BBF vs BBC motorplate location diff?

I will post this here and in the general forum. Sorry about the double post, but thought it may have a good chance of getting answered here by guys that may not normally read the general forum.

I'm shopping cars to replace my dragster. Going door car this time. Drove to Knoxville, Tn yesterday to look at one. May go to South Carolina this week to look at a mid 80's t-bird. The car has had a 615 BBC w Big Chief heads. Ran 4.80-90's with a little spray. I am interested in the car as a roller. I will build another A headed deal like the dragster had.

My questions:

1. How does the motor plate location differ from bbc to bbf. If I got a BBF motor plate and bolted it to the tabs in the car would it place the engine forward or behind bbc location. I ask as the car is round tube up front with the tabs welded to an upright. Not easy to move the tabs. How about placement of the trans crossmember? With a BBF bolted in up front, where would the mount on the trans shaft fall? Forward or behind the BBC placement?

2. I know the headers will bolt to new style A460 heads. They have individual flanges. Are the exhaust port angles on Big Chief heads close enough to the A460 angles so they might work without hitting the chassis?

More pics of the car here, strut front,ladder bars rear. Has both 31X10.5W and 15X33 tires:

https://s374.photobucket.com/albums/oo186/dgcole01/t%20bird/



Thanks
David Cole

The difference on the motor plate will really be whether you install it behind the timing cover or in front of the timing cover (like most). When it is mounted in front, then the engine would be moved back some more, which would possible require a shorter driveshaft. I will get the measurements later as they are out in my shop.

As far as the headers go, you will have more issues with the deck height differences, exhaust flange location height, and width of the engines vs just the angle. The concerns would be how much closer it moves it to the wheels for steering and also the location of the steering shaft going through the headers.

The final obstacle would be the steering shaft itself. The BBF has the oil filter in the location where most chassis run the steering shaft. So the rack and pinion will need the have the steering rod come out almost parallel with the frame rails instead of coming up at the 45 degree. Some cars will have it already laid down, but a lot will have it angled upwards for a more straight shot at the firewall.

None of these are problems that can't be overcome, but will prevent it from being just a bolt-in. But what do you expect?

could he not use one of those 90 degree oil filter adapters? I have one here somewhere from my last motor.
I personally think it would set the motor back the distance of the timing chain cover but that's it. ford is a taller deck motor so you might have some pan issues if you use the same mount location? not sure but might check it out.
JS

I don't have a problem with using a remote mount filter deal. I've had dragsters for the last 8 years. Both of those had to have a remote filter as they had a chassis brace very close to the filter pad.

Randy (Valleydawg on here) sent me a pic of how he did his. Simple solution. His probe had a bbc before he bought it and changed it to a bbf.

The empty holes are for the bbf plate:
https://2img.net/h/i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo186/dgcole01/misc/bbctobbf2.jpg


The owner of the t-bird has sent me some more pics:
https://s374.photobucket.com/albums/oo186/dgcole01/t%20bird/