LUVTruck.com

Hello all, just joined the forums. I have a 1979 Chevy LUV 4x4, and I'm looking to put the Ford 302 from my mercury cougar in it. Is this possible? Will it fit? All I have ever seen is SBC 350's in LUVs, what would I need to make a FORD 302 (1979) fit? Conversion plate? New rear end? New motor mounts? Brackets? Will the oil pan sump hit the front differential? HELP!!!

anything will work as long as you can weld and get good mock-up measurements. try doing a search on v-8's or 302 and it should pull up a good bit of information and if you dont find anything im sure someone here can help. and by the way welcome to the site.

My main concern isn't the mating of the motor to the tranny, but whether the stock tranny and stock rear end on the LUV can handle the torque put out by my 302. I've done some measuring, and with a little love tucking the thing WILL fit, of course, but I don't want to undertake the whole project if the rear end is just gonna shred, or the tranny is gonna drop right out the bottom.

I think with any of the V8 swaps, everybody always uses a stronger trans. Something that will bolt up with out adaptors, for ease if not for strength.

The stock rear end sometimes gets used, and will last for a while if you drive like a grandpa,(but who does when they just put in a V8??) but eventually I think everybody goes to a stronger rear end.

I would guess the biggest problem with a stock rear end and a V8 eng. is the one legger rear, just spins all your tread off. You'll want to go to a posi rear for some traction.

Of coarse I have two stock LUVs, so anyone who disagrees with anything I've said, go ahead and chime in here. You won't hurt my feelings.

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

Assuming the posi rear end and upgraded tranny, what would you recommend? I may be totally parting out my 67 mercury cougar, is it at all possible to basically swap in the drivetrain?

Well, you know the trans (auto?) bolts up the the eng., so thats a good thing. And a 67 Cougar probably has a 8 or 9 inch ford rear end, possibly posi. If you want to go Ford,, might as well go all Ford.

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

yeah, but the drawback is you're starting with a 4x4 which changes things vs a 2wd swap. lots more involved with the 4x4 swap

What would be the cost of, instead, finding like a early 70s Vette tranny and a chevy 9" rear end? Worth the extra money to make things a bit easier? I would still have to deal with a conversion plate from motor to tran but that doesn't concern me too much.

Thanks for the replies by the way, great forum you guys are running here.

I didn't realize you have a 4X4. Are you wanting to keep it a 4X4 or change it into a 2X4 with the V8 swap?

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

I considered that as well, but I hesitated in replying on this..............maybe running a gear from a Full size blazer, or a Full size Bronco, in your case. But, to do all that modification is a real challenge and very time consuming!

if the idea is to stay with the 4wd and use the 302, i think i would stuff thr running gear from a ranger under it and go that route... the adapters are available for the v-8 ranger swap and then it would be a simpler swap

Well, there's no "idea" persay at the moment, lol. Basically I'm trying to sell my cougar, and if I don't get what I'm asking for it I'm gonna take the motor and put it in the Luv.

The Luv right now has no motor in it, blew a head gasket a while back and just pulled it intending on a rebuild, then thought, "Hey, a V-8 would be cool in this!"

Just sort of a base level planning is all right now, trying to learn the best route to take and then research THAT route.

Do the BroncoII conversion and injoy the fact that your truck is longer and would handle a lot better than a BroncoII to ever would or use a ford ranger and you would still be alot lighter than a ranger. keep on trucking

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s