I m attempting to put a 390 fe motor in a 55 ford truck with a heidts front suspension . any suggestions on motor mounts

 

Dennis Carpenter has frame mounted motor mounts for FE engines. I am not sure how it would work with your suspension setup, but it bolts on to the frame.

 

a couple of us on the board are dealing with the same challenge for mounts for the motor on an IFS.

Sam (sdetweil) fabbed some real nice ones up, here is the page that has pics:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...install-3.html

Griz as (BACAGriz) did some very similar as well:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ncluded-3.html

I will be doing something similar to that for my 302 as soon as I finish up my four link I have been milking for the past month.

 

The Dennis carpenter mount wont work for the Mustang II or basically any IFS. It's designed to be used with the stock axle assembly. It's actually a Trans-Dapt engine swap crossmember sold by Dennis carpenter. I have this in my '56 with an FE.

I'm not happy with the way the truck sits with the stock I-beam, nor can justify the cost of making it work vs. the cost of installing a Heidts kit. Soooo maybe down the road I'll be doing the same as you by installing the IFS kit.

I've built custom engine mount sets for many other cars, it's really not that hard. Just get the engine sitting in there where you want it and build from that. I usually like to get a pair of the most common engine mounts available over the counter and then build brackets from that. That way if you trash a mount on the road, one should be easily attainable. Provided headers and other clearances, using a 67-76 F series FE engine mount might be a good starting point. Or you could use the mounts that would come with the Trans-Dapt type that is offered by Dennis Carpenter. The mounts are actually early Galaxie FE mounts of I remember correctly. I have a part number for them if you want. Just make sure you have all the pieces that you will be using (and install them if you can without getting in your way while fabbing).

Also side note-- you may find that you'll need a 4wd oil pan for that FE if it doesn't have one already. I can't say that for sure but make a note of that if you already have a front sump 2wd pan and it hits the x-member. Anyone can chime in on this as I'm not sure. Figured I'd verify it sooner or later!

 

BC,

Below are a few pictures from my build. I have a 1955 F100 with 390FE/C6 and a Heidts IFS. The 390 is a real pain to install. I ended up having canton make me a custom double sump oil pan (now you can order them; see their website) and used sanderson headers. Further, I used stock motor mounts building my own mounts off of the IFS/frame. Hopefully, you can get an idea of what I did from the pictures.

Lance



1955 Ford F100 4x2 - Mustang II IFS Reassembly

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...180112&width=0

 

WoW. that's a heck of an angle you got that FE sittin at. I can see why, that x-member is RIGHT there. Not much you can do. Could you have raised the tranny up a bit to relieve the steep angle? Or is that gonna cause floorboard clearance problems then... Stupid long-skirted FEs...

Yeah it amazes me how close the pan is to the stock axle, even at near stock ride height. I have only about an inch or two between the relieved part of the pan and the I-beam axle. So much for lowering it a bit. Looks like dropped I-beams are the only answer. Seems like the IFS makes the engine sit a bit too angled for my taste. Wonder what the Volare stuff looks like with an FE installed ... or any other IFS other than Mustang II?

 

nice build

 

The MII front suspension is the most compact of any of the IFS setups, so if you think it's hard installing an engine around one of those, it won't get any easier working around a Mopar K member and their assorted in-the-way torsion bars and control arm mounts.

 

Well I was more in line thinking that the oil pan may clear the Mopar K member a bit better, granted a rear sump pan is necessary. But i don't know, would have to see it myself. From some pics I've seen it looks as if the K member rode a bit lower in the F100 frame than the Mustang II x-member does. Maybe it was just an illusion from the pics. I do know that those stupid torsion bars make running exhaust a severe pain, and headers.... are they even possible?? I've got headers on my A-Body Duster and even being a smallblock, they are a PITA to install, and still subject to road rash thanks to the torsion bars.
Also thinking of other cars that would have supported big blocks such as 70s LTDs, Lincolns and Thunderbirds. I know many moons back a friend of a friend had a '55 Panel that he had it subbed with a late 70's thunderbird front clip. Kept the 460 and the whole nine yards. Even had a tilt front end on it. Obviously not an FE engine, but a big block none the less. Not sure what happened to that rig... would have been nice to go back to take a closer look at it.

Trust me, I'd love to keep the FE in mine, and also have IFS. Just trying to figure out the best solution without throwin good money after bad.
If the steeper angle that Lance is running doesn't cause any odd problems, then great, makes me lean more tward going that route. Just haven't heard any feedback from him yet.