Installing a 1968 Ford 428 and 4 speed In 1982 SL

[SL428]

Hello from new member.
I am installing a 1968 Ford 428 engine and four speed transmission in my 1982 SL. The old 380 and auto trans was sold on craigslist and the project has begun. I have stripped all the wiring and computer/automated stuff from the car and cleaned the engine bay. The 428 engine and trans has been mocked-up for fitment - I hope within the week. I finished installing the clutch assembly/master cylinder from an Euro 280 SL today and it was faily easy. I will construct a bracket for the slave cylinder on the ford bell housing after I see where the transmission will sit. I will use the 428 mechanical fuel pump and A/C compressor, install mechanical gauges, mechanical heater/AC controls and etc.
My initial concerns are the clearance around the stearing box and the idle arm/drag link. The engine came out of a mustang and the original castiron headers are tucked in very close to the engine so the exhaust may be OK. Not sure wheather I will use MB power steering pump or ford pump. The engine has a front oil pan sump so I hope very little trimming of the subframe will be required.
Another concern is the rear end ratio. I have not crossed that bridge yet but plan to use biscuit type transmission adaptor at the shorten drive shaft. I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how to do that.

[alabbasi]

This I must see, please keep us updated with you're progress.

[Strife]

I'm not a purist and I think that using another engine in a 107 is interesting, but I have to ask, why this particular engine?

[rockcrusher]

That's what is in the cobra I believe.

[rockcrusher]

Is that a 428 nascar side oiler engine???

[jpchleapas]

Originally Posted by rockcrusher

Is that a 428 nascar side oiler engine???

I believe the side oiler was the 427. I was just reading up on a "R" code 1963 Galaxy. Pretty slick with the 427 with two 4 bbl carbs feeding it. The 427 was really a 425 cubic inch motor they called a 427 according to the articles I read. I used to own a 1971 Thunderbird that was made for the Treasury Department with the higher output motors needed by the Feds. It had heavy chains on both sides of the engine helping to hold the motor in place. For a big heavy car it could lay clouds of rubber for over 150' from take off with the torque it made. That was the 428 cobra jet not the 427. The 427 was what was in the old two seat Cobras and other high performance cars from the 1960's. Good luck with your project. John

[JimFreeh]

Not all 427 Ford engines are side oilers.

Only the early "427" Cobras got the 427. Quite a few had a 428 engine installed.

Jim

[Richard Wooldridge]

I think you will need to find a locking differential for the car, from a 560SL. I have an '82 380SL with a 560SL engine in it, and in the rain it breaks traction every time I step on it. Very annoying. It will do it while accelerating in second gear, about half throttle. It REALLY needs that locking differential! Your engine will make more power, and will spin the tires even more easily.

[82gray380]

This sounds like a major undertaking. Post the pictures as soon as you can. As far as the rear end, do you think the MB will be able to handle a big block?. It just seems to me that the engine will have to much torque for a MB rear end. Good luck, it sounds great.

[Deltacom]

Originally Posted by SL428

Hello from new member.
I am installing a 1968 Ford 428 engine and four speed transmission in my 1982 SL. The old 380 and auto trans was sold on craigslist and the project has begun. I have stripped all the wiring and computer/automated stuff from the car and cleaned the engine bay. The 428 engine and trans has been mocked-up for fitment - I hope within the week. I finished installing the clutch assembly/master cylinder from an Euro 280 SL today and it was faily easy. I will construct a bracket for the slave cylinder on the ford bell housing after I see where the transmission will sit. I will use the 428 mechanical fuel pump and A/C compressor, install mechanical gauges, mechanical heater/AC controls and etc.
My initial concerns are the clearance around the stearing box and the idle arm/drag link. The engine came out of a mustang and the original castiron headers are tucked in very close to the engine so the exhaust may be OK. Not sure wheather I will use MB power steering pump or ford pump. The engine has a front oil pan sump so I hope very little trimming of the subframe will be required.
Another concern is the rear end ratio. I have not crossed that bridge yet but plan to use biscuit type transmission adaptor at the shorten drive shaft. I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how to do that.

It is gratifying that these Panzerwagen inspire so many modifications even when the original Teutonic engines have given up their Host. I am still recovering from the amazing and fascinating feat of Roncallo’s conversion and looking forward to see some pics of yours. One can only encourage such undertakings, even when sacrileges as the pic below shows are being committed!!! With 500 BHP!! (posted by a fellow member in this forum years back but I kept the picture as Mercmorabilia).

[Roncallo]

Originally Posted by SL428

Hello from new member.
I am installing a 1968 Ford 428 engine and four speed transmission in my 1982 SL. The old 380 and auto trans was sold on craigslist and the project has begun. I have stripped all the wiring and computer/automated stuff from the car and cleaned the engine bay. The 428 engine and trans has been mocked-up for fitment - I hope within the week. I finished installing the clutch assembly/master cylinder from an Euro 280 SL today and it was faily easy. I will construct a bracket for the slave cylinder on the ford bell housing after I see where the transmission will sit. I will use the 428 mechanical fuel pump and A/C compressor, install mechanical gauges, mechanical heater/AC controls and etc.
My initial concerns are the clearance around the stearing box and the idle arm/drag link. The engine came out of a mustang and the original castiron headers are tucked in very close to the engine so the exhaust may be OK. Not sure wheather I will use MB power steering pump or ford pump. The engine has a front oil pan sump so I hope very little trimming of the subframe will be required.
Another concern is the rear end ratio. I have not crossed that bridge yet but plan to use biscuit type transmission adaptor at the shorten drive shaft. I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how to do that.

Good luck to you. The project should be fascinating. A heavy engine though. Which version of the 428 are we talking, 2bl, 4bl, CJ, SCJ etc. Where are you from. My main concern would be the width of the engine. This is where I would expect to find things tight with a 428. Do you have cast iron manifold or cast iron headers. I've only seen the cast iron headers on the Ford 427 never the 428, trust me they may fit on the engine but not in the car.

You are starting out with a 380SL so you will have to upgrade your rear end. The 560SL rear may bolt right in or may need some slight mods. At worst case you can get a 560SL subframe to support a 560SL rear. I just ordered a 560SL rear subframe for $160.00 delivered.

If you maintain stock power from the 428, the stock 560SL rear will be fine. If you plan on modifying the engine you might want to consider a 129 rear from an SL500/600. This will require significant subframe mods and shortened cv axles but not nearly as much as putting in a vett rear or something like that. I am currently getting ready to purchase custom CV axles shafts. So if you are interested in that keep me posted. Buying 4 is cheaper than buying 2.

You should ask the moderator to re post this in performance paddock.

[SL428]

The 1968 428 cubic inch 4 barrel Ford engine is a stock 340 horsepower. I have had to work for the last two weeks (I own an Engineering Firm in Canton, Georgia) so I have not had time to spend on the project. I am waiting on one of the new motor mounts from Mercedes before I stick the engine in for the 1st time. The cast iron headers are the ones used in the Mustang and Fairlanes. The bolt up different than the early blocks for max clearance.
How do you post pictures on this forum? Are there any step by step procedures?

[alabbasi]

There are now.

Upload files to an image hosting company such as photobucket or imageshack
Once the image is uploaded
right click with your mouse and go to properties
a box will appear and there will be a section called URL with an address that begins with http://
Copy that address by highlighting it and then right click on the mouse 'copy'
Go to this forum
past the URL and add "img" at the begining and "/img" at the end but replace the quotes "text" with with open square bracket at the beginning and close square brackets at the end [].
Hit preview to make sure the image shows up correctly.

[donbryce]

You can upload pictures directly from your harddrive. Just follow the instructions when you click on the 'manage attachments' button, which you'll see when you scroll down in the 'reply to thread' screen. You'll need some way to trim the pictures down to a maximum of 65KB, 800 X 600 pixels though. I use cheap Corel photohouse software.

[chasinthesun]

A 428 ford motor and a 10 bolt top loader 4spd ,this is a project Ive been waiting to see.I had a 69 fastback stang back 10 years ago ,those ford 4spd slush boxes are very harty pieces.