1988 5.0 swap

[xricer]

Hi everyone, I have searched and still wanted to start a thread. I have a 67 Caliente, I also have a complete drivetrain from an 88 5.0, manual trans. The 67 is auto and I would love to convert to t5 but don"t know what parts I would need so I'm going to wait a bit for that. I would like to put the engine in though. I put a new front sump and pan on already and know I need to drill the front cover for a dipstick. I guess I'm just curious if I can use 5.0 shorty headers, 67 mounts will work and wondering about hooking up the trans? Any help would be amazing! Thank you!!

[Jims65cyclone]

Welcome aboard! You're out of my league in what you want to do, but there are guys on here that can do (and probably have done) just about anything, so I'm sure you can find all the help you need.
Jim

[Comechero65]

Hi everyone, I have searched and still wanted to start a thread. I have a 67 Caliente, I also have a complete drivetrain from an 88 5.0, manual trans. The 67 is auto and I would love to convert to t5 but don"t know what parts I would need so I'm going to wait a bit for that. I would like to put the engine in though. I put a new front sump and pan on already and know I need to drill the front cover for a dipstick. I guess I'm just curious if I can use 5.0 shorty headers, 67 mounts will work and wondering about hooking up the trans? Any help would be amazing! Thank you!!

The manual trans should be a T-5 and if that's what you want it should already have the correct BH. It all should bolt up even the driveshaft may be already the correct length. If not that can be corrected. Use your existing motor mount. don't know what crossmember and trans mount is on it now. That may be useable as is. You'll have to decide how you want to do the clutch. The T-5 bh is designed for a cable operated clutch. But the bh can be adapted to use a manual push type clutch. but you will need an equilizer adapter as the block has no provision for a zbar pivot. You would also need the zbar and push rod and manual clutch pedal. Mustangsteve sells a kit to convert to the cable but you still need the pedal. You'll need a front sump pan and pump pickup. Drill a hole in the timing cover for a front dipstick unless you want to keep the side dipstick. If you plan on using a mechanical fuel pump it may not have a boss to mount the pump so you would need a different timing cover. It probably doesn't have an eccentric for the fuel pump so you would have to add that as well. You'll have to decide what front dampener to use depending on pass side rad inlet or drivers side inlet. Timing marks and pointer is always on the opposite side from the rad water inlet. Existing dampener is probably a 4 bolt so that determines what pulley to use. Yours probably has a drivers side inlet and timing marks on the pass side. The 5.0 should have a 50 oz imbalance on the dampener and flywheel. You have to stick with that imbalance factor for those two parts.
Shorty headers would probably fit a 67 so header fitment should not be an issue.
The 5.0 is totally useable as long as you use all the correct parts. You either outfit it to early 289/302 setup or go with the later 5.0 setup. Yours may already have a serpentine setup so you have to decide to keep that or swap to v-belt setup. Personnaly I would stay with the v-belt setup as that is simpler and less complicated to me. And may fit in the engine compartment easier though engine compartment length on a 67 may not be an issue. It is on 65 and earlier bodies.
Good luck.
Ron

[xricer]

Thanks guys for the welcome and the info! The car runs perfect right now but I still want to have an injected 5.0 in it....I'm a Mustang guy:) For now I think I will start with just the engine and start gathering all the parts for the trans conversion...I'm not sure which way to go on the clutch....cable, hydraulic? Going to look up mustangsteve.


Thanks again, Craig

[Rocket989]

'66 & '67's have a lot more room to work with so the clutch cable may not impact header choice. Though I do doubt Fox Mustang-designed shorty headers will fit. No way I would intentionally retrofit a z-bar setup unless I really cared about original appearance!!

Fairlanes were more common so I'd try searching for T5 conversion info (pedal setup, x-member, etc.) for those. Modern Driveline is another good resource. And yea, if you've got the harness, ECM, etc. keeping it injected would be cool!

JH