What engine would you suggest to put in a 66’ Mustang, and what would you do to get it in there?? i need suggestions…
The list is endless! First you have to decide what you want to do with it. Do you want to drag race it? If yes, put a big block in it. 427, 428C.J. there are many good choices, and some of them are even affordable.
If you want something more agile and handles corners, choose a 302 small block. Waaaay better for the street and going around corners. Big blocks are too heavy for this kind of driveing.
awesome, its gonna be for the street so a 302 sounds the best. what would i need to change along w/ the engine to put it in? would the old transmission be fine as long as i take it easy, or would it totally destroy it?
Ha Ha … Yeah you would take it easy on it, just like I would. lol
You can pump a lot of H.P. from a 302, and the problem is you would not be able to baby the trans and rear gear for long.
When you have a car and engine combination like that you just can’t resist jumping on it and banging the gears.
IF you took it easy on the trans and rear end, it could survive, BUT YOU WONT, NOBODY DOES!! You don’t build a car like that just to baby it.
YOU’LL BE BANGING GEARS ON YOUR FIRST TEST DRIVE. 
If you have the $$$ you better get a trans and rear end,(the entire rear axel assembly, not just the gears set) bigger tires and wheels, a stronger driveshaft, some stiffer front suspension, and really go through the front steering while you’re at it. My sis has a 67 and everything is shot, all the steering’s shot, or was shot untill she replaced it. Hers and yours are over 40 years old so most everything mechanical should be checked and most of it replaced, because most of it is worn out, unless yours is very low miles, like less than 50K.
lol, yeah i guess your right…but~ im gonna probbably have to do what you say. i just dont know where to start. i know where to get the engine, and parts, but dont know what kind of transmission,rear end, or if i need to switch to a more modern braking system. i know where to order some drum breaks for it. also i dont know what a total estimate of the tranny,driveshaft,tires/wheels. if you know where to get an estimate, itd help!thnx
Find a Mustang club in your area (they’re all over the place).
There are places that deal with just Mustangs…or just 60’s and 70’s muscle cars. They are also a good source. It sounds like you’re NOT going stock. There are a plethora of aftermarket/performance/upgrade parts available.
BTW…wasn’t the stock engine for this year the 289. Either the 302 or 289 is what I’d go with.
How much are you looking to spend? If price isn’t an issue, I’d go with aluminum 351 block bored and stroked to 427 CID, some Yates aluminum heads, and a 750-850 cfm carb. You’ll get the power of a big block and the weight of a small block. For a tranny, I’d go with T-56 six speed or a built AOD. You’ll also want to consider a built 9 inch rear axle Expect to spend around $10k-$12k.
For something milder, the ubiquitous 302/T-5 combo is popular and much less expensive.
The V8 for that year was the 289
I am well aware of that. But a 351W will drop in just as easy. The OP didn’t mention if he was going for authenticity or not.
its not a 8 cyl. its a 6. so its only a 200ci. i was wantin to put in the 302 to give it a nice boost for power, but also keep it as not too amped up. so i was just lookin for the engine, i found one for about 2,000$ and new. but i dont know what kinda tranny to put in. im lookin for a reasonably priced one. also im gonna need a better rear axle and a better driveshaft. i dont exactly know what kind of tranny, axle, driveshaft i need though. i know “what”, but not “what kind” to get.
You need to get a plan together. Like others have said, there are clubs that can help. There are also books, and I bet web sites, that cover the details. For safety you need to deal with the front suspension. The V8 needs different shocks, springs, and brakes. You have to be able to stop and turn safely. But like I said, slow down, don’t drop $2,000 on an engine before you’ve planned out what to do.
What shape is the body in? These things were also called ‘Rustangs’, for good reason. How’s the floor under the dash? How’s the trunk? How are the spring mounts?
You found A NEW 302 for $2,000.? This sounds suspect to me. I would be very carefull before makeing that purchase. It sounds too good to be true. Take someone with you who is VERY EDUCATED (in Mustangs, 302’s, and engine diagnosis) to help you sleuth the engine out before buying it.
Transmissions: Nobody has answered you on the transnission yet because you still haven’t told us whether you want an automatic, or manual trans for this car. There are good selections for each, but need to know which, AND also need to know your final decision on engine and horsepower FIRST, because nobody wants to recommend a trans that you “could afford” and then find out you have built a 600 horsepower monster that will crush the trans the first time you nail it.
You need to make some monetary decisions first before we can be of much help to you.
How much CAN you spend on this car? NOT how much you WANT to spend, but what your budget for this car honestly is. Then you can make engine decisions, trans. etc.
We will be happy to help you spend your money LOL, but we don’t want to get you in over your head.
Go to some of the websites others have posted on here, car clubs, etc. and get some ideas of what you really want AND can afford.
Like Texases said, you need a plan…
Didn’t you like the answers you got to your first thread? In 1966, a 6 cylinder Mustang was a COMPLETELY different car than a v8 powered one. EVERYTHING in the V8 powered cars was bigger, heavier, thicker, stronger. If you want a V8 Mustang, trade yours in on one. Much, much cheaper than trying to build one from a 6 cylinder shell…
As for the transmission, if automatic, both were C-4’s. But the V8’s used a heavier driveshaft and a larger rear axle, heavier springs.
Hey, here is a fun factoid usually overlooked by Mustang nuts…Open the trunk. Take out the mat and cardboard “floor”. Know what you are looking at now? The top of the fuel tank…See any rust spots??
Mustangs, Falcon, Comet, Fairlane all shared the same running gear. There were millions of drivelines made but they are getting scarce now…The Top-Of_The-Line Engine was the 289 High Performance, a 271hp 6000 RPM barrel of fun. They were also very expensive, a $1200 option in a car that only cost $2800, so they are very rare. Many have been cloned, usually very poorly…
Mustang Engines: 1964-1966
During this period, the six cylinder Ford engines came in 3 flavors. 144, 170 and 200 cubic inches. Externally, they were pretty much the same. Most came with a 3-speed manual transmission. The few automatics were mostly 200" C4 setups.
The “new” Ford small block V8 began life as a 221 cubic inch engine, quickly became the more popular 260 V8 found in early Falcon Sprints and Fairlanes then morphed into the legendary 289…This engine came in 3 flavors. 200hp 2 barrel, 225hp 4-barrel and the rare 271hp H.P. engine. The Hy-Po motor had a forged crank, solid lifter cam, high compression, iron headers, and a big Holly carb. The 271 horsepower figure was very conservative, making them almost unbeatable in the stock-car classes…They also required the optional but mandatory 4-speed transmission, which I THINK was the Borg-Warner T-10 making it hard to get because Corvette got first dibs on them…It was 18 months before Ford started making their own passenger car 4-speed manual transmission…