Poll: Would you ever swap a ford engine into a chevy?

[38P]

We've all seen the ubiquitous SBC swapped into any number of Ford bodies. And we've seen controversial LS-into-Ford swaps.

But what about swapping a Ford engine into a Chevy? Back in the '60s, Ed Roth infamously swapped a 406 Ford wedge into a '55 Chevy. And sometimes the occassional "Powered by Ford" Camaro shows up at the strip. And I read somewhere that Billy Glidden's GTO had a wild Blue Oval plant under the hood.

So what say you? Would you ever transplant a Ford "heart" into the "Heartbreak of America"?

[groucho]

It'd have to be an old school Ford V-8 and be one bad SOB...but, yes, I'd do it. I'd put a 427 2x4 in my Vette to really screw with the "Vette guys". Hell, they already hate me

[milner351]

My Dad's first car was a 32 chevy roadster with a rumble seat - someday I'd love to have one - and I'd have to swap in a Cleveland or something, anything but an SBC or LS.

[oletrux4evr]

My Dad's first car was a 32 chevy roadster with a rumble seat - someday I'd love to have one - and I'd have to swap in a Cleveland or something, anything but an SBC or LS.

BBC......

[Bob Holmes]

The only thing I'd think of cross breeding with is a vintage mill.

[dieselgeek]

Speedy decided there wasn't enough trash talk on BS.com today!


I can see swapping a Clevr-or ford into just about anything, because those tend to be the best street engines for the displacement. We had one in the mustang at Spectre, that engine killed all the 383 chevies in camaros there. Crazy midrange torque and powerband, plus look how well they've done at EMC. The power you can get for cheap out of one of these seems a good reason to swap it into anything...

[38P]

Eager Cleavor

Speedy decided there wasn't enough trash talk on BS.com today!

Now TC can't be far behind . . . .

I see swapping a Clevr-or ford into just about anything, because those tend to be the best street engines for the displacement. We had one in the mustang at Spectre, that engine killed all the 383 chevies in camaros there. Crazy midrange torque and powerband, plus look how well they've done at EMC. The power you can get for cheap out of one of these seems a good reason to swap it into anything...

Now that ought to get the party started.

[Barry Donovan]

I would if it was rare enough.
sohc, or a cleveland.

shelby hacked into an english roadster. I am about that stupid.

I found a sunbird, 1976..its like a vega. putting gm all together is not hard to do.. I have wondered what the little chassis would do with anything. bop mounts have to moved around anyway.

[Scott Liggett]

I want to swap a stroked Cleveland and a top loader into a 69 Camaro. Anyone know where Chad keeps his? Muhuhuhahaha!

[BluLightning]

I'm more of a purist. Keep a Chevy powered by Chevy and Ford powered by Ford. There are always exceptions though.............

[38P]

Exceptions

I'm more of a purist. Keep a Chevy powered by Chevy and Ford powered by Ford. There are always exceptions though.............

Aw come on, Blu! You don't think that a tricked-out 427 SOHC, Boss 429, or a 5.8 GT500 with a honkin' polished Roots would look bitchin in Goodguy Jr. Meadors' new . . . yawn . . . zzzzzzzzz . . . '69 Camaro?

Or maybe a hopped Lightning grinder towering out of the hood of DF's body-wrapped '67 Impala drop-top?

Or some twin-turbo Coyote goodness rocketing Buford T. Justice to its next rendezvous with frag city?

[38P]

I would if it was rare enough.
sohc, or a cleveland.

shelby hacked into an english roadster. I am about that stupid.

Probably still too soon criticize Ol' Shel. But he did miss a big one when he didn't figure out that kit car Cobras were a great way to beat USDOT and the EPA.

I found a sunbird, 1976..its like a vega. putting gm all together is not hard to do.. I have wondered what the little chassis would do with anything. bop mounts have to moved around anyway.

Those things used to be the stuff of Joel Rosen's Motion and Don Hardy. Whatever happened?

My guess is about 550 to 600 h.p. is when you'll want to rely upon more than a 36-year-old unibody and step it up to Da Grump's "ship-in-a-bottle" tube-style chassis. But then Cars Illustrated ran a story back when on a Motion-Built tunnel rammed BBC Vega that used little more than a six-point cage and a set of motor mounts! So maybe the limit is higher than most speculate. Of course those pesky SFI safety rules and lack of traction will put a stop to the stock-unibody fun quicker than structural failure.

A hot Clevor in an old RWD Sunbird would really drive some folks around the bend.

[Schtauffer]

I would not go out of my way to do it, but if I had a Ford engine without a home and a Chevy that needed an engine the two would probably meet.

[BluLightning]

Aw come on, Blu! You don't think that a tricked-out 427 SOHC, Boss 429, or a 5.8 GT500 with a honkin' polished Roots would look bitchin in Goodguy Jr. Meadors' new . . . yawn . . . zzzzzzzzz . . . '69 Camaro?

Or maybe a hopped Lightning grinder towering out of the hood of DF's body-wrapped '67 Impala drop-top?

Or some twin-turbo Coyote goodness rocketing Buford T. Justice to its next rendezvous with frag city?

Actually I was thinking the other direction. I always thought my old wagon would be badass with old hemi in it! I will say though, no SBC has any business in t-bucket or Model A.

[oldsman71]

if the engine was a good enough! I love all engines the same!!! im a poor peice of crap, I run what I get.
I dont mess up "good cars" with cross breeding but beeters, race cars, and demo cars are free game