[DeTomaso] 429 big block

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/31/12 10:44:31 PM, LEVITT1946 at aol.com writes:

> Will a 429 Ford engine from a 1970 Mustang fit into the Pantera ?
> 
Yes. There are quite a few such in the Pantera community. Precision Pro 
Formance sells (or once   sold) a conversion kit. But why stop there? The 460 
is the same block as a 429 with a stroked crank, and Ford currently sells a 
510 crate engine. The engines are 4" longer than a 351-C, so you shove the 
whole powertrain back on custom motor and ZF mounts so it fits. The extra 
angularity of the u-joints doesn't seem to shorten their life. The shifter is 
adjustable enough. Finally, aluminum heads, an aluminum intake, a lightweight 
Holley and an aluminum waterpump all add up to an engine that weighs about 
40 lbs more than a stock 351-C but has 3X the torque. Seam-welding the entire 
body and running a good chassis stiffener kit would be a good start towards 
keeping an uncracked paint job. 

Now for the bad part. Even if the engine is free, it will NOT be a cheap, 
easy swap! You get to make your own brackets to mount alt, AC and headers, 
fiddle with the shifter around the wider repositioned block, and once running, 
you'll find that your ZF is now effectively a 3-speed. 1st and 2nd are 
pretty much useless even with 12" wide rear tires, except for winning 
tire-destruction derbys, and are dangerous in the wet. So you re-gear the ZF for 
another $2500 or so to harness the monster torque, which markedly increases your 
top end and temptation to use it. There may be cooling issues even with a 
big Fluidyne aluminum radiator. GT-40 type or 'Gurney-duct' hoods are common.

Jr Wilson ran a 572" Boss-429 pro-stock-type engine in his open-road-race 
Pantera for a decade, using a radically regeared ZF. But he also had the 
unofficial 'world record for blown rear tires above 200 mph in a street car' (7 
or 8....) and was once clocked at an event by radar at 245 on 2-lane 
blacktop. He mentioned to me that "This is what you get if you spend $2000 a month 
for 5 years on your Pantera...." Darryl Johnson's 545" big-block Pantera 
regularly competes in the Mojave Mile runs; he is trying for 180 in the 
standing mile. Forest Goodheart is the latest in the big-block ranks with his 510" 
Pantera that replaces a supercharged stroker-Cleveland he thought was too 
slow. Surprisingly, all these owners are currently in Nor-Cal Panteras, but 
there are others. Good luck- J Deryke