question for crate motor owners
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Really Old "Member"
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From: Kennesaw, Ga. USA
question for crate motor owners
I have had my Lightning crate motor up for sale for some time ($4500 shipped anywhere in 48 States) and am getting questions I cannot answer.
I know it will "fit" any late model F150 and presumably the Expy and a few similar. Will it fit a current gen. Mustang? Assume a hood scoop of course. Is there any other Ford vehicle it will fit without major modifications ie the last generation F150 with computer controls?
Appreciate any help as I do not want to lose a sale due to my lack of knowing what can and cannot be done.
Bill
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99.5 Lightning
Build #247
PSP Chip/Filter
Bassani full system
White/normal options
Tamiya 1/10 scale Bolt
Several old trucks/cars
Thunder & Lightning
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E-mail MOSTOYSINC@AOL.com
Kennesaw, Ga. (Atlanta)
I know it will "fit" any late model F150 and presumably the Expy and a few similar. Will it fit a current gen. Mustang? Assume a hood scoop of course. Is there any other Ford vehicle it will fit without major modifications ie the last generation F150 with computer controls?
Appreciate any help as I do not want to lose a sale due to my lack of knowing what can and cannot be done.
Bill
------------------
99.5 Lightning
Build #247
PSP Chip/Filter
Bassani full system
White/normal options
Tamiya 1/10 scale Bolt
Several old trucks/cars
Thunder & Lightning
Rag Doll Cats
E-mail MOSTOYSINC@AOL.com
Kennesaw, Ga. (Atlanta)
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From: State of Confusion
Bill,
From what I've been able to determine, the 99 Mustangs engine bay was widened to accomodate the 5.4 liter engine. But the 2000 Cobra R with the 4 valve heads still had to have the strut towers dimpled to fit it in. The 2 valve engine should fit, no problems other than for the extremely high hood required. In the May issue of Motor Trend was a Cobra with an L engine and a T56 manual 6 speed in it, however, the upper intake was attached to the rear of the blower and wrapped off to the side rather than above the blower as on our trucks to cut down the engine height. Traction and handling were cited as issues with that car. Ford also used special motor mounts for the Cobra R to drop the engine about 1/2" further down that stock motor mounts would provide.
I bought a 99 Cobra with thoughts of dropping my crate engine in before reading the Motor Trend article. The problem with a Cobra is that the rest of the drivetrain must also be replaced to accomodate the engine. The Tremac T45 trans can't hold up to the Cobra engine yet alone the L engine. The independant rear suspension has the same problem in that half shafts are breaking with stock engines. I checked into costs for the two major components required and came up with another 5K minimum(included a "blueprinted" T56 six speed rated 500 Ft-lb torque, and a built 8.8" 31 spline live axle with attachments). Along with other parts still required, ECM, brackets, pullies, belts, harnesses, etc. it is going to run into considerable expense (counting the outlay for the Cobra, I figure 35K minimum). This is not to say that it still won't happen, but I'm not in a big hurry. I just don't know if I want to gut this beautiful car which currently has only 3k miles on the clock just yet. Can you tell that the Cobra is starting to grow on me, and did I tell you I can supercharge the 32 valve 4.6 L and get 450-500 HP at the rear wheels for about 5K? I'll then still have the other driveline problems above though too.
I got a list of some of the missing engine parts from Nytling92, who just posted his custom headers pix (he's putting a crate engine in his 92 F-150 to answer another of your questions). A local dealer is checking out pricing on those engine components for me and I figure I want to buy them now while they can be had. You may want to do the same for your engine if you can't sell it soon.
By the way, I've seen the engines advertised as high as $8000 at Anderson Ford, but they recently dropped them to $5500. Nytling paid considerably less than we did.
Good Luck with yours, it would look great in your 56.
Lightning Bob
From what I've been able to determine, the 99 Mustangs engine bay was widened to accomodate the 5.4 liter engine. But the 2000 Cobra R with the 4 valve heads still had to have the strut towers dimpled to fit it in. The 2 valve engine should fit, no problems other than for the extremely high hood required. In the May issue of Motor Trend was a Cobra with an L engine and a T56 manual 6 speed in it, however, the upper intake was attached to the rear of the blower and wrapped off to the side rather than above the blower as on our trucks to cut down the engine height. Traction and handling were cited as issues with that car. Ford also used special motor mounts for the Cobra R to drop the engine about 1/2" further down that stock motor mounts would provide.
I bought a 99 Cobra with thoughts of dropping my crate engine in before reading the Motor Trend article. The problem with a Cobra is that the rest of the drivetrain must also be replaced to accomodate the engine. The Tremac T45 trans can't hold up to the Cobra engine yet alone the L engine. The independant rear suspension has the same problem in that half shafts are breaking with stock engines. I checked into costs for the two major components required and came up with another 5K minimum(included a "blueprinted" T56 six speed rated 500 Ft-lb torque, and a built 8.8" 31 spline live axle with attachments). Along with other parts still required, ECM, brackets, pullies, belts, harnesses, etc. it is going to run into considerable expense (counting the outlay for the Cobra, I figure 35K minimum). This is not to say that it still won't happen, but I'm not in a big hurry. I just don't know if I want to gut this beautiful car which currently has only 3k miles on the clock just yet. Can you tell that the Cobra is starting to grow on me, and did I tell you I can supercharge the 32 valve 4.6 L and get 450-500 HP at the rear wheels for about 5K? I'll then still have the other driveline problems above though too.
I got a list of some of the missing engine parts from Nytling92, who just posted his custom headers pix (he's putting a crate engine in his 92 F-150 to answer another of your questions). A local dealer is checking out pricing on those engine components for me and I figure I want to buy them now while they can be had. You may want to do the same for your engine if you can't sell it soon.
By the way, I've seen the engines advertised as high as $8000 at Anderson Ford, but they recently dropped them to $5500. Nytling paid considerably less than we did.
Good Luck with yours, it would look great in your 56.
Lightning Bob
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From: cecilia,ky. usa
bill, did i see that lightning bob said you have a 56 truck? there you go, man put it in there, be unique. i haven't worked out the motor mounts yet but a friend tol me to use mark 8 motor mounts for my truck. any way a person goes there is going to have to be a considerable amount of fabrication to be done.
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Really Old "Member"
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From: Kennesaw, Ga. USA
lytning92 & LightningBob:
You may be forcing me to go where I am not sure I want to go.
I do have a pretty pristine CA '56 F100 1/2 ton with the '8 foot bed and original Fordomatic and a 272' V8. I am no expert on Ford production numbers from 1956, but from what I have been able to come up with, it is rather rare. It is a Big window version and also has a '60s vintage surfer decal on the rear window.
Obviously, I own the truck outright as well as the crate Lightning motor.
It would be very interesting to me to find out exactly what money outlay I am looking at to install that motor in my '56.
I know it is about $400 for a computer, about $2000 for the correct tranny and let us say another $2000 for the necessary ancillary parts such as starter, alternator and so on.
Then, I would have to convert the fuel tank and instruments to compatibility with the computer driven Lightning motor management system.
Bottom line, how much would I have to spend to make such a conversion.
After answering that question, am I not better off selling the motor to someone with a "contemporary" vehicle who would not have to do so many modifications?
As a Lightning owner, I am already a "plunger", and I would be willing to take on this challenge, but not unless I knew what the costs and complications might be.
Your thoughts.
Bill
You may be forcing me to go where I am not sure I want to go.
I do have a pretty pristine CA '56 F100 1/2 ton with the '8 foot bed and original Fordomatic and a 272' V8. I am no expert on Ford production numbers from 1956, but from what I have been able to come up with, it is rather rare. It is a Big window version and also has a '60s vintage surfer decal on the rear window.
Obviously, I own the truck outright as well as the crate Lightning motor.
It would be very interesting to me to find out exactly what money outlay I am looking at to install that motor in my '56.
I know it is about $400 for a computer, about $2000 for the correct tranny and let us say another $2000 for the necessary ancillary parts such as starter, alternator and so on.
Then, I would have to convert the fuel tank and instruments to compatibility with the computer driven Lightning motor management system.
Bottom line, how much would I have to spend to make such a conversion.
After answering that question, am I not better off selling the motor to someone with a "contemporary" vehicle who would not have to do so many modifications?
As a Lightning owner, I am already a "plunger", and I would be willing to take on this challenge, but not unless I knew what the costs and complications might be.
Your thoughts.
Bill
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From: Victoria BC Canada
sorry, but im new here and just researching the lighning engine (i own a thunderbird)
but we have put 5.4's in thunderbirds (looks stock too....really a good sleeper) and mustangs it been done too
we ahve to change the intake to a van one, as well as add a cowl hood but its been done (his is a n/a 5.4 with a T-45) http://www.geocities.com/v8thunder54/smoke2.jpg
i am looking into putting a lighning motor into my 95 and changine the intake as well as the blower (going to a centrifical insted...to get decent traction)
will this be easy to do?
Ray
but we have put 5.4's in thunderbirds (looks stock too....really a good sleeper) and mustangs it been done too
we ahve to change the intake to a van one, as well as add a cowl hood but its been done (his is a n/a 5.4 with a T-45) http://www.geocities.com/v8thunder54/smoke2.jpg
i am looking into putting a lighning motor into my 95 and changine the intake as well as the blower (going to a centrifical insted...to get decent traction)
will this be easy to do?
Ray
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From: Huntsville, AL, USA
http://www.pegasuscustom.com/ford_truck.htm
sells the Navigator 32V 300 HP engine for $3795 and the L engine for $4800.
The guys over at www.maxrpm.com or Lincoln Motorsports have put a Lightning block with Cobra 4V heads and a Wipple supercharger in to a 95 Lincoln Mark VIII. Believe they had to custom fab a intake for it.
They have a couple of other Marks, one King Mark the VIII is featured in MM&FF November '00 issue out soon, and MarkZiLLa a supercharged '97 LSC I believe.
The Mark is a clone of the T-Bird, so at least width wise the L engine should fit.
Rex
sells the Navigator 32V 300 HP engine for $3795 and the L engine for $4800.
The guys over at www.maxrpm.com or Lincoln Motorsports have put a Lightning block with Cobra 4V heads and a Wipple supercharger in to a 95 Lincoln Mark VIII. Believe they had to custom fab a intake for it.
They have a couple of other Marks, one King Mark the VIII is featured in MM&FF November '00 issue out soon, and MarkZiLLa a supercharged '97 LSC I believe.
The Mark is a clone of the T-Bird, so at least width wise the L engine should fit.
Rex