All Small Six Newby looking for input on engine swap

[Maketimber]

Hello Everyone,
I have a 65 falcon that has a super tired 170 in it. I recently acquired a 1981 Fairmont that has a 200 with only 54k original miles. The car was on an island in Alaska its entire career. The body on the donor car is, well let's say if you listen hard, you can hear it rusting But the engine and tranny are really fresh. The Falcon has a three speed auto (C4 ?), and the Fairmont has a 3 speed auto which I assume is a c4. I'm still in Alaska, and the Falcon is in Calif. So I can't put my eyes on the falcon for another month.
My concerns are, is this a straight forward engine trans swap? Will I have to juggle the oil pan, pump pick up, dip stick? will the tranny's output shaft be splines the same (can I use the falcon driveshaft)? Also on a side note, I've been reading about large log head and small log, will the newer motor have a large log?
thanks in advance for any input I can get.

 

[aussie7mains]

From Australian point of view, its should be a drop in.

 

[bubba22349]

Hello Everyone,
I have a 65 falcon that has a super tired 170 in it. I recently acquired a 1981 Fairmont that has a 200 with only 54k original miles. The car was on an island in Alaska its entire career. The body on the donor car is, well let's say if you listen hard, you can hear it rusting But the engine and tranny are really fresh. The Falcon has a three speed auto (C4 ?), and the Fairmont has a 3 speed auto which I assume is a c4. I'm still in Alaska, and the Falcon is in Calif. So I can't put my eyes on the falcon for another month.
My concerns are, is this a straight forward engine trans swap? Will I have to juggle the oil pan, pump pick up, dip stick? will the tranny's output shaft be splines the same (can I use the falcon driveshaft)? Also on a side note, I've been reading about large log head and small log, will the newer motor have a large log?
thanks in advance for any input I can get.

Hi and welcome to the Ford Six Forum Maketimber, the 1978 to 1983 Fox Chassis 200 Six's with a High Mount Starter are not exactly a drop in but they can be made to fit and bolt in and it's going to be a big improvement over any of the older 1965 to 1968 stock small six engine's. You mostly will need to use some of your old 170 Six parts like the Oil Pan, Oil Pump Pick Up Tube, the Dip Stick Tube and matching Dip Stick or else source all those parts new or used from a 1965 up to a 1977 year model 170 or 200 Six that will get it to set down onto the stock 1965 Falcon Motor Mounts just like the old 170 did. Those later model 200 Six's usually will all ready have the extra Dip Stick Tube hole in the Block then after you pull out the Fox Body Dip Stick Tube you just use a small Soft Plug to plug up that unused hole. Yes the Fairmount will have one of the very Best of the Large Log Heads, along with a bigger Carb and the excellent DuraSpark II Ignition System for the best runner you should use all of it, there will be a small amount of work on the Throttle linkage but you could also just use the Cable type Throttle Pedal parts, IE the Cable, Bracket, too off of that Fairmont it will work and look great. These late 200 Six's also have a slightly longer Water Pump and Front Dress Items they should be able to fit though with only a little work. Use the 1981 Engine Wire Harness and the Ignition Control Modula (ICM) as well as the 1981's Alternator Wire Harness along with its Electronic Voltage Regulator for a nice clean install.

The 1981 also has the Last year of the C4 Auto Transmissions and its about the best of them it will bolt in right in place same mount as the 1965's C4 Auto Trans. 1965 was the first year they used the C4 with a 170 or 200 Six in the Falcon's and Comet's so it should be one of those Green Dot / Duel Range type C4's if its still original to the car. You should also use the complete 1981 C4 Trans, because the 1965 C4 would have a smaller Input Shaft with a different Spline Count and it's uses a matching early pre 1970 Torque Converter to match with that size Input Diameter & Spline they will need to stay together as a matched set. If were me doing this swap I would always use all the 1981 Transmission parts they are a big improvement over the 1965 to 1969 C4's. This will be a direct bolt in if the Fairmont also has a Column Shifter too, then you will only need to change out the 1965 Steering Column's Gear Shift Indicator from the P, R, N, D1, D2, L ? Duel Range type over to the 1967 Select Shift style IE P, R, N, D, 2, 1. Yes you can use the 1965 Falcon Drive Shaft too the Output splines and Yoke are the same 28 Spline. Good luck on your swap.

 

[Maketimber]

Thanks Bubba, you have answered all of my questions! My intent is to swap out the engine and tranny as a unit. Sounds like I may have lucked onto the best possible engine trans combo I could have gotten.

 

[bubba22349]

Yes congratulations Maketimber, that will end up being a fairly easy and excellent swap choice for your 65 Falcon!

 

[chad]

"...best possible..."
mine would B w/the AOD. Fox 1st but mates w/the i6.

C4: least paracidic of the autos, AOD: non-ele but still 4 gears, the 4th a .067 OD.
needed on low rev i6s, moves power band up some, saves gas when od engaged...
Unfortunatly my Fox (LTD waggy) isa C5, still ok ona 105 inch WB 4L.