project?

[83smoker]

I was wondering if anyone had tried an idi in a early 80's or so station wagon? some of them came with big blocks and this could be a fun road trip vehicle.

 

[Agnem]

Frankly, I'm not converting anything I can't crawl under. Sorry.

 

[83smoker]

yea that is a good point. i figured if they came w/ a 460 it should use the same c6 there would be really no wiring. just one of my many brain farts.

 

[GenLightening]

You'd have to really beef up the suspension to handle it. And then install a cowl induction hood since the engine is a bit taller. It could be done and probably be pretty cool.

 

[83smoker]

a fully dressed 460 doesnt weigh that much less than a 6.9 does it?

 

[GenLightening]

a fully dressed 460 doesnt weigh that much less than a 6.9 does it?

A fully dressed 6.9 is about 1200lbs. A 460 is more around 800lbs.

 

[hesutton]

That would be a cool project. You'd have plenty of width, but like mentioned above, height will likely be the problem. Beefier springs would be nice, but I bet you could get by without them.

Heath

 

[RedTruck]

How are the guys doing it that put 6bts in montecarlos? What are they using for front suspensions? Some of those old hemi's must be around 1000 lbs. Will a Volare front suspension hold 1200 lbs?

 

[LCAM-01XA]

No Ford fullsize car (station wagon or not) since 1979 came with a big block, 351W was the largest you can get. The suspension can be made to handle the extra weight just fine tho, there's a guy in MD autocrossing a Crown Victoria station wagon, considering the stress that puts on the suspension and frame I think an IDI in a car serving daily driver or weekend cruiser duty will be just fine. You will need stiffer springs, polyurethane control arm bushings, and heavy-valved shocks, but it's all fairly easy - my 20-ft-long Lincoln has that setup, plus big swaybars, the whole project was less than $300 in parts and took a weekend to complete.

 

[k_williams1982]

yea that is a good point. i figured if they came w/ a 460 it should use the same c6 there would be really no wiring. just one of my many brain farts.

To my knowledge, the diesel C6 and the gasser C6 are different in the hole locations to bolt the transmission to the block. I was told that the top bolt holes on a diesel C6 is 1/4" (1/8 on each side) wider than the gasser C6. Don't know for sure because I've always made sure I was putting a diesel C6 back in a diesel truck.

 

[tractorman86]

i wish my dad didn't scrap his old caddys he had a few 68s he pulled the eng/trans and crushed that would have been good candidates for a diesel.

 

[83smoker]

yea i just meant the two c6s should be around the same physical size.
i'm gonna try a big body t-bird if i can find me a decent one. my truck has about rusted out from under the engine. the frame is good but all body parts are shot.