# 5.0 Ford power for 240sx



## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I know this will sound like sacrelidge to some, but I am contemplating building a 240 with a Ford 302. It weighs about the same as a RB25DET(if aluminum heads are used) and is much cheaper. I measured a 5.0 Mustang and a 240sx in the junkyard and it will easily fit the car, possibly with the stock Ford mounts as the mount bolt holes are in the same relative position! I was wondering if anyone here has attempted this and if so, what was the outcome? It seems like a cheap way to a quick, good handling car(once the weight is redistributed) and I would think it had been tried before.Thanks!


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## Nizmodore (May 9, 2003)

Nice idea.....at least its diffrent.....I was thinking about putting a 4.9litre Holden HEC 304 in a R33 Wreck I have...hmmmm


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## niky (Jul 20, 2002)

Don't know anyone who's done it... but you two bloody crazies would most likely hit it. :banana:

Maybe cutting out stuff to put the 5.0 in would even out the weight difference from the 2.4... and is the 5.0 really that light? I'd imagine the aluminum heads aren't cheap, though...


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

as surprising as it may sound, there are tons of people that have put the Ford 302 and I think the Chevy 305 in their 240s. It's a common mod somehow. I can't give you any exact information, but if you search on here or google or any of the other 240 sites, i'm sure you'll find it.


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## rkeith (Jan 12, 2003)

yeah ive seen 240s with 302s already.... sooo atleast that lets you know it can be done!


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## nx2000 (Jan 24, 2003)

yeah that is PIMP. Have crazy easy power and dont have to deal with the hassle and stress of a swap....I say go for it


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Yeah, the 302 is not that heavy.It is also a narrower engine than a Chevy Small Block. Remember that a 5.0 Mustang coupe can be as light as 2600lbs from the factory, for a stripped 1987 LX. The aluminum heads are not cheap, but not as expensive as you might think.Used sets can be had for as little as $400 and a new set of TFS heads are only like $950-complete! My plans do not include aluminum heads initialy as I do not have the money for them. Instead, I am going to use a set of DO0E castings from an early 351 Windsor that were given to me.These are the best factory heads with the exception of the GT40P heads used on the Explorers.I want to do it cheap initialy so that I can enter it in the Grassroots Motorsports Magazine $2004 challenge. I have most of the engine and a transmission already as I was planning a 5.0 Ford Fairmount and gathered up all the reject parts I could get donated for that one. I was just hoping someone had a site they could lead me to that might detail some of the problems(I.E. will the steering shaft clear the headers for a 5.0? The 5.0 is front steer and the S13 is rear steer(location of rack relative tho the crossmember)) Thanks for the input and words of encouragement!


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## megaseth (May 18, 2003)

Aires at limecreekmotorsports has an LT1 in his S14. it can be done, but the handling is poop. and you're going to need a tranny that can take it. hes gone through 4 i think. oh, and a rear end that can take it and a driveshaft that can take the torque. hell, its basically going to be a mustang with a 240 shell over it. if you do decide to, you're going to be doing a lot of frame strengthening and replacement of weak parts. as cheap as it may sound, the end result isnt cheap.


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## Joel (Jun 11, 2003)

Nizmodore said:


> *Nice idea.....at least its diffrent.....I was thinking about putting a 4.9litre Holden HEC 304 in a R33 Wreck I have...hmmmm *


Haha! weapon.
One the other hand there is a VR Commodore around perth with a RB25DET in it. Its a hell sleeper! Sounds cool too


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I do not plan on running an excessive amount of power through it. The trans I am using is a World Class T5 Borg Warner 5 speed. As for strengthening the frame, Subframe connectors and a cage are in my plans as well as strut tower braces. Me and my friends have the tools necessary to fabricate all of that in our garages, so all I really need to buy is tubing and heim joints. As for the handling, I plan on fabricating a large rear sway bar to counteract the extra weight over the front wheels and I also want to put the battery in the trunk to help with weight distribution. If I get adventuresome, I'll try my hand at fabricating a fiberglass hood to further remove weight off the front end. The other thing I plan for weight reduction in front is removing the bumper support beam and replacing it with PVC pipe to hold the shape of the front end. Another weak point of the 240, as I see it, is the 2 piece driveshaft. My plans include a custom 1 piece unit using a Mustang driveshaft cut to the proper length with the Nissan rear yoke adapted to it.Also, a aluminum headed 5.0 Ford is lighter than a LT1 and less torquey since a 302 has only a 3 inch stroke with 5.4 in rods as opposed to a 350's 3.48 inch stroke and 5.7 in rods. I'm not looking for 700hp. All I want is a cheap 300 hp on the motor with a 150 shot of Nitrous.


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## megaseth (May 18, 2003)

Aries was oonly making 400 or so to the wheels spraying. the frame will need more support. give aries a holla and ask him about the stuff. i'd also go with some fiberglass fenders.


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## Nizmodore (May 9, 2003)

Joel said:


> *Haha! weapon.
> One the other hand there is a VR Commodore around perth with a RB25DET in it. Its a hell sleeper! Sounds cool too *


Yep as long as its diffrent, I like it! I had a pic somewhere for a Supra engine in a Kingswood ......


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## Bumpin (Feb 18, 2003)

I was offered a 302 ford motor supercharged for $300 with tranny. I was gonna do the swap until I found out how much a custom rear end and drive shaft would cost. But the other thing I found out is that even if you put a stock 302 in a 240 your gonna be doing 15's in the 1/4 mile. So if you could get the motor for as cheap as I was ognna get it. And the rear end and drive shaft cheap I would suggest doing it. Otherwise I dont think its worth it.


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## projectsr (Oct 16, 2003)

You could drop a 5.6L from the New Titan. That truck looks pretty sick!!! :thumbup:


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## niky (Jul 20, 2002)

Hello... n000bie... we're talking *cheap* here... LOL.


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## megaseth (May 18, 2003)

i dont know if this was mention, but mustang parts for the 5.slow are damn cheap and numerable. everyone and their mothers makes stuff and most is pretty well priced.


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I plan on using the 240 rear end. I will however, ditch the Nissan 2 piece driveshaft and have a Ford/Nissan hybrid made. I do not think(at least I hope) the R200 differential is all that weak. It is used in lots of V8 early Z cars (It came stock in the 280zx, 300zx, J30, and I think the Skyline) and so long as slicks aren't used, I think it will be fine.As for the engine, here's my combo: 5.0 H.O. shortblock from a Lincoln LSC-$54(local junkyard), early DO0E heads-free, E303 cam $100 used(roller), Edeelbrock Performer 289 intake-$36 at a swap meet, Holley 750( list 3310)-free(a neighbor gave me 3 old holleys he had) 1985 Mustang GT distributor(MUST be an 85 for carb)$60, stock Mustang stainless headers-free, starter from an 81 F150-free, timing cover-free, WC T-5 trans(rebuildable)-free Bellhousing-maybe free, flywheel- maybe free, clutch-unknown, clutch cable, quadrant and pedal-unknown,used plug wires-depends on who I can talk out of them!,driveshaft core-$10,air filter with ram air setup-$15(fabricated from 2 carb air cleaner assemblys). I have a bigger list, but that's the beginning. The 5.0 HO is good because it has factory forged pistons from 1985-1992(later motors are Hypereutectic).It also has a high nickel content block (like Nissan) which is slow wearing and rarely requires reboring.Plus, it is a roller cam engine and the original lifters can be retained with the new cam. I also plan to use a SN95(94 and newer stang) radiator since it is just the right size for the 240's opening.I plan to get the mounts with the short block since they should be the same as a Mustang(both share Fox chassis architecture)It also helps to have friends who are really into 5.0's and have tons of leftovers they are willing to give me for getting them out of their garage. I also have a knack for trading services for parts and can keep my overall outlay cheap.I just need to find someone with more parts who is gonna throw them out.


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## megaseth (May 18, 2003)

the R200 will not handle the power. they did come in other cars, but its not the same internals. you're going to need a new diff cause you're going to blow that one up. like i said, Aries has a lot of info on his site, you might want to check it out.


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

megaseth said:


> the R200 will not handle the power. they did come in other cars, but its not the same internals. you're going to need a new diff cause you're going to blow that one up. like i said, Aries has a lot of info on his site, you might want to check it out.



Can you post a link to his site? Or at least the site name and address? Thanks!


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## megaseth (May 18, 2003)

www.limecreekmotorsports.com

i think thats it. i dont know if the site is up right now, but i think the car stuff is on there.

dont go to that site, it doesnt work. i'll see if Aries has a write up on his car somewhere on NICO.


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## 240sxgod (Jun 20, 2003)

I can tell you some of the research that we've done on this swap.
You need to use a front sump oil pan and pick up. Like out of a 60's mustang.
The stock shorty headers that you have will clear fine. The T-5 trans and 5.0 will actually line up and fit the shifter right up thru the trans tunnel. But you have to make adapters for the stock 5.0 motor mounts. We were looking into using the factory hydrolic clutch set-up from the 240. I think this would be much easier than doing a cable install. Since your trying to maximize hp per $ I would suggest getting a smaller carb and a bigger intake. Try trading that intake on corral.net for an rpm version. Also you need shims for your head bolts if your using those windsor heads on that 302. Hope that helps.

Oh yeah, who ever said that it would only run 15's is nuts. This set-up in a Mustang would easily run 13's and with Good heads mid 12's are no problem.

We would have done it but none of the tracks around us would let us race it in sport compact races. So we went back to the KA24E.


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## megaseth (May 18, 2003)

what kind of rear end were you using and what kind of tires. i know aries was running a pretty damn tough diff cause he destroyed the R200 and he was using some pretty fat tires to try and get traction.


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## 180SX-X (Sep 21, 2003)

u should just put a 8.8 in rear end on it...but thats $$, so get a z32 rear diff...if thats not 2 much.


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## kaptainkrollio (Jul 29, 2003)

although it would be creative and possibly fast, the engine is still a ford, a synonym for crap. I would try it just to find out what it would be like. let us know how it turns out.


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## 180SX-X (Sep 21, 2003)

actually, ford is pretty good, we say other shiet sucks, but really its cuz we're all about nissan(although honda really does suck), i noe ford is good cuz my uncle has a 500hp 5.0 and it eats my SR 240 as a 4 course meal...


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I thought of a possible solution for a better differential. It would require some fabrication and custom half shafts, but Ford used a 8.8 centersection in the T-bird, Cougar, Mark VIII with a V8 that was made in the 90's. As for the pan, I wanted to use the Mustang pan because it would facilitate some additional engine setback to offset the extra weight of the V8. I measured the pan trough and the 240's front crossmember in the junkyard and confirmed that it would fit there if the power steering hardlines on the rack were tweaked slightly to make it work. The project has been put to the back burner for a while as I need to concentrate my resources on putting together the car that has occupied my garage for the last 4 years. I plan on being ready to start this in January, so wish me luck!


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## rick (Aug 24, 2003)

kaptainkrollio said:


> although it would be creative and possibly fast, the engine is still a ford, a synonym for crap.


Fords 302 is one of the most bulletproof engines ever, in either stock or full bolt on form. 200, 300k is nothing for these engines so long as they're taken care of. Nice try though.


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Exactly! There are race cars using junkyard shortblocks with 200k on them and 200+ shot of nitrous! Try that with a stock N/A Nissan engine some time! (Not that I dislike Nissan engines!)


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## Sil-8zero (Sep 8, 2003)

i can see it now, you go and pop the hood at a show while the muscle heads are using their so common "haha a riceburner" then they see the motor.... :thumbup:


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## megaseth (May 18, 2003)

oh, the KA can handle over 300hp on just n20.


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## 180SX-X (Sep 21, 2003)

^^hahahahaha, that would be a pretty good feeling for u 2 fit in every where, well, as long as u dont pop the hood at a import meet and they dont realize the sound is from a V-8 (an N1 muffler shoud solve the sound prob though)...ah, the glory of ripping 11 sec runs down the 1320...


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## Nizmodore (May 9, 2003)

hehehhee Down here we have (well I) have the oppisite problem....Domestic cars with import engines.....The domestic people hate us, the import people hate us.....ah the joy of being in the middle....


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## krylonkoopaa (Sep 13, 2002)

hey nizmodore you have any links to pics of aussie domestics like falcons and etc...


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I frankly think the whole import vs domestic thing is silly. We all like the same things, just do it in different cars. We all want to go fast, so my opinion is let the best car win and who cares who it was made by or where it was made.BTW, I own 3 domestics and 2 Nissans.


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## Dwntyme (Dec 18, 2002)

302 would fit nicely in the 240.

Hell, If it will fit in this Conquest TSI , it sure as hell would fit the 240.


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## Car_doc86 (Oct 23, 2003)

not really something id do since i like to keep my tofu rockets and american muscle seperate...but whatever floats your boat...just be ready to make it 4/5 mustang 1/5 240sx ... it sounds like you might be more happy with a ford pony, plus it would be alot cheaper


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Dwntyme said:


> 302 would fit nicely in the 240.
> 
> Hell, If it will fit in this Conquest TSI , it sure as hell would fit the 240.


Damn, that's a beautiful Conquest! I've always liked the lines of those cars, and the 302 only makes it that much better!


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## megaseth (May 18, 2003)

yeah, its really nice. i like the Starion front end better though.


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