engine swaping

The 4.6 DOHC bolts in; not sure of the motor mounts, but the bellhousing & clutch link fits. The DOHC heads are too wide- saw off as much of the rt rear edge as possible without affecting the cam cover, to miss the rt inside rear fender panel. The left side fender may need some cutting & welding at the edge of the inner fender panel to fit, even after sawing off the excess. Headers will need to be fabricated, the water hookups are easy, the engine comes with a built-in power steering pump, so you can leave it & just loop the hoses or remove it & use a shorter serpentine belt. Electrical hookup is going to be a bit of a problem- can't help you thrre! There are a few guys that have done this- Richard Barkeley comes to mind.

Have you concidered a Lightning 5.4 engine?They make the same power,more torque,are narrower(SOHC vs DOHC),WAY easier to find(Kar Kraft has them in stock from top to bottom brand new for like $5700)and respond WELL to mods.I have a '01 Lightning.It ran 13.72@99 mph(4950#)I changed the S/C pulley and the computer chip and it ran 12.50 @109 mph(same weight)The mods cost $500.It gets better gas milage now than before.

Also,The sound the supercharger makes is unbelievable!

The latest issue of POCA Profiles (at the printer now) features an in-depth article on Richard Barkley's 1971 Pantera, which he converted over to 4.6 liter power.

He did an unusual amount of work himself, but basically it can't be done without the cooperation of a Pantera expert who's done it and carries the special/custom parts required. It's not plug-and-play they way a Windsor is. Lots of computers to deal with, for starters.

Steve Wilkinson pioneered this conversion, but Cory Gehling of Collector's Choice has also done a few.

I got to ride in Richard's car. It felt just like a stock Pantera, although certainly quieter (however, his car is extensively soundproofed.)

There is a PCNC member who had his GT5-S converted over to a 4.6 SOHC Lincoln motor. Something like $15K later and the car is slower than when he started.

In other words, I'm not quite sure what the point of this conversion is. Even with a new 320 hp Cobra motor, you're still looking at Cleveland horsepower levels when all is said and done. For the money you could double that with a Windsor or monster Cleveland....

I admit the 5.4 Lightening motor sounds intriguing, but from what I can see, there's no room in the engine bay for all the supercharger stuff which hangs off the front of the engine. So you can pretty much scrap that idea too.

Wilkinson told me a few weeks ago that he's prototyping a supercharged 5.4 liter motor for a Pantera application. Undoubtedly he'll make it work, it will be extremely civilized and ungodly fast. But you'll probably be able to buy another Pantera for what it costs....

Mike