Here's one of my other projects.

Our family has had a few of these over the years including a '78 2door, '86 HiLine and '91 Vogue.
I've always liked them apart from their poxy engine. I picked up this '93 Vogue about a year ago knowing that I would eventually fit a 351w to it. It's in better condition than most but the viscous coupling started playing up so I converted to the gear driven and very tough Landrover LT230 transfer box which has a lockable diff. I thought I'd leave the engine until it f**k up before I started the conversion.
As it turns out I didn't have to wait long, it started running rough after a few bush bashing trips. After checking the basics I found it was a typical problem with these poxy engines...a slipped liner, with coolant and oil leaking out the back of the left hand head gasket. So, out the pile of s**t came!

After some measurements it seems the 351 is the same width as the 3.9 and is in fact shorter in length than the 3.9. Height is a different matter but I have some options there.


No mods needed to the sump…

Here’s the gap back the ZF which, on the 3.9 is taken up by the extra length of the bellhousing boss on the back of the engine. This actually plays into my hands because the Ford gearbox can now move forward to take up this difference which only improves trans positioning.


Wanting to stay with a 4spd auto and, after some investigation there appears to be no adapters made for this conversion. As it turns out, the ZFHP22 or the later, electronic HP24 4spd auto can’t be beefed up enough to handle the torque of the 351 anyway. After trying a BTR auto and finding it unsuitable, I began my search for a Ford 4R70W which are a good match for the 351 and will bolt straight up. After getting typical dumb C*** answers and ridiculous prices($1600+ for a 2nd handy!?) from eastern states importers I ended up finding a ’96 Bronco 4R70W with transfer box for $800 from a place in Perth. The transfer I should be able to sell off for around $500.

Here it is dummied up against the ZF extension/LT230…

Already it has considerable advantages; the trans it not so wide as to hinder front driveshaft clearance even with a relatively short adapter plate of approx 45mm. This means minimal changes to the transfer case mounting positions which means less shortening of the rear driveshaft and therefore more desirable driveshaft angles which is quite unlike all the s**t GM trans options that those importers tried to ram down my throat!?

The gearbox appears quite clean inside and they come with a tough 31 spline output shaft..

After getting outlandish prices on cutting a new adapter shaft, we’re using the original range rover stub shaft machined, pressed and welded into a machined down 31spline yoke from a BA GT.
Here’s the CAD drawing of the alloy adapter plate..

Last edited by XR9UTE on Fri Sep 07, 2012 11:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.

can i have the old engine? so i can roll it off the biggest cliff i can find! my mate has a land rover and im sick to death of him saying how "its a v8 therefore its more powerfull than anything in the world" yet he breaks s**t every time it starts or moves, and fuel economy is rediculous, theres no such thing as economy with it! and dont get me started on power, (or lack of power) lol
good to see someones putting a real v8 in it ill be watching this

You can have it for $500 and throw it off a cliff if you like bry.
btw I picked up the good runner 351 for $600 and it already had the Falcon front dress on it...what a bargain! It had genie extractors on it too but I think I'll make my headers from scratch rather than modify those. I got some more 40Y heads and 1.7 rollers but I may just run it stock to start with. Torque is the key here and it's got it in spades with over 100lb/ft more and that's just at the peak! I'd prefer to retain the stock intake too but I'm trying to keep it under the bonnet which just won't happen. Power wise it's already about 40hp more than the poxy 180hp that it once had.
Here's the engine dummied up with a HO intake and 65mm Edelbrock T-body.



90 degree oil filter adapter from Ford Racing...



HO upper adapter from BC broncos in the states. For $99 it's not worth thinking about making my own and it comes with bolts and gaskets.




Ends up 260mm at the highest point which may be just ok, we'll see. Luckily it's lower at the side which is where the clearance is least.



I'm hoping to use EF-L engine mounts.

hehe, I always find it funny about the fact a v8 the same size as an ea motor.

awesome looking project mate, good to see someone do some serious work.

Is the AODE 100% electronically controlled? (cf BTR)

I agree with Ash, good to see another decent project.

Glad you like it lads,
Yes skidman, the AODE/4R70 is electronically controlled and just a whole lot better than an AOD in general. Being a '96 version it's better than the older ones but, the later the better with these. In fact my contact in the U.S. says the '05 4.2 V6 version is the best and because it's a V6 it has a smallblock pattern although it doesn't have a speed sensor like mine. So he's offered to build me a '99 5.0 Explorer one for $1800 which will easily handle over 500hp/500lb.
For control I have several options;
a '94-'95 5.0 Mustang EECIV to control both engine and trans.(requires a solenoid change within trans)
a '96 5.0 F-series EECV to do both again
any of the well supported modular EEC's to control both again but with more engine tuning required.
any other 5.0/5.8 EEC in MAF or SD form and a stand alone controller.
I've decided to go with a EB-D 5.0 EECIV for engine and a Baumann Optishift for trans.
The Optishift is a great bit of gear and can even do paddle shift etc. I'll probably use a BA shifter with it. It's a nice small unit and has a bright orange display so i can probably mount it in the console(another s**t thing in these cars so I'll be making a new one) and do away with an ordinary shift posi display.

Agreed ! Fantastic to see a proper project rather than painted doorhandles and LED interior lights will be watching this thread!!

Great, was about to ask what shifter you planned on using!

Yep, I thought of using the stock shifter but the 4R70 doesn't use a 4 posi shifter so one of the positions would be redundant. So rather than using a 3spd shifter with a switch for OD I thought I'd go the BA type. I'll see if I can make it work anyway.

ROFL yep have to agree, but we all have to remember many of the members probably get hassled by the law due to age group, so those sort of mods are cheap and cop safe (well sort of).


I think it would be few and far between your build threads that don't impress, well for me anyway.

Hmm I can't find any info on any late Essex's with 4WD, do you know of any, it may come in handy as many US Ford 4WD's are left front drop, good for vehicles like Mitsubishi etc and would save looking at purchasing a V6 auto then to have to find a transfer case.
Also nice for Pajero type transfer case replacement as many Fords with 4WD have a better low range ratio than their 1.9 or 1.92 (wow .02 lower ).
A lot of Bitsamissin real 4WD autos only have PND21 and a overdrive switch, which would suit the 4R70 etc, the 4R70 has similar low and top ratios to many Bitsamissin autos.


Any reason for the EB-D 5.0L EECIV over others?
I like the idea of the Baumann, I read about them years ago, I am guessing you have used them before.

Yeah they had 4.2 4WD F150's from about '97 macca. The 4.2 replaced the 4.9 straight six.
Reason for the EB-D EEC is they and the harnesses, are plentiful and if I want to, I can use a Mustang EECIV on the same harness.
Never used the Optishift but I know some guys who use them and reckon they're great. Much better than the old Baumann TCS apparently. The use of ordinary PC D-connectors turned me off the old TCS even before I looked at the rest of it.

Here's a comparison of the old Lucas harness and the Ford harness.
Incredibly they are very similar in length, I just had to strip the ABS stuff out of this ED harness.



the ABS stripped out which gives me a bunch spare wires with the same EEC pins. So I can use some for thermofan control etc:)

Picked up a 351 GT40 lower from Jeff(XH5LWPN) today. Thanks Jeff.
So it'll be considered for this build but I'll try the stock truck lower/HO upper combo to start with to see if clears the bonnet. The combo below is approx 15mm higher but still a full 30mm shorter than the stock 5.8 intake.

Is there any super low 5.0L or 5.8L long runner intakes, intakes that may be close to the tappet covers etc?

If I had a tig I would have a go at making one, it is something I have always wanted to do, but it will never happen

The lowest is the stock lower with adapter to HO upper I'm afraid Macca,
I did this in the past for my mates XA Superbird.

Cut the base off the upper and milled off 20mm with a little slight angle to tip the plenum over close the rocker cover...



Cut T-body flange off and angled and flipped it 180. I also extend this section later which you can't see by about 80-100mm...



Here you can compare the difference...

Here it is in place and you can see the extra length in the T-body flange...