Biggest engine in Mustang?
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2
Biggest engine in Mustang?
I am planning on getting a 65 mustang, or at least a pre-69, and am wondering what is the largest engine someone has seen in them? I would like to try to cram a 440 in there but I don't think its physicaly possible. So just wondering what the largest is. Also, any idea how much a 65 fastback goes for roughly?
5th Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,946
From: Colorado
RE: Biggest engine in Mustang?
440 is a Dodge motor. If you put one of those in a classic mustang I will hunt you down and slap you. Your question is just a little too general but I'll try to answer. With no mods to the shock towers you can get a 351W in a 65-6 pretty easy. They came stock with a 289 as the biggest motor. 67 came with a 390 stock and 68 came with a 428. If you want a monster motor, go with a 67-8 you can pretty much get anything into them. Big blocks are tight in these cars though.
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 392
From: Arizona Desert
RE: Biggest engine in Mustang?
First off[sm=welcomesign.gif] to the forum
As to the first question: 65-66 mustangs can’t handle big motors without engine bay modifications such as replacing the front end with a 74-78 mustang II front suspension. You need that to get rid of the shock towers to fit the bigger motor in. Doing that, I have seen a 502ci (a stroked 460 ford) shoe horned into a 65 coupe.
If you don’t want to perform major modifications to the front end, a stock 351W will fit (tightly) or the even more popular 347ci 400+hp (stroked 302) is an easy implant to do. Or any 67/68/69 Mustang can handle a big block Ford in it.
As to the second question: A 65 2+2 in great shape will rum $15, 000 to $25,000 depending on where and who you get it from. There is a beautiful one on eBay with a buy-it-now for $20, 500 (Click here: ebaymotors/Ford-Mustang-1965-Fastback-2-2).
One in so-so shape will cast between $6,000 and $12,000, once again depending on where and who you get it from. Here is another example- (Click here: ebaymotors/Ford-Mustang-Fastback-Good-Shape-Runs-and-drives)
Good luck
Cheers…..
[sm=icon_cheers.gif]
As to the first question: 65-66 mustangs can’t handle big motors without engine bay modifications such as replacing the front end with a 74-78 mustang II front suspension. You need that to get rid of the shock towers to fit the bigger motor in. Doing that, I have seen a 502ci (a stroked 460 ford) shoe horned into a 65 coupe.
If you don’t want to perform major modifications to the front end, a stock 351W will fit (tightly) or the even more popular 347ci 400+hp (stroked 302) is an easy implant to do. Or any 67/68/69 Mustang can handle a big block Ford in it.
As to the second question: A 65 2+2 in great shape will rum $15, 000 to $25,000 depending on where and who you get it from. There is a beautiful one on eBay with a buy-it-now for $20, 500 (Click here: ebaymotors/Ford-Mustang-1965-Fastback-2-2).
One in so-so shape will cast between $6,000 and $12,000, once again depending on where and who you get it from. Here is another example- (Click here: ebaymotors/Ford-Mustang-Fastback-Good-Shape-Runs-and-drives)
Good luck
Cheers…..
[sm=icon_cheers.gif]
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 485
RE: Biggest engine in Mustang?
I was kinda curious about this myself, years to come I want to get a bigger engine in my Mustang.
I like the chart on tires the site has, I was wondering if it would be possible to have the same thing for engines?
I like the chart on tires the site has, I was wondering if it would be possible to have the same thing for engines?
5th Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,176
From: Insanity
RE: Biggest engine in Mustang?
ORIGINAL: hity645
I was kinda curious about this myself, years to come I want to get a bigger engine in my Mustang.
I like the chart on tires the site has, I was wondering if it would be possible to have the same thing for engines?
I was kinda curious about this myself, years to come I want to get a bigger engine in my Mustang.
I like the chart on tires the site has, I was wondering if it would be possible to have the same thing for engines?
65-6: 260, 289, 302, 351w and 351c
67 and up - just about anything Ford made from 1960 to present (even the 4.6)
5th Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,806
From: DFW
RE: Biggest engine in Mustang?
putting a non-ford engine in a ford auto is high treason. the biggest mustang engine is a 429CJ engine. but that will only fit into 69 - 73 mustangs. Ford made some pretty big engines back in the early stages of automobiles, but they were sluggish.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2
RE: Biggest engine in Mustang?
Thanks, I got a little smarter. I kinda want to stay away from anything post 69; I just don't like the styling, but it looks like a 67 is the way to go for a big block. Any idea though, how much HP a 65 can get from a 351 without a major modifications? Or, for that matter, the HP the 428 pushed?
5th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,566
From: Marquette Mi
RE: Biggest engine in Mustang?
428s require deep pockets filled with cash. Immense fun with that type of engine, the FE as they are called. Included in the FE family are 352,360,390,410,427,428. Easily identified as an FE by the valve covers sitting partially on the intake manifold and the rather large size of the engine. Torque is what these are all about, mainly a truck engine (except 427) but could be found in alot of fords.
With technology being what it is today, its silly to build an engine with old tech parts. What the engines made stock is largely irrelevant, more to the point is what you can get out of them within the parameters you set for driveability, idle quality, and mileage all built with a predetermined budget.
A good way to do things with cars would be in a similar order to this:
1: find a car you can afford that you like the styling and performance/potential of and buy it
2: Research what can be done with that particular car as different body styles and manufacturers have different capabilities performance wise.
3: Decide what you want to do with the car. ie. Street driven, street strip, drag only, road race, daily driver, limited drive time, more show, or something inbetween.
4: Set a budget you can afford for the large areas of the car. Engines and body work are by far the most expensive areas.
If you arent knowledgeable, dont have the place to work on the car, or dont feel you can do the work yourself, then buying a car completed is the better choice. If you dont mind a steep learning curve, long hours spent before you can enjoy the vehicle, everything costing about 40% more than you first thought, and years of research and skinned knuckles then building a car is for you.
For your first project, DONT buy a rust heap even if its cheap. DONT buy a heavily hit wreck. Its best to buy one in running condition rather than a car with no drivetrain or a siezed engine and wasted trans.
If gettin dirty and spending time outside under the car frequently is fun, then get to finding a car. Local is usually better than Ebay, but you can still find stuff online if you look long enough.
With technology being what it is today, its silly to build an engine with old tech parts. What the engines made stock is largely irrelevant, more to the point is what you can get out of them within the parameters you set for driveability, idle quality, and mileage all built with a predetermined budget.
A good way to do things with cars would be in a similar order to this:
1: find a car you can afford that you like the styling and performance/potential of and buy it
2: Research what can be done with that particular car as different body styles and manufacturers have different capabilities performance wise.
3: Decide what you want to do with the car. ie. Street driven, street strip, drag only, road race, daily driver, limited drive time, more show, or something inbetween.
4: Set a budget you can afford for the large areas of the car. Engines and body work are by far the most expensive areas.
If you arent knowledgeable, dont have the place to work on the car, or dont feel you can do the work yourself, then buying a car completed is the better choice. If you dont mind a steep learning curve, long hours spent before you can enjoy the vehicle, everything costing about 40% more than you first thought, and years of research and skinned knuckles then building a car is for you.
For your first project, DONT buy a rust heap even if its cheap. DONT buy a heavily hit wreck. Its best to buy one in running condition rather than a car with no drivetrain or a siezed engine and wasted trans.
If gettin dirty and spending time outside under the car frequently is fun, then get to finding a car. Local is usually better than Ebay, but you can still find stuff online if you look long enough.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,806
From: DFW
RE: Biggest engine in Mustang?
ORIGINAL: THUMPIN455
428s require deep pockets filled with cash. Immense fun with that type of engine, the FE as they are called. Included in the FE family are 352,360,390,410,427,428. Easily identified as an FE by the valve covers sitting partially on the intake manifold and the rather large size of the engine. Torque is what these are all about, mainly a truck engine (except 427) but could be found in alot of fords.
With technology being what it is today, its silly to build an engine with old tech parts. What the engines made stock is largely irrelevant, more to the point is what you can get out of them within the parameters you set for driveability, idle quality, and mileage all built with a predetermined budget.
A good way to do things with cars would be in a similar order to this:
1: find a car you can afford that you like the styling and performance/potential of and buy it
2: Research what can be done with that particular car as different body styles and manufacturers have different capabilities performance wise.
3: Decide what you want to do with the car. ie. Street driven, street strip, drag only, road race, daily driver, limited drive time, more show, or something inbetween.
4: Set a budget you can afford for the large areas of the car. Engines and body work are by far the most expensive areas.
If you arent knowledgeable, dont have the place to work on the car, or dont feel you can do the work yourself, then buying a car completed is the better choice. If you dont mind a steep learning curve, long hours spent before you can enjoy the vehicle, everything costing about 40% more than you first thought, and years of research and skinned knuckles then building a car is for you.
For your first project, DONT buy a rust heap even if its cheap. DONT buy a heavily hit wreck. Its best to buy one in running condition rather than a car with no drivetrain or a siezed engine and wasted trans.
If gettin dirty and spending time outside under the car frequently is fun, then get to finding a car. Local is usually better than Ebay, but you can still find stuff online if you look long enough.
428s require deep pockets filled with cash. Immense fun with that type of engine, the FE as they are called. Included in the FE family are 352,360,390,410,427,428. Easily identified as an FE by the valve covers sitting partially on the intake manifold and the rather large size of the engine. Torque is what these are all about, mainly a truck engine (except 427) but could be found in alot of fords.
With technology being what it is today, its silly to build an engine with old tech parts. What the engines made stock is largely irrelevant, more to the point is what you can get out of them within the parameters you set for driveability, idle quality, and mileage all built with a predetermined budget.
A good way to do things with cars would be in a similar order to this:
1: find a car you can afford that you like the styling and performance/potential of and buy it
2: Research what can be done with that particular car as different body styles and manufacturers have different capabilities performance wise.
3: Decide what you want to do with the car. ie. Street driven, street strip, drag only, road race, daily driver, limited drive time, more show, or something inbetween.
4: Set a budget you can afford for the large areas of the car. Engines and body work are by far the most expensive areas.
If you arent knowledgeable, dont have the place to work on the car, or dont feel you can do the work yourself, then buying a car completed is the better choice. If you dont mind a steep learning curve, long hours spent before you can enjoy the vehicle, everything costing about 40% more than you first thought, and years of research and skinned knuckles then building a car is for you.
For your first project, DONT buy a rust heap even if its cheap. DONT buy a heavily hit wreck. Its best to buy one in running condition rather than a car with no drivetrain or a siezed engine and wasted trans.
If gettin dirty and spending time outside under the car frequently is fun, then get to finding a car. Local is usually better than Ebay, but you can still find stuff online if you look long enough.
