5.0 Lincoln Mark 7 engine swap to 1972 Mustang

ADrock · 08-21-2005

I ask for any and all help concerning the issues that I am about to request aid with. I am 18 years old and 2 years ago I came across a 1972 mustang convertible with a 302 2bbl motor that had clearly been worked on before the owner disappeared and left the car sitting in the backlot of a car lot. Long story short I got the sucker for 500 and it ran for full year before the transmission went to the shitter this past February. The transmission is a C4 3 speed automatic...blah. Anyways recently I have gotten a 1988 Lincoln Mark 7 with a 5.0 HO and 4 speed AOD. For under 1000 I am going to swap the motor and tranny from the Lincoln into the Mustang. That way I can put the 302 up and make it nasty. And I can finally take the sucker on the highway and not have to wear a gas mask while smoke comes pouring out of the compartment as I hit 65.

Some key notes about the project are.

no EFI...i like to tinker and ive opted to go with a new 4bbl carb and manifold (suggestions?)
I already own 2 4bbl holley carbs
The holley carb in best shape needs a choke and few other parts but nothing serious (help on rebuild kits etc?)
Already own the crossmember adapter for the AOD

I am about to pull the engine, once i resolve the problem with the engine hoist that we rented. I am aware that I need a TV cable for the AOD. Is there anything that I am missing? Does it sound impossible?! Also I read on the mustangandfords.com website that the rear disc brakes on the Lincoln marks are bolt ons for late model mustangs with 8" or 9" rear ends. How to I check which rear end I have, because I will defiantley do that before I scrap the Lincoln. Sorry for the writing but this is a serious project and I need help from anywhere, so much work has been done on this car already but this is super super work. One last thing
I AM ON A BUDGET

thanks all, Adric

GhostDog 5.0 · 08-21-2005

Just pop the motor in, get the right transmission cable hardware, find an intake manifold that fits your rpm range, and you should be on your way.

You will need to plug the back of the heads that would normally go to the smog pump on the lincoln motor.

I dont think that AOD will work on a noncomputer controlled car. I may be wrong.

ADrock · 08-22-2005

Well I will make sure that the AOD works before I drop the it all in. Today I pulled the motor from the stang, and pulled the motor from the Lincoln. Everything is going fine except for the fact that the oil pan needs to be changed to clear the tie rod and frame brace in the engine compartment. Will I be able to use the old pan from the original engine or will I have to pick up a brand new one that will clear so that i can plop the engine onto the mounts. That is the only thing that is preventing the engine from going in.

Also I realize that I will need to modify the drivers side exhaust pipe as it hangs way to low due to the new tranny crossmember.

So now my questions are, if the AOD will not work without a computer, what tranny do you recommend for this application. I would like to have an AOD for sure. Also where do you recommend I get a tranny cable from? And lasty Ive got dual pipes, but there are straight, no H pipe between them. Seeing as I will have to redo the driver side exhaust pipe should I add an H/X pipe while im tooling around with all that. Thanks for all the help, Adric

5SpeedGT · 08-22-2005

Well, it seems like you have most of it covered already. If the pan from the '72 motor is in good shape, just re-use it, along with the pick-up. For the $20-$30, get a new oil pump instead of re-using the '72 pump that has probably never been changed. For an intake, a Weiand Stealth or Performer RPM would be the way to go., along with a 600 CFM vac. secondary carb. Rebuild kits are cheap, so if you've got one, use it. You will also need the Lokar TV cable for the AOD. One other thing you will need is a new gear for you're dizzy to be compatible with the roller cam from the newer engine. Another option is to get a re-man dizzy for a '85 Mustang GT from Autozone, if you use your original for a core they're only $70. As far as the exhaust, headers for a '72 'stang with a 302 are pretty cheap, anywhere from $100 and up, depending on how much you want to spend. A muffler shop should be able to weld in an H whereever you want it for next to nothing.

New motor and tranny mounts would be a good idea as well if you have some cash left over.

All told, you should be able to all of the above for $500-$700. Is that budget enough for ya?

ADrock · 08-23-2005

hehe is dizzy slang for something? Im 18 and I do believe that I will learn what dizzy is slang for when i hit 20, but could ya explain it to me please?and yes that budget is mighty fine thanks very much. I will update with new info ASAP. Thanks

meangreen92 · 08-23-2005

Dizzy is internet parlance for the distributor. If the Lincoln motor is a High Output, it will have a roller cam which requires a distributor gear made from a harder metal. Your '72 is probably bronze. The '85 is the only carburated roller motor. The '85 dizzy will also require an ignition box, as it's an electronic ignition as opposed to the '72, which uses breaker points. I believe you can get just the distributor gear from a vender. Then you can just use an ignition system from any '75 (or so) - '84 (or '85) 302 powered passenger car. Grab the dizzy, and the wire harness that goes between it and the ignition box, as well as the box itself. Try to find an '82 or later system. You end up with just two bare wires to connect. You just have to hook 'em up right.

I fitted the system from my old '82 GT onto a '68 Cougar, and it ran way better than the old points system.

ADrock · 08-23-2005

cool cool, the motor is a HO and its already got a dizzy with it, so no problems there. Looks like ill just have to get the wiring and such. thanks again

meangreen92 · 08-24-2005

You really need a distributor from a carburated car. It's gotta be possible to run a fuel injected dizzy without the computer, but I've never heard of anyone making a "box" that would do this. That might be because there is no means of mechanical advance with the dizzy from the Lincoln. If you can find a steel gear for your original Mustang dizzy, you can just run with that. You did say that you like to tinker... Those points will keep you busy.

macx · 08-26-2005

The AOD is a hydraulically controlled trans via the throttle valve cable,
and does not run off any computer input.

Your Lincoln AOD is 1" longer than standard length AOD's, and your
crossmember is going to be made to fit regular AODs. Don't know for
sure if the mounting bolt location is farther back, or it's just that the
tailshaft housing is longer (I think that's what it is, but that will affect
your driveshaft length)

Some links concerning that swap
http://www.shockley.net/Holley-AOD.asp
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/987/
http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/33598/
http://www.windsor-fox.com/

http://www.ultrastang.com/Ultrainfo.asp?Page_ID=11
for your rear discs

I have a 70 Stang that ran like crap till I switched to a
Ford Duraspark electronic ignition from a pre-computer car.
Got the distrib, the harness from there to the control box,
and the box all for $30 from a junkyard.

For your distrib gear, take the HO distrib and the Duraspark
to a good auto machine shop and ask them to put the HO
gear on the Duraspark distrib. They're pressed on, tough
to get off and back on, and it'll likely have to be redrilled
to get the right height for the gear on the shaft. REAL
tough to do yourself.

Here's a link that I think should have the wiring diagram
for the Duraspark - all you need is to hook up a ground
and power to the box. Also there's one version you want
and one you don't want - I think the below link explains.

http://www.geocities.com/mustangsteve66/
http://www.jason.fletcher.net/tech/d.../duraspark.htm

5SpeedGT · 08-26-2005

The Linc AOD still has the monting pad in the same location, it's only the tailshaft that is 1" longer. As far as the dizzy goes, you can't swap gears between a roller dizzy and an earlier one because the shaft's are a different size. You will either have to get a dizzy from an '85 Mustang GT (carbed), or get the roller cam gear that fits the smaller pre '85 shaft.

etillema · 09-07-2005

One other thing I have run into is the roller motor cars do not have the eccentric on the cam to run the fuel pump. You may need to add one, or use an electric pump. I have done the conversion but it was ten years ago. If I think of anything else I will reply again. Happy hot rodding.

ADrock · 09-25-2005

haha alright its been a crazy couple of weeks. nothing much has been accomplished but slowly and surely the light at the end of the tunnel is approaching.

Im a true gear head but this is most defiantley a project thats startin to weigh on me, especially with the absence of cash flow to get things done.

Anyways, time for an update. I proceded to take all that I could from the Lincoln...the engines out (and dropped in the stang just before hurricane katrina hit) and i took a few other odds and ends out before it finally got hauled away today. I got the transmission crossmember bolted in and the whole set up is sittin inside the car! YES! but nothings every that easy lmao. It looks as though I am going to have to replace the motor mounts, because although one side of the engine is bolted in...the other ones holes just wont line up..not a biggie but a hassle, i want to fire this sucker up damnit! After I resolve that problem I will tackle the issue of the distributor, most likely I am going to get a new dizzy for the sucker. I am also going to get an electronic fuel pump and stick that somewhere on the line. Now the only thing that I think will be the biggest pain is getting all the hookups for the tranny and the throttle cable and such linked and running smooth. All work im looking forward to completing though.

But yes sir, im going to spend the money to get a whole new exhaust system put in, long tube headers and all. That will be the first thing I buy with my paycheck..that and a steak dinner for my mother..(she thinks the car is worthless). Wish me luck, I havent drivin the girl for almost 8 months now, its killin me, but im committed. Ill have updates soon, till then, thanks for all the help

Oh and about the oil pan issue...when we first tried to drop the engine in we didnt think that the oil pan would be a problem..uh oh there. The oil pan on the HO just wouldnt allow clearance over the frame. That proved to be very frustrating. We had to yank the engine out and swap the pan out with the 72' and then put it back in. But once we did all that it sat in there perfectly and like I said not a moment too soon as within 5 minutes the hurricane started bitchin. Its been wild, I should have taken pictures. I will post pictures of when I first got the car though, you wont believe how we painted the car.

5SpeedGT · 09-25-2005

It's great to hear you're gettin' her done! Don't worry too much about the tranny linkages, it's pretty straightforward. When it comes time for the TV cable, post back and I'll help ya through it.

meangreen92 · 09-26-2005

You did change the oilpump pickup along with the pan, I hope. They are a matched set.
You want your electric fuel pump as close to the tank as possible - they push better than they pull. You'll need a carb style regulator too. Look into this closely, because there are issues when running an electric pump with a carb - such as, making the pump turn off with the motor. If the motor stalls, and the pump doesn't know about it, it will flood the carburator bowls.
Your rearend is almost certainly an 8 inch, in regards to the rear disks.
Not to fuel the debate on MSD systems, but you might just solve the ignition quandry more easily by getting a complete aftermarket system (box, harness, dizzy, coil, and all).

ADrock · 09-26-2005

Yup yup, changed the pickup when I did the pan. Rather nice how it just bolts on indeed.

I will make sure I pay attention to what you described about the regulator and pump.

And I do think that Im going to get a whole new HEI dizzy, a local guy sells em for 90 bucks, ive seen the same one in mustang monthly for 225.

Now Ive also got a question about how to determine what gears I have. The car originally jumped off the line very well. I am not sure if the previous owner had gotten new gears or what not. But I would like to find out and if there not what I want, id like to stick some gears in there that will allow for a much more enjoyable driving experience...aka jumping off the line without wrapping the doll around a pole.