I have a 79 Bronco with the 400m, NP 205, C-6, 9" rear with limited slip, Dana 44 front open, skyjacker 6" suspension and 2" body lift on 36" swampers. I am considering the various options available for my buildup.

I will go through the engine first and don't know if I should rebuild the 400m or go with a 460 or 429. I found a buildup that gives 380HP and 468Lb-Ft for under $2,000. L&L makes a kit for both 460 and 429, but it is around $2,000 before even getting the engine. Is there a cheaper way to do this swap using a loaner vehicle? What years should I go with/ stay away from? EFI or CARB? I currently have a weiland intake and Edlebrock 650 cfm electric choke. I would like to get the engine done, with headers and all for no more than $2,000.

Next is the NP205. I am running 4.10 gears and my low range gear is not low at all. I was thinking about running dual cases, what is the best setup for this? I know a lot of people run 205/203 setups, is there an adapter that goes between them? What about the actual install? What if I change the gears to 4.88 or 5.29? Would that give a better low range?

Axles is the next consideration. I am planning on running 38" TSL Radials and don't want to grenade my axles, so should I go with a 60/70/10.25/14 bolt (only because they are cheap to buy and build) rear? What vehicle should I look for at junkyards for the axle? I will leave the front alone until I break it:)

Lockers, should I go spool/detroit/ARB/lockrite and in the rear or front? I know the spools are cheapest, where could I get one for the best price?

The other option would be to leave everything alone until I break stuff:) I need to do something with the engine, so that is my first concern.

Thanks for any ideas and suggestions and your time!

The common name for a 400m where i live is " boat anchor" . A good 460 sounds like the way to go . I currently have a 10.25 with 4.10s and a lincon locker works great . Make sure you get a full floater if your going to weld up the spiders . It want hurt a thing if you break an axle .

Definately a 460, the 400M sucks! I have a 460 in my Bronco and love it. Plenty of torque and hp with little effort. I have 2 - 400M's just sitting outside rusting, they sucked even when they ran.

Hmmm....

I say stuff in a diesel :D

Replace any resulting breakage with something bigger :D

Well....lemme take a stab at this.
You need HP *run mud or sand* you will want the 460 no question...if not the 400M can be made to run quite well if properly built. Neither of these will get ya big HP #'s with your budget regardless.

460 Swaps in 78-79 can be done MUCH cheaper than L&L lets on.
Late 70's Ford vans with 460's offer all the correct brackets and exahust/oil pan pieces already to go....Motor mounts can be bought from L&L or Advance adapters for $100 ish and your set...although I would suggest a good high quality HD radiator.

Axles... you wun 38" rubber and wheel it hard both the 9" and the front 44 will be liabilities. Your front can be swapped to a Dana 60 relativly easily and the rear is begging for a a floater of your choice...and yes the 14 bolts fits and works well.

As for the transfer case gearing.... The "doubler" that ORD sells is the most common aproach to this...it all really depends on your needed gearing....if Auto or stick ect....I ran 4.56 5.13 both in my rig and I actually prefer the 4.56 even in the rocks. But I have a loose converter and a few other mods than make this work for me. Many have recently found that swapping to the 1356 case from a newer Bronco or F-series to get the lower low range gearing works well in even big block trucks, as the case holds up fine.

Lockers..... this is all personal opinion....... but make sure ya know what axles ya will run in end or ya may buy it all twice....460+Rocks+38's =Broken..and CTM's and Warn shafts will not help the Dana 44's balljoints from dieing on the trail.

NoRM

Originally posted by P|n-BaLL
460 Swaps in 78-79 can be done MUCH cheaper than L&L lets on. Late 70's Ford vans with 460's offer all the correct brackets and exahust/oil pan pieces already to go....Motor mounts can be bought from L&L or Advance adapters for $100 ish and your set...although I would suggest a good high quality HD radiator.

Axles... you wun 38" rubber and wheel it hard both the 9" and the front 44 will be liabilities. Your front can be swapped to a Dana 60 relativly easily and the rear is begging for a a floater of your choice...and yes the 14 bolts fits and works well.

As for the transfer case gearing.... The "doubler" that ORD sells is the most common aproach to this...it all really depends on your needed gearing....if Auto or stick ect....I ran 4.56 5.13 both in my rig and I actually prefer the 4.56 even in the rocks. But I have a loose converter and a few other mods than make this work for me. Many have recently found that swapping to the 1356 case from a newer Bronco or F-series to get the lower low range gearing works well in even big block trucks, as the case holds up fine.
NoRM

I will start looking at old vans for the 460 and check on motor mounts. It has a brand new 4 core radiator, so that will be fine for the 460. How much is the "doubler" from ORD? How does it work? I have heard of swapping in the new case and transmission, and that is also an option if I can find a newer 4x4 that had a 460 efi and was wrecked, I could steal everything from that. Thanks again for all your help guys!

Originally posted by greaser


I will start looking at old vans for the 460 and check on motor mounts. It has a brand new 4 core radiator, so that will be fine for the 460. How much is the "doubler" from ORD? How does it work? I have heard of swapping in the new case and transmission, and that is also an option if I can find a newer 4x4 that had a 460 efi and was wrecked, I could steal everything from that. Thanks again for all your help guys!

The vans you are looking for are the 83 and up ones. They will have a rear sump pan. If you convert to EFI that is great, however, you will have a steep learning curve on figureing out how to make it run. Also, you will have to find EFI specific headers for your application. You thought swap headers were expensive now ($405 shipped) wait till you try finding ones for EFI BB. Course, you will want to dump or have built the overdrive tranny that will be behind it, they die an easy death. I also agree that it will not cost you 2k to do a motor swap.

Originally posted by masterbeavis


The vans you are looking for are the 83 and up ones. They will have a rear sump pan. If you convert to EFI that is great, however, you will have a steep learning curve on figureing out how to make it run. Also, you will have to find EFI specific headers for your application. You thought swap headers were expensive now ($405 shipped) wait till you try finding ones for EFI BB. Course, you will want to dump or have built the overdrive tranny that will be behind it, they die an easy death. I also agree that it will not cost you 2k to do a motor swap.

For now, should I just get the 460 in and use my 205/C-6? The C-6 has a 2500 rpm stall converter and B&M shift kit already. If I do find an 83 and up van with a carb, the only extra thing I will need is motor mounts and exhaust, right? Thanks

Vans 78 and newer will all work if 460 Equipped....

NoRM

OK you got a 6" lift, you now no longer need to have the rear sump oil pan. They are nice to get the sump away from the axle, but withl the lift you don't need it. 80+ guys are the ones that need both the oil pan and oil filter adapter.

For the exhaust, you can use the manifolds off the van, or from a car. If you cut a notch out of you frame. Or get a set off a truck. The 460 was in alot of 2wd trucks, this is an even better place to get the oilpan, exhaust, oilfilter, ect.

For the engine mounts, you can buy the L+L ones if you want. Or you can just use a set of 390(FE) motor mounts. Cut the two oppisite corners off, and oblong the other two holes. They will bolt right on the block and drop right in where a 351m/400 or 302/351w was.

what kind of wheeling are you looking to do?
as for the 460 swap, l&l is the easy and expensive route. you can save alot of money dropping a 460 in there with a little time and effort. if your not gooing to do any extreme climbing i would suggest finding a 68-78 460, preferably 68-71(they have higher comp heads and most dont have exhaust bumps in the ports) if you can find one in a car thats complete, or a truck......that will make things easy. If you got one of those year motors, put a cam with around 210/218 duration, strait up timing chain, headers, 750 carb with a performer rpm manifold you can make 500 ft lbs easy and fairly cheap. Or make alot more like me:D . You can use most of the bracketry and pulleys, get some l&l motor mounts and drop it right in, to use car exhaust manifolds you have to notch the passenger frME rail, but i would suggest forking out the cash for l&l headers. They got a good warranty, 1/2 inch thick flanges, nickel plated tubes that wont hardly rust, blah blah... im not exactly sure what you do about the torque convertor and flexplate, but i would know if you had a manual tranny.:D

As for running 38's, your 44 front wont last long, shafts will break, balljoint wear out, wheel bearing loosen/wear out etc etc. Go 60 as soon as you can. for the rear i would suggest a sterling since it bolts right up.....shock mounts spring perches braklines and all. if you haveent lengthened your f/r shafts the sterling and 60 will put the lengths back to around stock


as for lockers i would weld the rear , its cheap and strong. IF you doit right it wont ever break. With larger tires a locked rear aint all tha tnoticable on the street unless you make sharp turns in the p-lot. for the front i would suggest a selectable or a detroit. whatever you can afford.


Its all according to how much you want to spend, but im sure you know that:flipoff2: