Swap Sizing: Engine Dimensions & Tips for Popular Swaps
Ever since that first hot rodder dumped his Model A’s four-banger for a flathead V8, engine swaps have been a proven way to get the extra horsepower we all crave. Some swaps are no-brainers, particularly when you are swapping an engine for one of the same type—a 347 cubic inch stroker for a stock 5.0L in a Mustang—or going to a bigger engine in a chassis designed to accept it (like a big block in a small block-equipped Chevelle or Camaro).
But if you want to do an engine swap that is off the beaten path, it’s time to break out the ruler and start measuring. To help you determine if your favorite powerplant will fit, we have engine specification charts for popular Chevy, Ford, and Chrysler V8 engines. The charts will give you overall height, length and width of a fully dressed engine (oil pan, intake and carburetor, front accessory drives, exhaust). These measurements are general, and can vary depending on what equipment you or the factory installed.
There are also engine swap kits for putting non-stock engines into popular body styles—big blocks into 1955-57 Chevys or small blocks into Jeep CJs, for example. The kits usually include things like motor mounts and headers designed to provide clearance of the vehicle frame, steering shafts, and the like.
Since there’s more to engine swaps than just squeezing the engine under the hood, we also cooked up a list of things to measure and check for to help you perform a successful horsepower transplant:
- Always check measurements with all engine accessories installed. That will help prevent catastrophes like bolting in an engine and finding you have a half-inch of radiator clearance.
- Select the engine mounting method (rubber mounts, solid mounts, motor plate, etc.) before installation. The mounts used can affect clearances, especially height.
- Double-check—make that triple-check—hood clearance, firewall clearance, and fan-to-radiator clearance.
- Make sure driveline angle is correct. You may have to adjust engine location in the car to get the proper angle.
Engine Measurements
Chevrolet 262-400
Dimensions: 26 inches wide, 28 inches long, and 27 inches tall
Weight: 575 pounds
Sump Location: Rear
Starter Location: Right
Chevrolet 396-454
Dimensions: 28 inches wide, 30.5 inches long, and 29 inches tall
Weight: 685 pounds
Sump Location: Rear
Starter Location: Right
GM LS1/LS6
Width: 26 inches wide
Length: 28 inches
Height: 25 inches
Weight: 425 pounds
Ford 221-351W
Dimensions: 24 inches wide, 29 inches long, and 27.5 inches tall
Weight: 460 pounds
Sump Location: Front
Starter Location: Left
NOTES: 351W height to carburetor pad in 23-3/4 inches. 289-302 height to top of pad is 20-3/4 inches. Length for all 221-351W Ford is with short serpentine water pump.
Ford 351C
Dimensions: 24.5 inches wide, 29 inches long, and 28.5 tall
Weight: 550 pounds
Sump Location: Front
Starter Location: Right
Ford 429-460
Dimensions: 27 inches wide, 30 inches long, and 29 inches tall
Weight: 720 pounds
Sump Location: Front
Starter Location: Right
NOTE: Does not cover Boss 429.
Ford 352-427FE
Dimensions: 27 inches wide, 32 inches long, and 29 inches tall
Weight: 625 pounds
Sump Location: Front
Starter Location: Right
NOTE: Does not cover 427 SOHC.
Ford 4.6L SOHC
Dimensions: 28-5/8 inches wide, 28 inches long, and 26 inches tall
Weight: 600 pounds
Sump Location: Front
Starter Location: Right
NOTE: Width is valve cover to valve cover. Height is to top of valve covers.
Ford 4.6L DOHC
Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 28 inches long, and 29-7/8 inches tall
Weight: 576 pounds
Sump Location: Front
Starter Location: Right
NOTE: Width is valve cover to valve cover. Height is to top of valve covers.
Chrysler 273-360
Dimensions: 24 inches wide, 29 inches long, and 27 inches tall
Weight: 550 pounds
Sump Location: Front
Starter Location: Left
Chrysler 361-440
Dimensions: 29-1/2 inches wide, 30 inches long, and 29 inches tall
Weight: 670 pounds
Sump Location: Front
Starter Location: Left
Chrysler 426 HEMI
Dimensions: 29 inches wide, 32 inches long, and 32 inches tall
Weight: 690 pounds
Sump Location: Middle
Starter Location: Left
Thank you for the details. I’m in the process of dropping a 460 ford into a 1980 chevy stepside and it doesn’t seem like there’s much difference in big block size
wanting to drop in aford 302 intk a 1990 mazda b2200 pickup need deminsions on trans.
I need the dimensions for a Chevy LSX 376 B-15 to swap it into my Toyota. I want to start the body work now if it will be necessary.
Hello, I am looking to drop a ford fe into a 1930 Oakland….not so sure if it will fit…any help?
I have ford 392 and was wondering if it will fit on a 1993 GT foxbody 5.0
Hey David, as the old saying goes “anything will swap, with enough time and money.” Seriously though, we’re assuming your Ford 392 is a stroker based on the venerable 351 Windsor. If so, the 351W has been swapped into Fox Body Mustangs with much success. Though we’re not too familiar with the 392, assuming it has similar external architecture to the 351W, then a swap would be (relatively) straightforward. Keep in mind that you may have clearance issues with the hood/intake, headers, driven accessories, and oil pan–but those can be solved with aftermarket components or fabrication. We just posted a more comprehensive guide on external Ford engine dimensions too, you can check it out here, and then translate those measurements to your engine bay before beginning the swap.
Hello, I want to put a Dodge 5.7 or 6.2 hemi in a 1986 Chrysler conquest. But need the dimensions in order to make the proper decision. Can you help.? Kevin
Hey Kevin, the folks at Hotrod.com have a nice article about modern Hemi swaps, and it’s got a sizing chart too, all the way at the bottom of the article. CLICK HERE to read it.
I have access to a 2010 ford 3.5 v6 w/front drive tranny. I want to install this into a 1988 porsche 944 w/rear wheel drive. Can the v6 be used in a rear wheel drive setup or will I have to get a rear drive 3.5. What kind of problems will I encounter. Will this be any more problematic than a ls v8?
Hey Chuck–that sounds like a wild project, but there’s a lot to consider. (For instance, are you retaining the Porsche transaxle setup?) We know folks have successfully stuffed the LS in a 944, but you should give the Summit Racing technical department a call (330-630-0240) and they can give you more specific advice on how to proceed.
Most 460 ford engines won’t fit into chevy cars not only due to most having front sums while almost all gm cars and trucks use rear sump pans is that the sump won’t clear the chevy crossmember while the back of the block hits the firewall. Hence a 460 with 4×4 rear truck pan into a 79 camaro.
Bloodviking
Transplanting a 05 ls2 into a 1970 x body Nova.Has a 350 chevy in it know. Are the motor mount dimensions the same. is the distance width wise on the heads where the exhaust manifolds bolt on the same. Haven’t found and drawings that show these dimensions. Can you give me some help.
Hey Steve, there are companies that make specialized LS swap motor mounts, or you can install adapter plates that allow you to run stock SBC-style mounts, like these adjustable engine mount adapters from Summit Racing. If you’re unsure exactly what you’ll need, a call to the Summit Racing tech department (330-630-0240) will clear things up.
Thanks for the help. Will check with Summit
Hey On All Cylinders, thanks for listing all of the most desirable and practical engine swap choices. I can hear the faint sound of tape measures being put to good use in small garages everywhere !
One small omission in the Ford “FE” group needs to be mentioned. It covers the 352-427 cubic inch engines but let’s not forget the popular 428 FE. The Cobra Jets are getting hard to find but they are still plentiful compared to the original 427 FE versions of Ford’s early “big blocks”. Thanks for including Ford’s superior Small Block from their “335 Series” of canted valve engines, the 351 Cleveland. Yep, that’s the one that DOMINATED Pro Stock and NASCAR back in the day. Now with two American sources reproducing Cleveland specific blocks in your choice of iron or aluminum alloy, and the famous Cleveland heads now available in aluminum alloy from multiple sources in Australia and the States, the Cleveland is back in a serious way. How serious ? In all motor configuration with NO power adders at the 2012 EMC Competition in the Extreme Street Class, 932 horsepower from 444 cubic inches is in the record books. That same builder more recently laid down over 1100 horsepower by adding more displacement to his Titus Alloy Cleveland block. The most banned engine in Motorsports history is back…..
I have a 2010 camaro i want to put a 396 big block munci e 4 speed in it will it fit
Well James, as they say, anything is possible with enough time and money. We found this story from Super Chevy on a wild BBC-swapped 5th-Gen Camaro.
Given the different dimensions between a BBC and an engine from the LS family (originally equipped in a 2010 Camaro), it’d be far from a drop-in swap–we’re hesitant to say a Mark IV Chevy Big Block equipped with an M20/M21/M22 would “fit” without significant modification to the hood, fenders, chassis, firewall, or transmission tunnel.
If you really want to get into the weeds on your swap, a call to the Summit Racing tech team is essential here: 330-630-0240
I need to know if a big block Chevy engine will fit into a 1957 Chevy b150 sedan without modifying the car?
Hey Wendell, the short answer is yes, you’ll need to modify the car. The good news is, this swap is somewhat common and the modifications required aren’t as invasive as those found in some other engine swaps.
But there are dozens of factors to consider–including where/how to mount the engine, what transmission you’re using, and what other modifications (brakes, chassis, etc) you’ll need to make to finish the job.
A call to the Summit Racing tech department is a good place to start: 330-630-0240
Will a 426 hemi elephant motor fit in a 2015 challenger and what is involved to do so. Thanks for all infro.
Hey Monte, you’re talking about the GenII 426 (1964-71) Hemi engine, right? Well, anything can be swapped into anything with enough time, skill, and money–but the quick answer here is no. At least not without extensive modifications and very healthy checkbook. We’re talking a complete retrofit: tons of fabrication, new electronics, specialized engine mounts, modified firewall/transmission tunnel, probably re-routing components, custom headers, and dozens of other things we can’t immediately think of.
It’d be far easier to either upgrade your current engine or swap-in a new Gen III Hemi crate engine. At either rate, calling the folks over at Summit Racing’s tech department will give you some more details, 330-630-0240.
Will a 460/385 Ford eng. fit into a 1966 Fairlane with a Mustang 2 front susp from Heidtz
Hi,
I’m trying to shoe horn a 454 into a 67 cutlass and my headers and stock manifold are crammed against the steering column and there’s little room for anything to fit. It’s also sitting kinda high but the bolts line up on the motor mounts and fit. Just no exhaust! Is this doable?
Thanks for any advice, as I’m losing my mind on this.
I think you get your FE and the 460 length swapped around. The 460 has bigger bore, hence bigger bore spacing. I measured 30 on the 390 and 31.5 on the 460