I have an excellent 1970 429 CJ out of a Mercury Cyclone than was going to be used in a Mustang project. I bailed on the Mustang, so naturally, I need to find a use for the CJ. My old squire's 429 runs like a top, but is using some oil. Hmmm. I made the official announcement to Michelle, my wife, and she just shook her head. I think that is my green light. The thing already gets horrible mileage, so why not at least make it a little more fun, right? I'm gathering the odds & ends I will need to get it all together, and then do the swap. I'll post some pics once things get under way. Has anyone on here done one of these, yet? Thanks for allowing me to ramble.
DO IT!!!!!.... Awe man, wish I had you problems, I'm just hoping to swap in a good running 460 to boat anchor the 400 in my 72 Beateor! Keep us posted, save the whale! Awesome looking wagon by the way:2_thumbs_up_-_anima
while you at it hook up an overdrive unit to the C6 you have and then you can get a bit better milage too!
Thanks for the response, Guys! I enjoy my old beast. I've been fortunate enough over the years to have owned some really cool cars. A couple GT500s, a cobra jet Mach1, and a few others. Funny thing, I enjoy this wagon as much as I did any of them, plus I never could figure out how to carry a 4x8 sheet of plywood in a Shelby. I DID see a bozo with a sheet of plywood strapped to the roof of his Corvette, once, however. It's interesting how this car gets more attention than the other stuff ever did. I think its because all of us older folks can relate to the wagon. Everyone's mom or at least their friend's mom drove something like this. I sure remember riding to the swimming pool with my neighbors in their wagon every summer. What's crazy is how many of these were built and how few are left. Kinda sad. The O/D unit sounds tempting, as does an E4OD. The car has a 2.79:1 rear axle right now but that is getting changed to a 3.25:1 soon. That makes the O/D thing even more tempting.
Sounds like a great swap! Would love to see the final result. I experience the same thing with my wagon at car shows. I get lots more attention than the high dollar Mustangs and Camaros. Kids love the wagon. I don't think lots of them have ever even seen a station wagon before.
I would say you're absolutely right, I have had the same experience many times. So few full size wagons on the road now, it's a bit of a nitche or novelty car these days.
My kid's freinds were all "minivan" kid's and when my daughter learned how to drive and was using the roadmaster her freinds would fight over who was going to sit in the back facing rear seat! Then my daughter bought her own roadmaster wagon to take to school in New mexico. Now my son drives the old rodie and same thing..... who is going to sit in the back???? Both kid's have had a blast with this car as I am sure you have with yours. Take care Dan
If you want overdrive, the easy way is to get the mechanical AOD (NON-electronic) from a mid- to late- 80s F-150. There is an adaptor kit to allow it to bolt right up. Just transfer the kick down linkage off your existing transmission, and keep on using the rod. I have 2 major problems with any electronic transmission. The first is that they are computer controlled and it is not unknown for the computer to try to engage 1st and revers simultaneously when coming to a stop with catastrophic results. The second is that they 'think'. The blasted things adapt to your normal driving style. If you are normally gentle, but suddenly need maximum acceleration, they think for you and still give you early, lazy upshifts. They also think before they give you a downshift.
