Need some guidance
Need some guidance Hello everybody. Let me first say I have personally never truely dealt with LS engines before, but I'm fully aware of what they are capable of. About a year ago I bit the bullet and bought a 2004 LM7 with 43,000 miles, but due to financial restraints at the time I sold it. One thing led to another and I'm doing pretty well for myself, so I want to get another project going. I would like it to be a budget build. I don't mean cheap and skimp or cobble a car together. Im okay with buying parts that I need, but I want to keep cost down by finding deals and maybe some junkyard searching. I want to put a LQ4 or LM7 into a fox body or notchback mustang. I know its been done a lot and I'm sure I'm going to hear "use the search bar 
" comment, but believe me, I have. Everybody has done it differently and I just cant find the info I'm looking for. I want to know what I need to buy to get the engine in the mustang and get the car moving. I have heard I can run the truck intake and accessories if I use a larger cowl hood? Is this true. I've actually done so much research lately I think I'm actually going backwards. My dad has a built turbo 400 and a built 2 speed powerglide he is willing to let me use. I'm more than likely gonna use the turbo 400. Eventually I would like to get a turbo build going, but for now I just want to have an LSX mustang running around. If anybody can give me guidance or a parts list to get me going I would greatly appreciate it.
" comment, but believe me, I have. Everybody has done it differently and I just cant find the info I'm looking for. I want to know what I need to buy to get the engine in the mustang and get the car moving. I have heard I can run the truck intake and accessories if I use a larger cowl hood? Is this true. I've actually done so much research lately I think I'm actually going backwards. My dad has a built turbo 400 and a built 2 speed powerglide he is willing to let me use. I'm more than likely gonna use the turbo 400. Eventually I would like to get a turbo build going, but for now I just want to have an LSX mustang running around. If anybody can give me guidance or a parts list to get me going I would greatly appreciate it. 
There are a few good ones on here that you can refer to and I am sure many more, but these are the few that come to mind:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...notchback.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...te-3-27-a.html
Also, the fellow above me not so subtly hinted that he has a build as well:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...ack-build.html
You can at least start there and PM or post with the OP of the thread to see what they did. There are a ton more as your swap is getting super common. I have not done it myself yet but I do know there is an aftermarket K-member available for this application that makes install a walk in the park.
As far as your trans choices, either transmission you mentioned has a 1:1 final drive ratio so they will be have he same. However, the 400 weighs more and there is more parasitic loss, but they are friggin tanks and takes very little to make them live. The glide seems to be more of the street/strip (primarily strip) trans of choice for folks lately but you really need to have your combo dialed in to properly utilize it.
Good luck in your search.
Dave
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...notchback.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...te-3-27-a.html
Also, the fellow above me not so subtly hinted that he has a build as well:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...ack-build.html
You can at least start there and PM or post with the OP of the thread to see what they did. There are a ton more as your swap is getting super common. I have not done it myself yet but I do know there is an aftermarket K-member available for this application that makes install a walk in the park.
As far as your trans choices, either transmission you mentioned has a 1:1 final drive ratio so they will be have he same. However, the 400 weighs more and there is more parasitic loss, but they are friggin tanks and takes very little to make them live. The glide seems to be more of the street/strip (primarily strip) trans of choice for folks lately but you really need to have your combo dialed in to properly utilize it.
Good luck in your search.
Dave
Last edited by BanditDave; Jul 2, 2013 at 05:29 AM.
Thanks for the info Dave. I'm leaning more towards the turbo 400 mainly because the glide was in a drag boat we had so it has a shorter tail shaft and the turbo 400 is ready for use. I guess I really just want to know what I need to drop a 5.3 or 6.0 in with all the truck accessories and intake. Most of the builds I'm reading everybody switches intakes and accessory drives. I've only found one thread similar to what I want to do and it was just a picture/video thread, no useful info for me.
Well mounting points are all the same for the LS series, so whether it is an adapter plate you saw or what is highlighted in the threads I posted, it will all be the same I believe. Intake height, specifically for the truck intake, may force you into a cowl hood which sounds like you would not be opposed to.
When I get home from work I will do some digging for you, but are you against a K member swap? I am pretty sure there is the standard adapter plates/mounts for the fox, but my guess is that the K member will make it easier for pipe routing in the Stang's compartment. You could also look into what is done in Fairmonts as they are more common that STDs lately. I believe they share a lot with the Fox platform as well.
Dave
When I get home from work I will do some digging for you, but are you against a K member swap? I am pretty sure there is the standard adapter plates/mounts for the fox, but my guess is that the K member will make it easier for pipe routing in the Stang's compartment. You could also look into what is done in Fairmonts as they are more common that STDs lately. I believe they share a lot with the Fox platform as well.
Dave
