[79CougarXR-7]

hello,
I am in posession of a 1979 Mercury Cougar XR-7 that was generously given to me. When I got her, she had the stock 302 and wasn't running at all (you should have seen inside the heads and the block lol we'll just say the engine was shot), besides the fact that it was completely rusted everywhere on the body, among other problems. I'm planning on doing a nearly ground up restoration. I loved the car since I first saw it.
I would like to put a 460 in it with a C6 or maybe AOD tranny. If I'm not wrong, I believe the last year that a 460 was offered as an option (though be it very rare) in the Cougars was 1976, right before the last body style change (the body style I have) before the Fox Body era. Now I'm pretty sure I could get a big block in there however, the problem would be with the motor mounts. Could I just use FBB motor mounts from a Cougar with a big block from 1976 (or other car from a different year)and just drill holes and bolt them down and drop it in there? Also, is there anything else that I may need to worry about trying to put a big block in a 79? Is there anyone that has done this (put a big block in a 77-79 body style cougar) or knows anyone that has done this? Any help or information that anyone else has would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Parker Dean]

I was going to do this for a "sleeper" many years ago and dropped the project when I got a 5 liter. In fact I've still got one of the frame mounts around here. I know 'cause it keeps getting in my way when I'm looking for other stuff.

Any that's pretty much all you need is the frame mounts off of a 72-76 Tbird with a 429/460. Cougar's moved to the TBird frame in 74, and while I haven't been looking I've never seen a 74-76 Cougar that was an original big block.

Once you have the frame mounts then all you need are the engine mounts (insulators) for the 460 'Bird and its a bolt-in.

As for trannies for the most part you are limited to the C6 for ones that will bolt-up with minimal hassle. The next choice would be the E4OD out of late Eighties-mid Nineties F350's with the 460. However the E4OD is electronically controlled so you'd need a stand alone controller like J.E.T. and Baumann Products offer.

The AOD is all hydraulic but only comes with a small block bellhousing. They can be converted to BB by cutting off the bellhousing and putting on an aftermarket bellhousing. The leader in AOD performance right now is Lentech Automatics. They offer upgraded and converted AOD's for just about any application that I can think of.

HTH