Many years ago I was discussing swaps with a mechanical engineering student friend who owned a 6-cyl Austin Healy. The 215 inch aluminum Buick and the 260-289 Ford were then both quite new. A magazine about this swap found that the Ford was the narrowest and lowest in deck height of all V-8 engines, and except for the 215 Buick and Olds, the lightest by far of US V-8's. This weight is further reduceable by use of aftermarket aluminum heads, intakes, and water pumps. Battery (Optima sealed) goes under back seat of 544, or in trunk. Since 1968 I've had a 289-equipped '66 Mustang and done myself all the work it has needed. The 289 engine measures 24 inches in width across the iron exhaust manifolds, except a little more at the rear where the pipes connect.

Now I have a '66 544 awaiting some attention, and your question already came to mind. The long, straight steering column is the first thing needing to be cleared, which appears feasible. This is what Mr Flynn didn't do with his wider, 90 degree Buick V-6, he put in a multi-U-jointed steering. I once saw in a concours (!) an upmarket Fiat 4-door with a neatly installed 289 Ford; the exhaust manifolds were swapped left for right so that their outlets were at the front. Ford also has several bottom-outlet iron manifolds and there are many shorty headers to consider, straight or reversed. A bigger problem is that the 289's oil pump and sump is at the front, where it fouls the suspension crossmember of all pushrod Volvo's. There may be later OEM and aftermarket pump pickups and sumps that help, and there's always costly dry-sump conversions. T-5 transmissions, retrofittable into Volvo's using VPD kits, are OEM on later 302 Fords, suggesting this era of same-series Ford engine as preferrable for you. Engine mounts would need some design creativity, with emphasis on limiting engine sidesway. The engine could lean to the right a bit, and if the tranny tunnel needs much surgery for the T-5, do it all on the right side and place everything a little off-center. (Alfa Romeo did that from '55-on in its 1300-2L series.) Ford Ranger back axle offers correct lug pattern, taller ratios, decent strength, and minimal surgery for width. see "rayjan's" account in the archives. Driveshaft would be one-piece Ford, cut and spliced to fit. Heater could be from street rod supply, installed under-dash. Front drum brakes are a limitation after one hard stop heats and fades them, so you don't have a road racer yet. 122 discs can be installed to help that; see archives for how.

Would I do such a swap? No, because the result would not cater to my own driving pleasures, which value handling and evenly balanced capabilities over seldom-usable raw power. Never got a ticket in the Mustang or in my Miata, only in VW's that won't go 85 in the shade.