Ford’s modular engine has become very popular with many custom car builders looking to do an engine swap in older classic cars. The 4.6-liter Crown Victoria engine tops the list of junkyard jewels, and are sought after by these builders.

“We are finding that these Crown Vic engines are quite popular because the front crossmember of the car is a bolt-in affair,” said Ron Francis Wiring owner Scott Bowers. “It’s a cast aluminum cross member that they can unbolt from the Crown Victoria, and snap the front suspension and engine right into a fat-fendered street rod or hot rod. Really, it will almost fit any full-framed car, because it is dimensionally very close to what they need.”

For most DIY builders, the electrical systems seem to be the main concern in these engine swaps. Bowers has created an easy solution for anyone that needs help with the electrical. “We have wiring kits of our own design, so that you can put these engines into a street rod or hot rod,” he stated. “The wiring kits handle the engine and transmission.”

The kits come with everything needed to connect all of the factory sensors on the engine and transmission to the factory ECM, plus wiring for the fuel pump, electric fan, and diagnostic port.

From the Bare Bonz kit to the more complex engine-swap kits, Ron Francis has something to help every home street rod builder’s wiring needs.

“The ECMs are specific to certain years, and the 2009 through 2011 models have a different transmission,” explained Bowers, but he assures us that the applicable kit has everything to connect the newer transmission electrically.

Bower’s also says the Ron Francis Black Box relay system is a hot item. “The Black Box is getting very popular,” said Bowers. “It is a very intelligent bank of 10 relays, and each relay circuit can be configured however you want. It can be power-triggered or ground-triggered, it can be momentary or latching, or, you can even nest two circuits together to do reversing polarity like for power windows, going up and down.”

The Black Box was a SEMA award winner in 2014, and has been in steady demand. The state of the art system now has a bluetooth module for the BlackBox remote control with both iPhone and Android applications. “It really reduces the amount of wiring and complexity that a bank of relays could end up evolving into,” said Bowers.

For more information on Ron Francis Wiring, visit them online at www.ronfrancis.com.