. That way you can edit it in the background and it'll be evergreen on the forum.

But you can just edit some post, like the first post of your thread, to keep the documentation up to date.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

OK good to know, I'll try that!! I don't have word on my personal computer unfortunately. Maybe use Wordpad.

Gary Lewis

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Administrator

If you use something like Word or Wordpad then you'll need to either embed the file, which causes Jim problems, or cut and paste the results into a post.

Instead I'd learn to use the editing tools here. With work you can do a bulleted list or a numbered list right here in Nabble.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Ok thanks!

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

I can't object, if I can't see it..... 🙄
😄

The filter adapter is D7AZ6890A
They're like $3.95 from the mother ship.

This thread really should be in 'Projects'.

ETA: if you search that # you also come up with https://regismanufacturing.com/ford-302-351-1968-96-oil-filter-adapter-fa-302/

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Thanks for that part number!!

Called the local dealer with both F1AZ6890B and D7AZ6890A and I thought it was funny that they said "this is a GM part we don't carry it"... I told them.. "hey.. have you ever seen a GM part starting with an F1AZ and D7AZ ??? You should know better!!"

Anyways, Regis manufacturing is ~25 mins from where I am. Glad to know they are there!!

I do agree this thread belongs in projects 100%, is there anyway to move this there WHOLE ?

Gary Lewis

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Administrator

viven44 wrote

I do agree this thread belongs in projects 100%, is there anyway to move this there WHOLE ?

Done, and it should be intact.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Perfect !!!!

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Administrator

In reply to this post by viven44

Gary beat me to the punch.

I'm weird that way.

I make connections and see patterns in things that you wouldn't expect.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Ok, got a few things done today

As part of the motor mount struggle (the bolt was like 1/8 inch from clearing the mount hole).. The transmission crossmember bolts had to move back just a hair. I had to enlarge the rear holes a bit to get the nut and bolt to clear. The front and rear drive shafts had to be taken out just to make things easier.

Wanted to document the torque converter face to bellhousing face distance for a proper torque converter install. Before torque converter was bolted, The distance from torque converter face to bellhousing face (including plate was about) 1.32” and about 1.26” with the plate thickness subtracted. After the torque converter was bolted, the distances were 1.2” and approx 1.14” respectively.

All the accessories from the bullnose fit rather well. The broncos power steering hose had to be used, but all else was from the bullnose.

The oil pan looks like it would clear the frame completely without needing to touch the motor. On bullnose we all know what a bear of a job it is to remove the oil pan. As they say, if only the engineers had to work on the trucks they designed.

Gary Lewis

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Administrator

Progress is good! Glad things are bolting in nicely.

There is sooooo much difference between the dentside and bullnose trucks! I've compared the size of things like tie rods on a dentside to the Bullnose trucks and found that the F100/150 dentside tie rods are about the same size as those on a Bullnose F250 - much bigger than a Bullnose F100/150's.

And the crossmembers are so different as well. But, I'm not sure that the issues of a 460 in a Bullnose truck are the sins of the engineers. I say that because I don't believe the Bullnose trucks were truly engineered to ever have a 460. Ford seems to have concluded that the 400 would be adequate and engineered for that. But they neutered the 400 with a 2bbl carb and a retarded cam and nobody wanted it. (An acquaintance put a straight-up timing set and a 4bbl carb on his 400 and claimed it doubled the power.)

So someone said "Why don't we drop the 460 in the Bullnose", and the engineers had to figure out how high to lift it before dropping it in.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Thanks!!

It does seem that way. I had a truck with a 351m (400) and I'm quite certain it didn't require lifting the motor to remove the oil pan. Unfortunately, the windsors and 460 didn't have the same luck.

I do also think the use of the TTB dictated frame/cross-member design.

I started bolting up the radiator support and I want to say there is barely 1 inch between the fan and the radiator. The radiator is original to the bronco, but its a "Super Cooling radiator" that came from factory. It is massive. So there is a small chance electric fans, 3G alternator upgrade, etc may be in the works in the future.

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Got the front clip back on today. This was the part I was most dreading since there were dozens of nuts to deal with. I am sure this job is a treat for folks up north ! Those body mount nut/clips needed a lot of PB plaster. Needed new core support bushings as the original ones seized up.

Radiator mounted just to model connections. The fan shroud that came with the bronco didn’t work as the fit was too tight. Luckily the bullnose fan shroud worked well. I will need to trim it in some places so it’s snug with the “super cooling” radiator. That radiator is absolutely massive.

Next up is exhaust, which I plan to weld custom from manifold to tailpipe. This is going to take a while. Brakes are up after that, the Bronco hasn't ran in 3 years and all the brake hardware look old. I'll be replacing everything from master cylinder, rubber lines, pads, cylinders, etc.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Administrator

As an engineer you understand that there is no such thing as "too much" heat shedding capacity.

But that's also heat you're wasting (also out the manifolds...)

Glad your better half was able to help.

Extra hands are always welcome.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

This post was updated on .

Thanks! Hoping this "Super cooling" Radiator will do the job.

Speaking of exhaust, I have 2 of these with me and they are a great fit for the 460. (Walker Exhaust 41726)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015KZL26?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

From there on, it will be improvisation. Any recommendations for a muffler ? Looking for something that will take two 2.5 inch inputs and comes out with one 3 inch output. Need something that sounds "Respectable" and not something only high school kids like

Gary Lewis

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

Administrator

I like Magnaflow mufflers, although I don't know if they have one with those fittings.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

viven44

Re: 460 swap into a 78 Bronco

I just checked, unfortunately they don't. They have the opposite, which is 3" inlet and two 2.5" outlet ? Is what I am doing not recommended ? I'm actually copying the factory setup from the 86 Bullnose.

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