To be honest, I know nothing about swaps and which one would be the better choice. Thankfully I have many years before I’ll be changing anything l, so I’ll have plenty of time to learn.
I was just yanking your chain. I prefer to see FORD powerplants transplanted into FoMoCo vehicles, GM powerplants in GM vehicles, Mopar into Mopar... but I understand the idea behind the cross brand LS swaps. They are relatively cheap comparatively speaking. I'd suggest enjoying the car just the way it is for now. Who knows, maybe you'll find the original drivetrain is exactly what you need.
My 1963 Country Sedan has a 5.0/302 from a 1995 Ford Explorer in it, a stock roller cam motor. Really the only thing it needs is an AOD trans behind it to tone down the 3.50 rear gears and allow for lower highway RPM. So even if you don't go full-on LS/Coyote swap, you can still update it for reliability and longevity if needed for relatively cheap and not require much modifications at all. By the way, cool car you have.
Ugh, the bane of everyone's existence--LS engines. You could pop in (and directly bolt up) a 351W (which was an option on these wagons back then) with aluminum heads and intake, a decent carb, and a righteous cam and dual exhaust, for A LOT less aggravation than any LS engine. You should read this thread, by a member who installed an LS drivetrain in his box Caprice; start on page 57, post 843, and bear in mind, just the Caprice work goes out to page 70: http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/threads/fixing-up-a-71-grand-safari.19936/page-57
Then pop on a FiTech EFI system and you have all of the conveniences and reliability of a modern engine without the hassle of computers and sensors etc.
That I could agree to. It still takes some effort, but nowhere near as much effort as attempting to fit a GM engine in a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury product.
I don't regret my LS swap one bit! The 302 I took out of my '84 LTD was way underpowered and the 5.3 runs circles around it. The 351 in my '79 LTD with 81k original miles is just about as anemic, not to mention all the crap that is under the hood of that thing, it has vacuum hoses on top of vacuum hoses......
Yes, they were. But, for a fraction of the cost of any LS, let alone the cost of a swap, that 302 could've been livened up with a bumpier cam, intake and carb, headers and headwork (or aluminum heads) that will make 4000 pounds of Panther take off righteously, let alone a 351W.