1963 Ford Falcon 5.3 turbo build
#1
1963 Ford Falcon 5.3 turbo build. LS9 Cam, On3 76mm, TH400
I finally got started. I have got a 5.3 and a turbo 400 for test fitting. Since I am going to be taking the motor and trans out so much I decided to go ahead and cut out my radiator support. It looked bad any ways, and this way I will have more room for everything. Space is going to be at a premium since I am keeping my shock towers. I will probably have to notch them, but not sure yet. I test fitted the motor and trans today. I need to cut some of the old transmission mount out from the tunnel. The turbo 400 is way bigger than the t5 and C4 that I had in the car.
Here are the first few pics.
Radiator support
No radiator support
The search for an oil pan took a while. There are only 2 production front sump pans that I have found. The GTO and the Trailblazer SS. I scored a complete trailblazer setup for $75 of of ebay, so that is what I will try.
Here is a SBF front sump compared to the Trailblazer pan.
Last but not least. Here it is almost sitting right.
Next I will trim the tunnel and make motor/trans mounts. Then I decide if I need to notch the shock towers.
Here's one of the car.
Here are the first few pics.
Radiator support
No radiator support
The search for an oil pan took a while. There are only 2 production front sump pans that I have found. The GTO and the Trailblazer SS. I scored a complete trailblazer setup for $75 of of ebay, so that is what I will try.
Here is a SBF front sump compared to the Trailblazer pan.
Last but not least. Here it is almost sitting right.
Next I will trim the tunnel and make motor/trans mounts. Then I decide if I need to notch the shock towers.
Here's one of the car.
Last edited by 63Falcon5.3; 11-07-2014 at 01:08 PM.
#3
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Owning a TBSS and being on the forums a lot of guys experience bearing failure because of the front sump. PCMForLESS makes rear sump setup for the stock TBSS Oil Pan though. Just some food for thought.
Build looks Great.
Build looks Great.
#5
I have been building this car in my head and on bar napkins for a while now. I might part with my Chevelle soon, an early Falcon with a turbo 4.8 or 5.3 is next for sure. Keep up the posts. Good luck.
#6
So the TBSS pan wouldn't work. The TH400 is so big that I could not get a good driveline angle with the TBSS pan, so I had to get the GTO pan after all. All is good now. I got the motor mounts and trans mount made and I am working on notching shock towers now for exhaust room. Picked up my S475 and a FMIC also. Here are some pics of the progress.
This is the room without notching the shock towers. A little tight.
My S475 with the T4 flange
More to come.
This is the room without notching the shock towers. A little tight.
My S475 with the T4 flange
More to come.
Last edited by 63Falcon5.3; 08-12-2013 at 07:18 PM.
#7
The Falcon was the car I drove in High School back in 1990. I am hopeful this will be the build where it actually becomes the car I have always dreamed of having.
The cool thing about it is that I do everything that gets done to it in my garage, but the thing that keeps if from being as cool as it should be is that I do everything that gets done to it in my garage.
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#12
Got the shock towers welded back up in the falcon. Got the motor back in and the truck manifolds will still not fit. I broke down tonight and ordered some of the Hooker LS manifolds to see if they will fit.
Hopefully the hooker manifolds will fit and then I can get on to the fun part of figuring out where to fit in the turbo and intercooler. Once everything is mocked up I will pull it all down for some final clean up grinding.
Hopefully the hooker manifolds will fit and then I can get on to the fun part of figuring out where to fit in the turbo and intercooler. Once everything is mocked up I will pull it all down for some final clean up grinding.
#17
While I am waiting on the FedEx man I went ahead and got the new radiator fitted and decided on where to put my intercooler I picked up from Hitman. I had to notch the frame for the big radiator and will have to bend/tweak my grill to clear the bottom of the intercooler. It will be a tight fit to fit a fan, exhaust and turbo in the space that is left. lol
#18
What front suspension are you currently using or you going to run? My son & I know where we can pick up a cheap (beater) falcon & we thought of building it as a "budget beater".
#19
It is a really tight fit for the LS motor. If you keep the stock suspension like I did you will have to notch the shock towers and I am still not sure there is enough room for regular exhaust. I think I can get away with it since I am doing the front mount turbo. I know Crites makes a notching kit and 351 swap heads for Falcons, so that might work for you, just change the flange on the headers to fit the LS.
#20
The front suspension is stock V8. My Falcon is from Texas. I grew up in Livingston.
It is a really tight fit for the LS motor. If you keep the stock suspension like I did you will have to notch the shock towers and I am still not sure there is enough room for regular exhaust. I think I can get away with it since I am doing the front mount turbo. I know Crites makes a notching kit and 351 swap heads for Falcons, so that might work for you, just change the flange on the headers to fit the LS.
It is a really tight fit for the LS motor. If you keep the stock suspension like I did you will have to notch the shock towers and I am still not sure there is enough room for regular exhaust. I think I can get away with it since I am doing the front mount turbo. I know Crites makes a notching kit and 351 swap heads for Falcons, so that might work for you, just change the flange on the headers to fit the LS.