66 bronco build straight six with 35s

[huntbronco66]

Hey new guy here. I'm currently starting to fix up my family's old 66 bronco. current plans are to bring it down to the frame. I have a 200ci inline 6 in good working order that I plan to throw instead of the 170ci in it. I'm trying to be scrappy and not go sky high.

so My questions this: will I be fine putting 35s on with a 3.5 lift running a straight 6? I know it wont be to powerful but I only plan to take on trails and around the farm.

 

[hyattwm]

Hey new guy here. I'm currently starting to fix up my family's old 66 bronco. current plans are to bring it down to the frame. I have a 200ci inline 6 in good working order that I plan to throw instead of the 170ci in it. I'm trying to be scrappy and not go sky high.

so My questions this: will I be fine putting 35s on with a 3.5 lift running a straight 6? I know it wont be to powerful but I only plan to take on trails and around the farm.

I am in the same boat as you starting a family's 66 bronco rebuild. I am thinking of upgrading drive train to small V8, still not sure just entered this site today.

 

[chrlsful]

Altho the 3.3/200 came ina '73/4 bronk I would not put it in (for my use, which may B totally different than urs or the 2 yr em 200ci bronk). Many of us use the 250 (a stroked 200) & some the 300.

Like EVERY automotive Q the answ is in "What is the vehicle's APPLICATION?" (80% of use). The 200 is a lill rever. Square motors (I believe it is almost, no?) are good for that. Many of us look for tq as we have a-lot of off rd use. An i6 is the design 4 this as the hi tq comes on in low revs so as to not spin tires. The crank is l o n g AND notice the dynamics on a circle (connecting rods) on the i6 v a bent8. I would use the 300/4.9 in my bronk nxt time (lower & further back to fire wall).
Anyway for more info on the 6 ThriftPower engines (or "Falcon motor") see us at ford six dot com. (a 144 VeDub challenger, 170, 200 and the 250, plus the 240 & 300). Links to history, rest0mod, parts, build assistance etc await all interested in these great engines over there.
8^ )

 

[Jasgeer]

While you can put any engine in, I want to say that the 170 and 200 inch i6 engines are light duty and only have 4 main bearings, correct? They were made for Falcons and Vomets. In comparison the 300 is built like a tank.

 

[chrlsful]

light duty and only have 4 main bearings, correct? In comparison the 300 is built like a tank.

each yr brought changes but the bottom end was robust thru out the 36 yrs of production. Only 1st coupla yrs were 4 mans, 7 after '62 or 4. See:

The Ford Falcon SIX Cylinder PERFORMANCE HANDBOOK | Vintage Inlines

The Ford Falcon SIX Cylinder Performance Handbook has 107 pages of History, Facts, and Information to help you get more power out of your small Ford SIX. This engine was used in Falcons, Mustangs, Fairlaines, and Comets in the 60’s. It was the FoMoCo workhorse in Mavericks, Granadas, and...

www.vintageinlines.com

for more'n just history buta staged process (phases allowing drive'n save$/restore) and as above:

Classic Inlines

ford 6 site for all things "Falcon" motor.
"Yes" The 240/300 was used in class 5 trucks (16, 20,000# or huge dump truck styles w/the stevens type exhaust) and even went into the efi era. Many who know it ('the gasser thats a diesel") claim its up there w/the "million mi motor" (MB's OM617 a 5 cyl diesel).
I would not call the 170 "a light duty" motor seeing the steep hills (gravel drives too) the 6 ft sno blade pushed a full mold board worth of heavy wet sno up yr after yr. Open one up & B amazed by the sz of the counter weights on the bottom of the crank. The econoline w/a 144 (1st gen) was a 1/2 or 3/4 ton I believe.Use of the wrd "light" should B defined as the 1st 4 classes of trucks is upto/included the 4 ton class 4...
Ford uses "families" rather than 'big block, small block' like chebby (bent8=Y block, MEL, etc; for bent6=essex, calone, vulcan, etc). 3 i6 'small block' (U left out the 144/2.36 that started the revolution) 250 'bridger' then 2 'big 6' the 240 that like all the others got stroked into the) 300. The main issue was the integrated intake or 'log' head. Fixed by Mike Winterborer (went into production for a decade B4 his death & now) produced as :

Small Six Aluminum Head Package | Vintage Inlines

The first batch of cylinder head castings from the new foundry is in! Pre-orders will be taken for a short period of time. Pre-orders will be taken starting at 6 pm Eastern on Friday March 7, 2025 until a set number of orders are received. If the status says "Out of Stock", orders will not be...

www.vintageinlines.com

Dats enuff oudda me
8^ 0
except ta say I'd B quite proud to have a 144 turboed (they do it) the 4.1 is in Toy.s & Heeps (AMC or chrysler) and many (me) have'em in their EB ('66/77 bronk). Thru use of oem U can have it cheeply too ("...you can put any engine in..." but it'll cost ya).

 

[chrlsful]

There'za wk & no comments. I'll keep goin.

"...will I be fine putting 35s on with a 3.5 lift..."
I'd worry less abt the motor & more bout the rest (U got 411 gears in it I imagine (even the 144/2.36L falcon motor could turn 35s w/that in the rear end). What will probably happen, even w/3.5 inches (suspension or body) is the tires will rub. Many do not wish to take a sawzall to the rear fenders (they like that stylish skirt) and hack out for tire fit. Even w/a 'flair' of some sort added. "G78" (oem tire in the day) was a bias ply 7.33 width ona 15 inch rim. Today they would call it 205/75-15, I call it a 28 inch tire. U can fit a 31X10.5X15 on there B4 it starts rubbin as is (oem). Every vehicle (even of the same Y/M/M) can fit a different tire "depending on" itself (individual conditions/differences. Can't go inta all them even as long winded as I am). 8^ 0
The bronk screams out for a 1 inch body lift from the factory (in my mind). Many do this and use a 2.5 suspension lift as well. Different theories on SL & BL in terms of which makes a vehicle tippy, less stable but w/this one I have a 33X9.5X15 on mine w/o rubbin ("uncut"). I can not find a BFG T/A KO in that size any more (in fact no KO any more either. The 'blocks' have swollen up & tire is now called KO2). Get an ol used tire of the sz U want, remove ur tire/rim, place the used in the wheel well and make a guess. Play around w/different ones. Go to the store'n ask the guy. Select something'n go in w/the car. Have them take a look & tell U their pro opinion. Buy what they say (well 1st keep researchin w/other owners B4 the purchase).
Good Luck, keep talkin~

 

[chrlsful]

yup, taday's nother wk, he's gone...can't keep talkin

 

[Carnutt73]

I don't think the 35's will work with the 3.5 lift without extra clearncing or changing tire size to a 33x12.5. You might need to add a small amount of body lift to help to fit the 35's. I would suggest contacting some place like 4 wheel parts and talk to them as the would know for sure. But for running 35's I would recommend a 6 inch lift. I have a friend with a 68 and he has a 6 inch while running 36's and has no issues.

 

[chrlsful]

"...6 inch while running 36's..."
cut or not in rear? no heavy bumpers? 53 y/o springs? BL or SL? etc...we find that every one is different. Tries w/tire/wheel in an empty wheel well, visits & doing so - as U suggest - at a tire company, can B the real deal.

 

[chrlsful]

disappeared I guess...