Im looking into putting a Chevy 350 into a 1940 ford pickup with original trans. I know thay have trans adapters and drop in motor mounts for the 350 as im told they have mounts up front. I know nothing. Is this true reguarding the mounts on all 350's or just early ones? I would also like to know if the same swap is possible with a 305, Chevy V six and or straight six. Just want to know my options. thanks scott
Call Wilcap, they’ll fix you up. You need a bell housing, 50 Merc pressure plate and clutch disc. 168 tooth flywheel and it’ll bolt up. Hurst mount for the front. Speedway still makes them. Pretty easy and straightforward swap. Do a search also, this has been covered many many times. This will only work with a V8 by the way. A straight six might work if it has a SBC bell housing pattern. Never heard of a slant 6 Chevy, unless it’s laying on its side in the yard.
I hope you have a light foot with that combination. A bit of trivia, you will probably need to run an early starter with your set up. It has been so ling I don't remember the details. Charlie Stephens
you need this https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-early-trans-adaptor-is-it.1267241/#post-14521213
I have a 69 307 in my 47 coupe with stock 3 spd column shift and stock rear end.I have Hurst mount, mechanical fuel pump, 49/50 Merc pressure plate 10” Ford disc 168 tooth flywheel I have an offy adaptor that I ground for clearance to use a block mounted starter A Speedway pilot bushing I used a right hand pickup ramhorn manifold on the left to clear the stock steering box. I couldn’t be happier with how it drives It really works great As long as you don’t try to burn rubber it’s a very good setup
thanks to all. menat v6 by the way. Just need the truck to putt along until a flathead is installed. I making a copy of the truck in the photo.
All of the common adapters that I know of adapt the small/big block Chevy pattern engines. This includes all V8's from 1965-beyond HAMB acceptability (except wacky front wheel drive stuff), the inline-6 from 1962-1988, and the 90º V6 engines from 1978-2014. Very early V8's only have front engine mounts. Newer than that they have provisions for them on the side and the front. Non-HAMB stuff, if I remember correctly, loses the front mounts, and moves the side ones. Inline-6 Chevy stuff from 1962-1988 has side mounts, with a larger model having one shifted out-of-plane with the other. The 90º V6 (the 4.3l V6) has the same appearance as a same-era small-block, just missing a pair of cylinders in the middle. Keep in mind that some adapters, such as a Wilcap adapter are not inexpensive parts.
In truth you are probably better off to put the thousand dollars you will spend sticking the "temporary" engine in the truck into the flathead and get it done sooner. Unless you have a running Small block Chevy sitting there in the shop and can find a used adapter the price isn't going to be cheap. Speedway wants 418 for the adapter on sale eBay item number: 134129439356 150 or more for a pressure plate. 75 for the front mounts to use Ford biscuit motor mounts. Even if I gave you that right side manifold I have there is probably 30 to 40 dollars shipping involved. so figure 30/40 local cost. That doesn't include a couple hundred to hook up minimal Exhaust pipes on the Chevy. I'm not saying don't do it but do weigh the cost involved for what time you figure to drive it with that engine in it and factor in what return you might be able to get on the adapter and pieces you can't use with the flathead when all is said and done. To me it would be more prudent to find a running but not perfect used flathead that would bolt right in as an exact replacement, drive that while you built your engine and then sell that flathead right out of the truck when you have the fresh one done. They sell pretty good to flathead guys when you can say, Here I'll take you for a ride in the fire truck before you decide to buy the engine.
Know of several good runners-both orig 40's -cracked?? maybe-one is in a running driving car with low miles-runs great!-the other is in a shop and has been inside covered since bring taken out of a very low mileage 40 many years ago. Think they are maybe $11-1200 complete carb etc etc
Ask, and ye shall receive: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-early-trans-adaptor-is-it.1267241/#post-14521811
There still are a whole lot of flatheads around the Northeast, New York, and New England. If you dig around you might find the contact information for local clubs and associations. Those folks often have a better handle on what is stashed, and where. Look for The Early Ford V8 Club of New England. They might have some answers. Also, this site has a sister-site, that is Ford-specific: https://www.fordbarn.com/
My uncle was a radio op in the LRDG. He didn't talk about it much. He spoke to Popski on many occasions. They had a preference for Chevy trucks, the Fords had a tendency to overheat.
You use the 3 bolt starter (bolts to the bell housing) with the adapters. For the 350 you can use a Hurst mount or even Tri Five Chevy motor mounts. The Hurst Type of mount is the easiest. I have seen some of the later V-8 Chevy motors with the bosses on the front of the block but not drilled so you need to look for that. Side mounts are also an option. I buy them for a '68 Camaro, they have a safety strap. They can be a problem with interference with the steering box so you have to think about that ahead of time.
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