jptucker101 wrote:

...the only engine they've seen that was WORSE was rebuilt by someone that accidentally left a crescent wrench inside the engine...

If it were mine I'd swap in a low mileage junkyard roller-cam 302 and a T-5... but bear in mind that besides the engine parts that you mentioned you also need to swap front and rear springs, rear axle, front spindles, front and rear brakes, and wheels.

Last edited by Michael H. (10/15/2018 1:00 PM)

In that case it would be a no-brainer for me... you've already handled the hard stuff.

I’m not really up to speed on V8’s so are there specific years I need to be looking for from the vehicles listed above? I know for the T5 I need to be looking at 1985-1993 transmissions...but what about engine years?

The later the year of the engine the better.  They got better and better as time went on.  The 5.0 H.O., debuted in '85 with a roller cam, but still carbed.  They got speed density EFI the following year and that ran '86-'88.  In '89 they got mass air.  In '94 there were some minor changes to the electronics of the EFI (fan control was added, and ODB1).  Then it gets hazy for me, because they stopped being used in the Mustang in '96.  At some point they became GT40 engines with better heads and intakes.  Then they became GT40P engines, which were even better.  They went to DIS at some point.  We had a Mountaineer that was a '98 I think that had the DIS system.  There's markings on the GT40 and Gt40P heads that identify them, but I'm not 100% sure what they are anymore.  Just Google it. 

The EFI stuff doesn't matter as much if you're going to swap to a carb.

On the T5 you just want a World Class one from a V8.  I've got a couple kicking around.  If you need one send me a PM. 

i think i'm good on the T5 identification, just need to figure out the correct engine. the pictures help tremendously. thanks!

Yeah, the GT40/GT40P are going to be your best bang for the buck. 200K miles are nothing for these motors. I have a GT40P in my 66 and I’ll take a GT40P any day of the week, they run real well. I paid $450 for mine with the trans and all the EFI stuff. I sold off what I didn’t want for $175, net cost for it was $275. A friend of mine also with a 66, his 289 took a dump. I picked a GT40P at a local pink n pull for $280. $80 for the motor, $50 core charge and $100 for them to pull it out which was a steal. Originally he wanted a GT40 but every Explorer I looked at in the yard with a V8 was a GT40P. The last five years of 5.0 motors were GT40P’s.

Here’s a link to my GT40P install

https://forums.vintage-mustang.com/vintage-mustang-forum/1012953-got-my-gt40p-up-running-my-66-a.html