V8 into 6

[Sacko7 4]

Hi all, New to the forum and have some questions I need help with. I have a 1984 XE sedan, 4.1 auto and I am converting to a V8. I have been told that once conversion done a RWC and a view by Vic Roads should suffice. Now my questions, I have purchased a 1984 LTD, 351 complete, I have done this as I believe that a lot of the 6 cylinder components will be no good for a V8, I am replacing radiator, water pump hoses etc with new. I know I will have to shorten the tail shaft as the LTD is a longer car. Would the LTD have an LSD? I know it is not a 9inch. The LTD has leaf springs and the XE has coil on the rear, the XE has drums on the rear, What is the best way to get the LTD diff and discs on to the XE? Should I run with leaf or coil on the rear or is it too hard to swap ? Someone told me that an E series diff is what I need out of something like an EB XR6, Is this correct and will it change straight over or what needs to be changed? Any help or advice appreciated. The LTD was paddock ridden and has heaps of rust and interior is very ordinary but the XE is rust free and repainted, nice low ride with a Fairmont interior, that is why I am not pursuing the LTD. All other parts including interior less centre console on LTD is available to anyone interested, door and window trims appear good. 
Any other ideas or items I should be aware of please let me know
Regards
Sacko7

[xfish 20]

I was able to use a EB2 series diff ( LSD ), into my 84 XF ( sedan )..........no issues. Though I had to be creative with the handbrake cable. The XF handbrake splits under the car, while it splits on the EB Diff. ( i dont know what it dose on a XE ( probably the same ).

[Sacko7 4]

Thanks Xfish excuse my ignorance but do you change coil springs and brakes etc and di they change OK

[deankxf 20,904]

EB diff should be a direct bolt in @xfish (you must have used EF/EL diff) 
EB diff and ED diff are best(stronger than EA) hand brake cable from EA to ED sedan will fit straight to it.
sedan EB ED EF EL tailshaft will be needed
and a brake line adaptor or change the nuts (imperial to metric either at the T piece nuts on the diff or the flexible hose to body of car. )

the springs from the XE will fit the EB diff. i'll post more soon

 

[deankxf 20,904]

1 hour ago, Sacko7 said:

Hi all, New to the forum and have some questions I need help with. I have a 1984 XE sedan, 4.1 auto and I am converting to a V8. I have been told that once conversion done a RWC and a view by Vic Roads should suffice. Now my questions, I have purchased a 1984 LTD, 351 complete, I have done this as I believe that a lot of the 6 cylinder components will be no good for a V8, I am replacing radiator, water pump hoses etc with new. I know I will have to shorten the tail shaft as the LTD is a longer car. Would the LTD have an LSD? I know it is not a 9inch. The LTD has leaf springs and the XE has coil on the rear, the XE has drums on the rear, What is the best way to get the LTD diff and discs on to the XE? Should I run with leaf or coil on the rear or is it too hard to swap ? Someone told me that an E series diff is what I need out of something like an EB XR6, Is this correct and will it change straight over or what needs to be changed? Any help or advice appreciated. The LTD was paddock ridden and has heaps of rust and interior is very ordinary but the XE is rust free and repainted, nice low ride with a Fairmont interior, that is why I am not pursuing the LTD. All other parts including interior less centre console on LTD is available to anyone interested, door and window trims appear good. 
Any other ideas or items I should be aware of please let me know
Regards
Sacko7

you used to need a "mechanics report" for V8 conversion into XE basically saying it used all V8 components (basically rear discs and front springs)

 

a good wide(air conditioned) 4.1 radiator is often the same as a V8 one(check the LTD one if it's thicker, if so and good, use that, would be 3 core instead of 2) 

 

are you sure it's a 1984 LTD? if so the diff should have coil springs, and be a direct fit(need to find an XE or XF sedan disc hand brake cable then) 
if it's a leaf spring LTD it's not going to have the correct accelerator cable either, so you'll need to find an XE V8 one if it's got the stock carby, or if it has been fitted with a holley carb, you can get a mount that pulls from the back and the 6cyl cable can be used if still good. 

 

things you'll need to swap for it to bolt in. 

engine mount bases (to the chassis cross member)

gear shifter (assuming both T bar auto) 
accelerator cable

unwrap the tape on 6cyl wiring loom on the coil, and some other wires and they should reach the V8 items locations other than the air con wire(need to make it longer)

the wiring loom to the trans inhibitor switch/speedo sender may be the same plug type at the firewall for plug and play swap. 

 

wide 6cly radiator can be used, but hoses and shroud will be needing swapped. 

that's about all i can think of from the top of My head. 

 

front springs will need changing, as the V8 is like 100kg heavier. 

[Banno 480]

Hi Sacko7 welcome to Ozfalcon. You will definitely get your answer here. NA to NC fairlane diff will fit too plus it be most likely LSD with ratio 3.27 just have to use the tailshaft from a eb falcon as it be correct length. Do you know what ratio you looking at or type of driving - cruising or street performance. The only thing at moment I can think of needing swapping is front springs to v8 (rear springs are same between 6 and 8), gearbox cross member, t-bar auto cause linkages are different between 6 and 8, exhaust system and engine mounts of course.


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[Banno 480]

Dean beat me to it. Best of luck with build mate.


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[Sacko7 4]

This place is unbelievable for help and advice, thanks guys and keep it coming

Sacko7

[bear351c 10,402]

...and a longer steel fuel line, (goes in front of shock tower).  Pretty sure the LTD/Fairlane have longer leaf springs as they are based on the station wagon platform, so they won't fit if you go leaf spring.   6 cyl rad from an XF will keep a Clevo cool with a stock fan, but MUST use a shroud and correct length fan spacer. 

 

Oh, and Welcome mate. Got any pics of the XE.?  

[xfish 20]

2 hours ago, Sacko7 said:

Thanks Xfish excuse my ignorance but do you change coil springs and brakes etc and di they change OK

We used the callipers that were on the EB diff, since I originally had drums................and we changed the coils .( because they didnt match the fronts on my XF ). If memory serves me right, we were able to use the brake lines from the XF and mount them to the EB diff..........though there was some custom brackets made. Nothing too trivial.  

[Banno 480]

Fairlane/LTD rear doors don’t fit on sedans either.


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[xfish 20]

As for the UNI............we took that with us, ( though I dont think we used it ), I had a T5 gearbox, and that UNI matched up to the  EB diff..............this happened 20 years ago, and I can barely remember last week.