I ready to see it, hear it and ride in it!

Scotty2thang:

       This isn't an improvement! Here's my take on this, If I had the money, I'd buy a new LS-6  427  Vette and immediately take it to Jack Roush and have a decent engine installed..

First off, let me make it known that I understand that there are strong feelings about "degrading" a Mustang with a Chevy motor, but there are several factors that went into me taking on this build. And although I do not "Bleed Ford Blue" I respect the people that do, just as I respect the people that "Bleed Chevy Orange". I am just taking advantage of an opportunity that was presented to me.

Believe it or not this is a very popular option for budget minded racers and there are hundreds that have done it before me.  Have you ever watched an episode of "Pinks" or "Passtime" or seen highlights of Hot Rod Magazines Drag Week? This isn't an uncommon swap. 

 I noticed the trend and wondered what all it took to accomplish this feat. I started doing research and thought to myself what if you could build a budget racer, yet still not butcher the car and have it to where it was easily converted back to Ford power?  That's what I set out to do.  

Degrading a good Mustang was not my intention.  You have to realize is that we are talking about a clapped out 4cyl. car I found in a field that was left for dead. I do have my limits.  I, in no way, support taking a collectible Mustang, such as a '93 cobra, or even a clean 5.0 car, and doing this sort of thing to it. I say that this no more blasphemus than cutting up a '79 Pace Car to make a drag car or putting a 5.0L into an SVO!  I have owned many Mustangs from a '68 fastback to just recently a '99 GT soon to be open track car. I also own a big block '67 SS Camaro that I enjoy just the same. I still like the way a bone stock '91 5.0L Coupe looks instead of some Lambo doored '08 Shelby, so, in ways, you can consider me a purist.

Love me or hate me, I am a car guy. No matter how you look at it I'm saving another Mustang from the crusher. I know it's going to offend die hard Ford fans but it also may inspire people to use what they have and make it work.  This is what hot rodding is all about.

You are building a true hot rod!!! By the way, the headers look and k member look great in the car.

I think what your doing is great, and I can't wait to see the finished project.

I've always been a Mustang nut & owner, but I also have hands on knowledge of how great a motor the LS series is. The LS is probably one of America's greatest engines ever, and I've been thinking of dropping one under my stang's hood for some time now. Please, Keep up the good work.

Thanks Animal

I knew there were others out there that have considered the possibilities that are out there.  I just figured that I'd show people what all is involved in a swap like this and have a fun little toy when I'm finished.

Hey, after this, can I see you put a Ford motor into a Chevy? I mean, in true hot rodding style, is that what true rodding is all about when you use what you have, like say if a guy had a spare built 5.0 in his garage, and found a cheap Chevy platform to use?

Don't listen to them Scotty, you'll be the one passing them up at the track haha.

I've seen it done before.  There was a 68 Firebird here locally taht ran at the fun Ford events becasuse it had a built 460 in it. it got pretty much the same response/  When the guy was asked why he would do such a thing.....his answer was "because that's what I already had".  People are acting like this is a new thing that's happening. It's not.  What powerplant is in John Force's cars?  certainly not Ford's Design.  If you look closely you'll see Mopar enginuity there.  Anyway people are missing the purpose of this build.  "take what you have and make it work"

I'm a Ford guy who hates when a hot rod guy restores an old classic Ford and then drops a 350 into it, but I love this project.  The LS1 is a great engine that makes mad power and is easy to work on.  I'd imagine that it's a whole lot less expensive and more reliable than a 347.  It certainly beats the heck out of a Ford 4 banger in any case.  Sometimes budgets and opportunity dictate a project more than blind brand loyalty, and creative thinking should be appealing to all car guys.  I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Gotta say the LS1 looks odd to me with that intake on it.  :)

i am getting ready to install a ls1 gto engine and six speed in to a 67 mustang convertible.  we were going for the roush 347.  but this will be cheaper have just as much power plus be fuel injected for 25 plus mpg.

Why did you choose to go carb rather than EFI, and what difference does it make where the distributor is? Was there a clearance issue?

Well the reason I went carb is for simplicity. They are cheaper to build than an EFI setup plus I already had a Complete High performance fuel system for a carb sitting at my house. The LSX motors do not have provisions for Distributors in stock form, they are based off of magnetic pick ups and reluctor wheels to fire the individual coil packs, It wasn't until a couple of years ago they started looking for ways to use a distributor on them so they could run the motor in NASCAR series races.  Nascar rules prohibit the use of Individual coil packs.  Plus I loved the fact taht it looked similar to the Ford Small block "If you look closely alot of the LS1 Induction designs are very close to a small block ford".  Seeing the potential of the LS based motors along with the fact the NASCAR parts making it look more like a Ford motors got my gears turning.  Those factors along with the fact that I had a lightweight shell and extra parts laying around "both Mustang and LSX specific" were the final factors in me deciding to take on this project.  I'm going to get it running with the carb setup first but after more research I have found that the only difference in the LSX firing order and a 5.0 HO is 2 cylinders are swapped, 5.0 is1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 and LSX is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3.  I'm going to attempt to swap plug wires around to where the firing orders are the same, weld injector bungs to my intake and make a spyder EFI setup to where the LS1 is run off of the Ford A9L computer and sensors.  Theoretically it should work but you never know till you try.  This will also make it to where I could still swap a Ford motor back in in a matter of hours without modifications.

I see. That's crazy that they never had a distributor setup for that motor. I guess it makes sense though. There aren't too many production cars with them anymore.

ill take that white fox in the background of the sixth picture down from the top :-D

I wanted to ask you if you think an LS1 intake can fit on a 1993 5.0 engine please email me.  Thank you.

The LS1 intake won't work on a 5.0.  The intake ports are completely different and it bolts up differently as well.

Good luck, keep us updated, I'm also a car freak and a multiple mustang owner I say build it your way. I'm turning a clapped out '84 svo into a turbo'd 429bb '93 cobra clone, why, because it's mine, and others opinions mean nothing to me.

fast is fast whatever youve got. im a ford guy, but would do this if i had an ls1 laying around

Why did you have to move the pivot ball on the trans?  Was it a ford or chevy tremec 3550?

thanks

Rich

The tranny is a Mustang Tremec TKO. I moved the pivot ball in order to use the mustang specific clutch fork.  That way the clutch linkage would be identical to that of a normal fox mustang.

The GM bellhousing was origionally set up for the push style clutch fork used on the earlier GM mechanical linkages.

scotty I am 64 years old, I think that is kool there is always the car of choice, and then there is that special goulash.I am working on a 1948 willis pu with small block 59 chev strait axl gasser with chopped top and suicide doors/ 69 mustang will have a 460/ 5 speed 65 chevy pu 327 shaved doors caddy tail lights and more a t bucket rat rod with a flatty and more so amen to the no cure for the sickness         keep up the good work the Rat king from cctx.

i'm doing close to the same thing to a 67 coupe and love how simple the ls1 is and how 2 modss can give you 400+ hp on the rear wheels

im tryin to do the ls1 swap into my 89 hatch. i just have three questions for you what trans are you using, what is the product/ manufacture # of the lakewood bellhousing and what do you have to do to switch the side that the pivot stud is mounted?

I'm using a Mustang style Tremec TKO 5spd and Bought a Lakewood LW-15030 Bell-Housing to Modify for this application. To swap the pivot ball over I had to take quite a few accurate measurements and make a template which basically copied the ford bell-housing over to the lakewood. Then I welded nuts together and then to the bell-housing for the pivot stud to screw into.