hey everybody i have a few questions im looking for answers for on a 429 motor. ok here it goes. so i have a 1971 mach 1 with a 302 that i have in pieces right now. but i was on craigs list and found an ad for a 429 motor for $450, so i called the guy and got some good info. (the motor runs great or so he says) i was just wondering if the 429 would be a super cobra jet or if ford just made normal 429s, if so what is the difference. And was wondering if this motor will fit in my engine compartment or if any mods will have to be made, but 429s are hard to find and i dont know why this one is so cheep. I would have to have it shipped here to so i was wondering how much it would weigh. thanks for the help

 

To your car the big block front springs and a 9 inch rear to hold the power.It will bolt in with the right motor mounts.Ford made a normal 429 a thunderjet from a thunderbird a cobra jet and super cobra jet.Buy it anyway most of the differences are in the heads and cam both are easy to replace.The cobra jet and super cobra jet was the only 4 bolt mains but that is easy to fix.Weight im taking a guess around 500lbs but thats a guess.Ask for the block codes which are behide the starter.It could even be a 460 they look just a like.

 

Look for a "DOVE A" in that location. The Cobra Jets are very powerful engines and they will go well over 600 lbs (all steel) so you will have to change the front springs also. I would plan on about 700 lbs in the shipping calculation. Heres a shot of the valves in the CJ head.

 

if your wanting to go big block just find a 460 and build it with aftermarket heads because a real 429 CJ or SCJ will still be a 429 and high $ a mild 460 built right will out preform a 429 and sill run on the gas we have now days then if you want to tell everyone its a 429 no one will know motor mounts from a van will work in that car (and they will be soild)then all you'll need are the headers or you could use stock manifolds till you get them

 

...Please do some searches on 429s in old Mustangs. There is a reason why 429s are cheap. There are many other better options if you want a big block for a Mustang. Yes, the Boss 429 was a very rare car, but there were many others with better performance. 428 cars actually had better power, but Ford wanted the modify the 429 for NASCAR so they built the Boss 429 meet the manufacturing requirements. The 429 was a truck motor with very low end power. You could cam it and do some other things to make it work, but IMO a FE would be a better choice but you since they were not put in 71s you may want to stay more correct than that...In fact a stroker small block is going to make the same or more power as a stock 429 and be a heck of a lot easier to work with. Unless you start playing with 500+CID, you are not going to get much more if any performance increase from a FBB over a stroked FSB. Believe me, I have run the dyno program numbers. Crazy, I know, but it is true. 450-500hp NA is not hard from a FSB and it will spin 7000 and make power where you can use it without blowing the tires away in a light car.

 

Heres the skinny on the 385 series. It will give you some idea on what, how, cost, and yada yada. You can make gobs of torque with these and keep things on the cheap side. http://www.mustangandfords.com/techa...ide/index.html

 

The 429 was a truck motor? 429s came in cars from 68 to 72 or 73 CJs and SCJs went from 70 to 72.now there were some in bigger trucks like f450s and up and yes you dont want one of those
a 71 mustang is not a lite car

 

As far as Mustangs, the 71's were the only Mustangs to recieve the CJ or SCJ 429. The Boss 429 were used in the 69 and 70's but were so de-tuned that a 428 would spank'em. Like the article stated, as many as 50 flavors of 429-460's were produced. At any rate, 4 bolt or not, it is a very goode basis to build a strong and low buck powerful engine. And it will be a torque monster. If you want to get crazy, then stroke a 385 series to a 550. It will have more torque that a Sherman Tank. And thats what gets things moving.

 

The 429/460 is a beast, even if it's built modestly. The 385 series engines were initially developed to replace the FEs as the work horses of the land yachts, and the 429 was intended to eventually push the 428 out production. Good parts are plentiful and inexpensive...you really can't go wrong. The same rules apply to any engine though "don't cut corners."

 

torque thats what gets things moving. amen and lives longer below 6500