Hello, I am new to the site, so please accept my apology if I’m posting in the wrong place. But I am looking at buying a 62' F85 and wanted to make a mean little street machine using a 350 Rocket. But I know they had small engines and small transmissions, so my question is how hard would it be to get the engine and TH350 or 200R4 transmission in the bugger? and what additional parts may be needed? Thanks to all that reply. Cheers

 

A th350 shouldnt be to hard just make a new trans tunnel and new drivshaft, preferably a single piece unit. for the engine anything with a distributor in the rear will need the heater removed to make clearance. I was thinking about the same swap in my 62 wagon but its not a simple swap at all. after you get that new engine and tranny in there youll want a new rear end to hold up too. it can be done but you have to want it.

 

Yeah the tunnel I am not to concerned about, but what rear end could be put in and what kind of modifications would I have to do to the rear end itself?

Thanks for the quick reply

 

I put a gm 8.5 rear end in my 62, I used the upper mounts that were already on it so i had to relocate the mounts on the frame to a higher location. The rear end also had to be narrowed about 5" on each side because it came out of a caprice. I was thinking an s-10 rear end could be a fairly straight forward swap as far as width and just weld 4 link mounts to the axle tube next to the pumpkin to keep them low.