I have a 67 cougar full restoration. Was thinking putting a ls in it. Has anyone every done this? If so how difficult? What are the top tips yoi could pass on?
Pretty sure most if not all you will need to know is here. Enjoy the read.
Don’t be a troll.
thanks diesel d. i legit saw that right after i posted this. exactly what i have in mind
The LS platform makes for a great swap to a more modern engine setup. The aftermarket support for the LS is just about limitless with options. They are simple enough engines to mess with too and everywhere. Its not bolt in and there are some custom things you will have to build and modify but I bet its cheaper then going to the coyote route. Ford doesn’t make modern engine swaps very easy or cheap so definitely understand the desire for the LS swap. If you go through with it be sure to post your build. Im sure guys here would be interested in it but expect a little banter as its not a popular opinion 
Truth is if its a cougar getting back on the road its all good!
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We have a customer that has done the conversion. I have seen the car in person and went for a ride. To my knowledge, he is not on the forum. I do not remember much specific, about the conversion or any pitfalls.
Tomorrow I have promised to help a friend with the LS swap in his '40 Ford pickup. He is in way over his head. He read all the BS about LS swaps being easy cheap and well supported. In some cases that is true but in reality they are anything but that. The cheap LS motors are mostly out of trucks and SUVs that are mostly worn out to begin with. So the first order of battle is to get the engine at least overhauled and resealed. Then most of the sensors are beat up broken off or missing. None of this is actually cheap. You will need a wiring harness from the engine to the computer and the computer is going to have to reprogrammed for the multitude of things it is not going to do any more. There are dozens of electrical connections that have to be correct every time. And there are many harness variations. Then connecting to the gauges is a mess. The engine lacks conventional senders so you get to come up with your own set of brass fittings and adapters.
Then there is actually fitting the engine in the chassis and getting the drive line angles to work. Part of this is the new transmission you also need to fit in the tunnel. There are kits that should work but they always seem to need some work. Your shifter isn’t going to work either. And the transmission is weaker than the engines so be prepared to rebuild that.
I can go on but in reality if your dream is to put that engine in that car, knock yourself out. Just go into it understanding that you can’t justify it based on cost. Ford parts may cost more than sbc parts but you will cover the difference at least 10 times over. With Sniper injection and ignition control there really isn’t a meaningful reason to swap.
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besides all of that, is the LS wider than the original engines? Will it even fit between the towers? I know when people do a proper (as in Ford to Ford) Coyote swap, they have to cut all of that out… seems the LS stuff should be for GMs and imports and leave the ford stuff to ford… IMO of course.
More or less the same size as the SBF which means you can run the system type suspension compared to the coyotes swaps having to replace all of the suspension at the same time
Actually the LS series is much wider. 302 Ford is only 18.75" wide. 351 is 21" LS family is LS1 -LS6 is 24.75 and you need 24" down low if you retain the accessories (PS AC) A 460 is 26" and that still fits in a Cougar. Coyote is a whopping 28" wide. If you really want power dress out a 460 with aluminum heads, intake, water pump and shorty headers and EFI. No need to cut out suspension. You will need FE springs. It will also make so much torgue you can alter the earth’s rotation.
Coyote is cool but a stroked 351 with Sniper EFI will be far less complicated to install. It also will increase the value of the car.
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Engine Dimensions - from Hot Rod magazine a while back
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: 25.65 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.
.
Ford Coyote
Width 29.05"
Height 28.9"
Length 26.08"
Ford Superduty 7.3L V8
Dimensions: 36.5" x 44.5" x 36"
Weight: 737lbs
An LS will fit but headers will be an issue. Engine mounts are available from Speedpro and the Holden (Pontiac GTO) sump will fit. Getting the correct pinion angle may require a pie cut to the transmission hump and a filler welded in (will be required with T56). Several local Moostangs are running LS
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The LS is a great engine. I have a lot of admiration for them.
But when I see one in a Mustang, Cougar, or for that matter, a Buick, Olds, or Pontiac, what I see is someone who said, “I don’t know (insert make of car here). They’re hard. So I just Chevy’d, because lulz!”
In a car that genuinely had no good engine options, like a DeLorean for example, I can appreciate the swap.
But in a Cougar? There are so many well-supported engine options available, able to make equivalent power and some of them in a smaller package - why would you rip out its beating heart and put a bowtie in there?
Call it sentimentality, but I like to give some credit to the original people who put their work into these cars, and made them special to begin with.
My new 331 stroker should be making around 400 horsepower, and will weigh about 380 lbs. I don’t think I’ve given up anything to an LS in my car.
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Why would any one want to put any GM motor in any Ford ever……
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I think this was one of the bigger challenges in the above link. I believe they ended up being custom or highly modified. Im not positive as it been a while since I followed that thread but it was certainly not bolt on.
All kinds of reasons…To be different, To make purists upset, a power plant they are familiar with, parts availability, had one laying around, etc. I like seeing others do stuff differently and customizing their build. Keeps it interesting! Just wait until more people get onto swapping electric powertrains into classics!
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i bought the kit on total cost involved it has the shock tower replacement and opens up the engine
I have a friend in the UK with a Tesla drive train in his 308 Ferrari. In that environment it makes a car more usable and avoids the annual Ferrari maintenance bill
The company that did the conversion does bolt in electric conversions for classic cars, including engineering them to maintain a similar balance to the original vehicle. Their conversions maintain the integrity of the original vehicle and allow it to be converted back to an ice if required
The conversion for US vehicles puts the motor where the gearbox sits and drives through the propshaft. The new motors have the inverters and controller built into a cylinder located as an extension to the motor, avoiding the need for a separate box for the control electronics. Batteries sit in the engine bay and fuel tank position to maintain balance. Uses electric motors to drive power steering, a/c and brake assist. Really neat engineering solution
In the future it may be a pragmatic way of preserving the ability to enjoy driving a classic, particularly now you can get a synthesised soundtrack to match your throttle position
You can put an LS into anything other than a Ford or a Mopar… I prefer my real cars to stay straight… the world is confused enough as it is…
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There is an XY in Brisbane running an LS. It has Cleveland style valve covers, what looks like an air gap manifold and has a shaker on top of a Holley style throttle body. Plug leads even run around the front of the rocker covers. It runs a serpentine belt system, so you have to do a double take to see that it isn’t a Ford engine.Uses a Haltech ECU. A really neat installation
Now I want to install an LS in my car just to make you guys squirm… 
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