I have decided that my 1966 F100 will be getting a GM engine.

"More Power!!and also some brakes." (MorePower)
02/06/2014 at 23:12 • Filed to: None

Only it will not be an LS or LT. It will be getting the Vortec 4200 I6. Turbo'd down the road but NA at first. I wanted to keep it an I6 truck, it currently has a Ford 300 in it and while it is a good engine I want something newer and more powerful with lots of potential. And since the last I6 Ford made was given to the Aussies I had to look elsewhere. Could I have one imported? Sure. But I also want to be able to get parts easy, so the GM 4200 LL8 it is. And it will be backed by a T56. A fun project sits ahead of me.

DISCUSSION (19)

Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/06/2014 at 23:16

Conflicted: putting in a GM engine is heresy, but it's (a) not a thoughtless LS swap, and (b) an I6 (me gusta). So I shall content myself with shaking a finger critically at you.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/06/2014 at 23:20

Someone once swapped in an I6 in a Mk3 Supra. I wonder what happened.

More Power!!and also some brakes. > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
02/06/2014 at 23:23

The guy finished it and it has a HUGE turbo attached to it.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/06/2014 at 23:35

What the fuck?

Sorry, i just hate when people swap Government Motors engines into Ford vehicles. Ford made plenty of great engines so use one of them instead.

Just my .02

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/06/2014 at 23:40

Have you considered a AMC/Chrysler 4.0 I6? They're bulletproof, stock power is good (190hp/235tq), and if that's not enough, stroker kits are widely available to put those power figures through the roof.

More Power!!and also some brakes. > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time
02/06/2014 at 23:41

Too bad it is getting the 4200. If they had a decent newer I6 then then yes I would use a Ford engine but they don't so GM it is. The 42oo is a great engine.

Annnnnd I am totally one of those people that will support any engine swap. You want an LS throw it in anything you want. You want a Ford 460 Big Block, sure toss it in there. I never got the whole, "I hate when this engine goes in that" sort of thing.

More Power!!and also some brakes. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
02/06/2014 at 23:43

I had thought about it but that engine does next to nothing for me. Not to say that it is not a fantastic engine because it really is, hell my first truck a '65 Dodge D100 had one that I swapped in and loved. I just want more power and the uniqueness that the 4200 brings.

puddler > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/06/2014 at 23:54

this guy gets it. i dig those, too. a dude used to run around in the clearlake seabrook area with a turbo 4.2 & full manual valvebody it was all kinds of neat.

Grindintosecond > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/06/2014 at 23:56

If you want a big straight 6. Theres two great options besides the GM 4200. The OG ford i6 was also used in the Ford Falcon in Australia. They updated that engine to the present day so you can either import a mid-80's crossflow aluminum head that breathes awesome or import a whole 4 liter turbo 6 from a falcon. this keeps it ford based and you wouldn't have to do much engineering to really swap things around. I even have a pic I posted here a long while ago of a ford-6 with the crossflow aussie head.

Kinja'd!!!

Now, the 4 liter turbo modern version....tuners are getting crazy reliable monster power from it. try nearly 1k reliable hp?

Just thoughts. i do like your idea. Keep it fun and different!

More Power!!and also some brakes. > puddler
02/06/2014 at 23:57

That is badass! I have only seen one turbo 4.2 and it was awesome, sounded great, and went like stink.

More Power!!and also some brakes. > Grindintosecond
02/07/2014 at 00:00

That was actually my very first idea, I wanted a Barra 4.0 turbo from Australia. And I love it and wanted it so bad. However, I daily this truck 3-4 days a week and need to be able to get parts quick and just about anywhere so I fell into the GM 4200. Most people will not even know what it is but it has the potential to do what I want and it neat.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/07/2014 at 03:41

You may drive a Ford, but I think this is awesome. I am still a small bit upset at GM for not continuing the Atlas family of engines. If they had added DI to it, it would be the perfect base engine for the new Silverados, and with a bit of tuning, I think it would have made the Camaro stand out that much more, and be the tuner's choice by far over its competitors.

Grindintosecond > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/07/2014 at 09:06

The GM six is cool too. You could just do an 80's"2v" Aussie head on a ford 6. Like in that picture. Parts everywhere for that. Im sure that would daily just fine but yeah you would have to tune it and fiddle with carb balancing....

Ohhh....or grab a 3.7 v6 from a broken f150...

More Power!!and also some brakes. > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
02/07/2014 at 10:11

I agree, I really wish they would have kept the family going. It was already a good engine but with a few more years of improvements, including DI, it would be a really great engine.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/07/2014 at 18:24

I've decided to allow this, because there just isn't much of an alternative from other manufacturers that fits your requirements.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/08/2014 at 01:33

yea i just hate gm with a passion. I have worked on their shit enough to know all of their modern stuff is crap. If i could get it carbed then its an ok GM lol

George McNally > More Power!!and also some brakes.
02/13/2014 at 07:23

About 20 years ago, a buddy of mine had a F150 with the 300 cu 6 and a 5 speed manual...he had a bunch of Clifford Research parts and headers he installed.

The truck had some really good low end torque and it sounded like a sports car....it wasn't the fastest thing out there, but the exhaust sound alone made it fun to drive.

More Power!!and also some brakes. > George McNally
02/13/2014 at 10:47

The 300 in mine makes the most wonderful overrun sounds, popping and burbling and shooting a little fire as well. Lots of low end torque but like you said, not fast at all.

Keegan Johnson > More Power!!and also some brakes.
01/11/2018 at 22:55

I have decided to say to hell with it and get a Barra. They can be had for less than 3 grand if you jump on it when they show up. Figure ill buy a 240t, which with a tune will easily best a 3.5 ecoboost and sound way sexier, and leave it about there for now to stay reliable. This will be in a 1995 F150. Most of the sensors have US counterparts, and with small parts, the wait is the only real downside. It uses a normal oil filter, fl400 or fl500 i think. I am going to attempt to connect to the ecu with the us ford ids system at work and try to get in. Ford is trying for global compatibility with everything now, and recently updated everything so i have hope. If it doesnt work i will just have to give up vct and go with MegaSquirt3. Its not getting tons of money thrown at it right away. That just leaves either getting an aussie tr6060, or getting the bellhousing and input shaft, and using a us market tr6060 if that is possible. Ill work it out.