You would think that dropping an FE engine in a '67-'72 Ford F-100 wouldn't be a topic even worth a conversation, as said trucks came equipped with the big V-8 as stock. But if the truck has been modified at any point in time, simply dropping the original motor back in place can become quite a chore. Case in point, our buddy Danny "Paloma" Valenzuela's '69 F-100. If you've been reading the book lately, you'll remember that we pulled the 360ci FE engine out of Danny's truck a few years back and slowly reassembled it as a 434ci stroker. While we were at it, we also installed a TCI Automotive 4L60E transmission to give the Effie the overdrive transmission that it deserved. Prior to that, we had installed a Fatman Fabrication IFS kit to replace the stock twin I-beam setup, effectively ridding the original motor mounts in the process. The end result? Danny's F-100 lacked any of the original locating points for the FE engine, and, as they say, some assembly was required.

Thankfully, Fatman Fabrication has a solution for mounting the motor in the shape of their tubular engine mount kit. These require some fabrication skills to get the new mounts welded in the proper location on the Fatman crossmember, but nothing an amateur with decent MIG welding skills can't handle. Once the mounts were tacked in place and the engine and trans hung, we noted the transmission's mounting pad in relation to the framerails and gave the guys at Classic Performance Products (CPP) a call to see if they had a transmission crossmember to suit. Turns out CPP PN 90171 fit the bill with its 218-inch rise from the frame mounting flange to the trans pad.

With the drivetrain in place, our attention was turned to the steering requirements; mating the ididit tilt steering column to the Fatman Fabrication power rack-and-pinion. Dancing around the Patriot full-length headers will be challenging, but thanks to a handful of U-joints, some DD shaft, and a support bearing from CPP, it's simply a matter of cutting the shaft until the U-joints slide into place.

When it comes to installing a new engine/trans swap, like real estate, it's all about location, location, location. Too far forward and the oil pan might contact the crossmember or crowd the radiator with the water pump pulley. Too far aft and contact with the firewall or floor can become problematic. Too high results in similar space issues while an engine hanging in the breeze under the framerails could drag the oil pan or headers on every bump in the road. It's all about sacrifice, but at the end of the day, getting the motor back and low is the name of the game, as this will provide the best weight bias as opposed to an engine that's mounted high and over the front axle centerline.

Follow along as we reinstall an FE engine in our Effie.

See all 16 photos Here's our 434ci FE engine and TCI Automotive 4L60E trans combo ready to drop between the rails of Danny's '69 Ford.

See all 16 photos The Ford's frame will be the foundation for our engine install, and like any good foundation it's important that things are good and plumb. To that effect, the truck is set on jack stands, level from side to side, front to back.

See all 16 photos The original FE engine mounts leave something to be desired so Fatman uses a pair of '68 Galaxie motor mounts (NAPA PN 602-1152) mated to the FE block via adapter plates. The Galaxy mounts then mate to Fatman's tubular mount using a through bolt design. Here, the engine is located between the framerails and the tubular mounts set in place for final check.

See all 16 photos

See all 16 photos A number of considerations must be made before the engine can be permanently located. First, the engine should be centered between the framerails. From there, I usually drop the motor until there is an inch or so clearance between the oil pan and crossmember. Then, I move the engine aft until a similar amount of clearance between the bellhousing and the firewall, as well as the trans and floor is achieved. Double-checking that the oil pan and/or headers aren't hanging below the bottom of the framerail more than an inch or so, this typically sets the engine in a pretty desirable location. A 2-3 degree rake toward the tailshaft of the transmission ensures proper alignment with the rearend. With the location checking out, the tubular mounts can then be welded to the chassis, permanently locating the engine.

See all 16 photos While the engine mounts were sorted, the tailshaft of the transmission was supported by a floorjack to retain the aforementioned 2-3 degrees of rake. With the mounts welded in place, the transmission mount needs to be addressed. The TCI transmission mount was 218-inch higher than the bottom of the framerail, requiring a trans crossmember with an equal amount of rise; we found that CPP's PN 90171 crossmember fit perfectly.

See all 16 photos With the drivetrain finalized, we bolted up the Patriot full-length headers so that the steering components could be routed. Here, we have a pair of CPP U-joints mounted at either end of the steering system.

See all 16 photos In a perfect world, a single DD shaft would mate the rack-and-pinion with the steering column. Things are rarely easy, however, and our F-100 is no different, requiring an additional U-joint to be added to the system.

See all 16 photos A three U-joint system requires a support bearing to prevent the linkage from binding and must be taken into consideration during the fabrication period. Here, the lower DD shaft length is being determined ...

See all 16 photos and marked for trimming.

See all 16 photos Once trimmed and with the third U-joint in place, the length of shaft between it and the column U-joint can be determined. Note the support bearing and bracket.

See all 16 photos The U-joints use setscrews to effectively pin the linkage together. To ensure that the shafts cannot slip out, each section of DD shaft is dimpled so that the setscrews have a depression in which to fit into, providing a safer and more effective locking mechanism.

See all 16 photos Thread locker applied to each setscrew as well as a properly torqued lock nut ensure that the steering linkage should never come apart unless desired.

See all 16 photos With the FE engine back where it belongs, Danny's F-100 is starting to look complete again.