We are just about to finish up this Adrun project for one of our customers. We built the ardun motor for him a few years back and the original plan was to put the motor in a 23 track t something to showcase the engine. Well time passes and the owner sent us a patina truck to put the Ardun motor in. It does have a good bit more patina than i would like. But the chassis has been completely rebuilt new bed wood and all the structural areas of the body are repaired. We are running a T5 behind the motor and a 9"rear. We used Porter mufflers and the truck sounds great. The stock gauges are rebuilt along with a new wiring harness. It really has been a fun build to do, the truck is out getting some carpet and the seat covered now. Here is a link to the truck running down the street in front of the shop.
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NICE! That is were they were designed to be. I often wonder if anyone popped the hood on an old truck and found an ARDUN powered engine? Bob
Cool set up, the 'ol sleeper look - I understand that but, the firewall should have been cleaned/painted to help showcase that beautiful $ motor.
I'm aghast...Beautiful dream engine from when my psyche first developed in flathead heaven. I'd love to drive that into a 'full service' station and watch the attendant's reaction when uncovering the sleeping monster. But I'm with Rex. 'Patina' is a little excessive, just a mild cleanup on the sheet metal and bumpers/grille/tailgate would compliment this otherwise Perfect truck! As always, just my thoughts...Love the welled fender and spare, goes with the stance!
Nice!seems to me the Ardun deserves a roadster with an open engine compartment. Like BJR asked, how many hps?
if yer a car guy, ya gotta love rich people....who else could drop 70k on a toy and make us all smile
Unless youv'e changed the filter material in those "little chrome air cleaners",they are pitiful breathers for fuel/air mixture.If they are stockers,your ratio will be rich or too fat.You cannot feed an engine too much air;it will dictate what it can handle.I have better luck with a big K&N style filters that I buy at swap meets and then make my own tops and bottoms.
We have some k n filters in there now. We still need to do some road testing on the truck once the seat is done.
. The 51 belongs to David Duthu we did a roadster pick up a few years back, and some preservation work on the King and Hansen belly tank
I like it! What is the story on the intake manifold? Didn't know someone made a 3-carb manifold for Arduns...of course I have not touched one in over 50 years, so I'm clearly out of touch.
Yeah, the small stamped air cleaners are crap in the airflow department, but a big honkin' K&N is crap in the aesthetics department. There is a happy median between the two. Ken Austin makes (or at least made) a variety of intakes for the Arduns. The 3x2 used on this engine is one of those.
I like it, at least the patina is real and not fake. As to the Ardun, I'm a big fan, just cause they have, the look, but they're not that rare nowadays, and its only money..... Someone else's, and we get to enjoy it for free.
would it be possible to install small block chevy using those stock motor mounts what would i need?? thanks Mike
I like it a lot, definitely be a surprise when the hood is popped open. The Ardun were developed to make more power for the big trucks, so this seems a nice fit. Engine looks very nice.
In the late 60's, I had a similar looking 51 Ford PU with a Rochester Fuel Injected 327 with a T-10. Fun truck.
Ken Austin is where the intake came from we built this motor about 5 years ago, don't know if they are still made or not. The front end Spring kit and dropped axle is from TCI. We did use a vega style box from Pete and Jakes. With a hurst style mount you should be able to get sbc motor installed plenty of room in the engine bay.
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