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[v8volvo]

Hey all,
I'm new to this site, but I'll give it a try. Some friends and I have a 1981 Econoline 100 with a 300cid gas six-cylinder and a 4-speed floor shift OD manual trans. We got it for $100 (!) and it had been sitting a couple years, so the steering and brakes are shot. So is the engine--emissions went off the charts, no power, about 3 mpg, etc. Needs a carb, and probably rings and valve guides and bearings too. Too much to rebuild such a piece of junk, so we want to drop a 6.9 from a mid-80s truck or van into it, and were looking for some input from you guys. I assume it will probably bolt right into there, with only a bunch of plumbing and wiring to deal with, but maybe not. Did E100s have a different arrangement in front with the crossmember or anything? And will the bellhousing off the old engine bolt up to the 6.9? If not, is there a bellhousing I can buy that will adapt it? Any ideas on whether the trans will hold up? (It feels and looks pretty beefy, but the ratios are REALLY tall--way too tall for the 300--tho that might be the rearend.) I assume motor mounts that will adapt the engine to the van can be easily purchased, but does the trans sit in the same place with a diesel?

Thanks in advance for the advice.