D&D Automotive Specialties


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
 

FAQ

 

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Since D&D has been involved with the Fox body & SN95 cars and engine swaps since the mid 1980’s, contacting us “FIRST” can save you needless wasted dollars & hours of hassles with the swap and build.. These vehicles (Mustang/Fox/SN95) are a fantastic platform for the engine swaps & upgrades! DON”T MAKE THE ENGINE SWAP & PROJECT MORE DIFFICULT THAN NECESSARY!! Contact us first before you get into buying a pile of components that will complicate & undermine the results of your project! We get a dozen phone calls “every” day from people who have already purchased components/combinations and have major problems/issues with them. We are not above trying to help someone who has purchased a component from someplace other than D&D but the truth of the matter is that we don’t have a magic wand to make the incorrect component the correct component . This is not only frustrating for the customer but for us as well when we know that a simple call (or e mail) to us first could have saved the customer a lot of time,grief & money!

This page includes frequently asked questions and answers about D&D and their products. For more detailed info, please feel free to e mail or call us. We will be happy to discuss your project & your questions:

Q. why do you request that I fill out a questionnaire telling D&D about my car/project/combination?

A. headers & engine swap kits are by no means a "One Size Fits All" scenario! There is often an almost infinite number of combination & ways a swap can be performed! Factors such as cylinder heads, transmissions, K members , steering shafts, motor mounts, intended use etc can all have a major impact on fitment & performance concerns.  Since we prefer to be different then the places that "TRY" to sell a one size fits everything solution, We offer 100's of different headers to cover the more popular/practical applications. The more we know about your project , needs & goals, the better we can advise and help you have a successful outcome for you project.

Q- Why should I consider D&D for my engine swap components and combinations?

A- D&D is a “FORD ONLY” shop and has been offering engine swap kits & winning Ford Combinations since 1987. We are one of the pioneers’ of these engine swaps. Since we can supply you with everything you need to complete the car between the front bumper to rear bumper (mechanically-engine, stroker, cams, trans, converters etc) we know what does and what doesn’t work so you are not the guinea pig.

 

Q-Why do you offer so many different options on swap kits, components & combinations!

A- D&D does not believe in the “ONE SIZE FITS ALL” concept! We believe in matching the correct components & combinations to meet the customers goals and budget!

 

Q-Why do you so strongly recommend buying your components in "kit" form?

A- By putting components together that have been proven to work together we can minimize “SOME” of the variables that are involved with any engine swap. When you buy one component at a swap meet, another from a discount warehouse and one from us you put variables into the swap that we cannot account for. In the long run this can be a very costly and labor intensive practice . Our headers, oil pans & mounting kits are also discounted when purchased in our kits!

 

Q-Is one year or model car better to use for the swap?

A-They all can be used but in some cases, depending on the applications some can be easier & less expensive to do. Please feel free to call us to discuss.  

Q   Should I consider a Fox body Mustang/chassis or a SN95 Mustang for my swap?

 A both are excellent platforms for the 5.0,351W,351C & 429/460 swaps. However the Fox chassis cars are usually easier & more straight forward than the SN95 Mustangs.  Some of this is due to several differences in the Fox/SN95 chassis and some is due to the sheer numbers of the Fox cars that have been done over the years and the abundance of aftermarket components available for them. The aftermarket performance industry has not seemed to embrace the SN95 Mustangs like the do the Fox Mustangs & chassis cars!

Q-How difficult is it to perform the engine swaps into these cars.

A-This may be one of the best platforms ever to perform an engine swap on.However ,please keep in mind, it still is an engine swap and there may be concerns that will have to be addressed! Keep in mind that these cars started life as 4 cyl. economy cars and did not come from the factory with engines that are approaching 600 ci. in some cases. We are always here to help you with tech support whether it is before or after the sale!! Keep in mind that the larger the engine used in the swap,the more difficult the swap may be. If looking for the easiest swap consider using a 5.0 stroker or a 351W based engine. Also keep in mind that the more aftermarket components that are used,that throws more variables into the swap that may require additional effort. as great of swaps as these are, please be advised that as with any engine swap project they are not a plug & play deal that can be performed on a Saturday morning before lunch! 

 

Q-Do your swap kits work with the aftermarket tubular k members

A-Please contact us before purchasing your k member.

 

Q-Do you have photos of these engine swaps and components that you can send to me?

A-Yes, we have a large achieve of photos & info that we can e mail to you. Just send us an email with your needs!

 

Q-Should I use D&D shorty/mid length , 3/4 length or long tubes headers?

A-Shortly/mid lengths are a great choice for a street/strip car as they give additional ground clearance. They are also less expensive to purchase & ship. Long tubes will usually make more power at the track especially on a more serious combination. If considering using long tube headers on the street,"DO NOT" do anything that lowers the factory ride height of the car!! This includes low profile tires such as 40 & 50 series,do not use lowering springs,do not use motor mounts that lower the motor or mount the motorplates to low! Another thing to keep in mind is that when using the larger transmission such as AOD, C6, Powerglides, TB350, TB400 and other larger trans,you will have considerably less ground clearance.

 

Q-What is the difference between your street/strip and “race” type headers?

A-Our street headers are one piece headers which minimize exhaust leaks on the street and are less expensive. Most of our” race” headers are individual tube designs allowing for easier installations and more flexibility when dealing with aftermarket components.

 

Q- do you offer aluminum ceramic coating for your headers?

A-yes we do offer it as an option. Most of our headers are shipped uncoated/unpainted.We used to paint the headers but got feedback from customers that some coaters charged extra to strip the paint when getting them coated. There are many benefits to this coating and we highly recommend the coating! However, there is a correct sequence & procedure to getting them coated that we developed working closely with our coater!

Please e mail or contact us for the info & procedure on the coating process! 

 

Q-Can I use my stock steering shaft?

A-in some cases with the smaller tube headers your stock steering shaft "may" work. However,we recommend using an aftermarket steering shaft that is smaller & more conducive to the swap. The steering shaft is a sensitive and inconsistant fitment concern on these cars. We have even seen numerous cases of fitment concerns with just using a small 1 5/8" shorty header on a 5.0 motor! In applications using large tube headers, the smaller aftermarket shafts will be mandatory. D&D offers a low profile steering shaft to minimize fitment concerns in this area. Just an FYI-not all aftermarket shafts are the same and some may not help with fitment issues!!

 

Q-can I use my stock starter?

A- in some milder applications using small tube headers you "may" be able to use the stock starters. With more serious engine combinations with large tube headers, mini high torque starters should be condidered a must. OEM type starters do not have the necessary power,are heavy and in many cases are too large to fit the headers. The large starters get too close to the headers creating even more resistance. One some large tube headers they are mandatory to fit. We offer budget mini high torque starters for some of the more popular applications at a great price! There are numerous aftermarket suppliers for mini starters. 

 

Q-Should I use your motor mounts or your motor plate system?

A- Motor mounts are best suited for milder engine combinations and street/strip use up to approx 500 hp. A motor plate system offer many benefits over motor mounts and more flexibility when performing the engine swap especially with large tube headers and aftermarket K members, bells, trans etc. We do offer solid motor mounts but do not recommend solid motor mounts unless you have an aftermarket block or at the least, thread in freeze out plugs!

 

Q-Is it difficult to install your motor plate systems?

A-It is not rocket science but will take more time to install (the first time) than motor mounts. We will even lend you a set of motor mounts so you have a baseline to work off of to install the motor plates in the best/correct location! Unlike other places,we supply detailed instructions & photos with our motorplate kits, in addition to our always available tech support!

 

Q-What is the best transmission to use for these swap?

A-There is no one single transmission that is the best for every application. We offer a variety of trans combinations for this reason. Please feel free to call us to discuss your needs. Please see below posts!

 

Q-Do these swaps work with both auto trans and manual trans?

A- "Most" of the 5.0/302 & 351 Windsor small block swaps can be performed using either auto trans or manual trans. The 351C & big block swaps, however, are a different story! Although not impossible ,the 351C & big block "manual trans" swaps are complicated dramatically and are usually much more expensive & time consuming to do. We recommend that unless you are an experienced veteran to hotrodding that you use an auto trans for the 351C & big block swap! If you are dead set on the manual trans 351C or B/B swap, the shorty/mid lengths will be a bit easier but are still not a slam dunk! FYI-with all series engines,the manual trans swaps will almost always be more difficult & involved & expensive than the popular auto trans version for the swap. This is due to the linkages,cables,clutch forks etc and the lack of room to accomodate them with the larger engines and/or large tube headers.

 

Q- Should I consider a stock bore & stroke engine combination or go the stroker route?

A- We can help you either way but in many cases if starting from scratch or if your core engine will need machine shop work to rebulild/refresh it,the stroker may actually be less expensive! We offer proven combinations either way. Feel free to contact us for info & recommendation.

 

Q-Do I need a custom cam?

A- If you are doing a mild stock type rebuild using a lot of the oem components you can save a few dollars and use one of our proven “off the shelf” type cam kits. When you start adding a lot of aftermarket components or extra cubic inches,it is really in your best interest to spend the extra few dollars to do a custom D&D cam to optimize your combinations and goals! Sorry but custom cams are non-returnable as the cam companies that grind them will not return a custom ground cam!

 

Q-Does D&D sell and ship it’s products outside the USA?

A-Sorry but we do not ship outside the USA lower 48 states

 

D&D Automotive Specialties
 
Phone: (610) 759-2492


ddautosp@ptd.net


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