Just wondering if anyone has any pics of any Chevy 6 cylinder swaps into 41 to 48 fords cars? If so did it work without sheet metal modifications? I can get my hands on a straight 6 rebuilt with transmission for almost nothing. Thanks for any help
Can I suggest you do something like this. Measure your engine bay from radiator to firewall. If its under 32" forget about a six cylinder unless you want a huge amount of work in order to recess the firewall re-work the crossmembers etc etc. And I say this as a huge fan of saying that a six goes into everything.
While I agree with Stovebolt’s suggestion to measure your engine compartment, bear in mind that Fords of that era were also sold with the Flathead six cylinder engine. I do not know the length of the Ford six, but would think it likely longer than the V8. Often, cars that came with either had a provision for moving the radiator forward a few inches to accommodate the longer six. My point is, especially if your Ford was a V8, be sure to include investigating how much additional space might be available to move the radiator. Ray
My '46 was a Flathead 6, it's 40 inches long from the front of the fan to the back of the block, bellhousing surface. The radiator and mounting hardware are a lot different from a 6 to the V8 in those early Fords, much like a Tri Five Chev. The radiator sits farther ahead in the six cylinder car. If you can find all the hardware that came with a 6 cylinder car then you wont have a problem. I just happen to know where all those parts are!!!
Memory tells me that the front crossmember is different in a 6 cyl car. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I pulled the 6 out and using a Hurst front mount and trans adapter dropped a SBC in place of it. We did nothing to the crossmember! Also had to use a V8 trans.
The money you save by using the Chevy 6 engine will probably be lost when you sell the car. Charlie Stephens
Yeah, what Charlie says ^. Unless the economics absolutely dictate the GM 6, the order of preference would be Ford V8 flattie, Y-block, SBF or even Ford 6 (300). A stovebolt in a 40's Ford is just going to the dark side.
pffffft!! Use a GMC 270 or 302 and you'll be in like Flynn! The 'economics' of a flattie are very poor if you have to build one. Pretty much the same story on a Y block. Cost per horsepower is unreasonable compared to other choices. The Ford 300 six would be a great choice as an alternative to a V8 of any type in the dare to be different realm. A very high torque output, Ford in Ford, etc. But in the end, if the money available dictates the Chevy six....why not? BTW, what model Chevy six are you talking about? Ray
Maybe......maybe not. The info given in post #4 provides the length of the flathead six as 40". I had a 300 sitting around the shop a few years ago, which I happened to measure at the time. I seem to recall it was less than 40"........but I could be mistaken. Ray
OK, Ford guys, don't get your ******* in a twist. Couple years ago [ yeah, right ] when I was young, had a buddy who had a Chevy, when all Chevy had was a six, that outran Fords. And I outran him. In a 1940 Buick. Go for it! Ben
I'm not a purist either. Hell, I have Ford parts in my `63 C-10. If you know the history of the Chevy/ Ford rivalry from that era you would know it just ain't TRAD. Mid 50's, with the advent of the SBC, now that's a different story.
Not at all traditional, but a GM inline 6 in a fat fendered Ford is not in-heard of. This one is a 270 G.M.C. Hot Rod Aug. 1958 However I don't think a Stovebolt in a 41-48 Ford was done much if ever. You will likely have to make it up as yo go along.
It all depends on which 'traditional' we are talking about. Is it the "Traditional" as in, the tradition of hot rods is based on having modified a production car through various means, including any or all of the following. stripping of fenders, channeling the body, chopping the top, souping up or replacing the engine for more power...etc., etc. Any of this could be done with any make or model of car, with mixing and matching of parts, but usually based on what was plentiful, inexpensive and available. Then there is the "Traditional".......we only hop up Fords and use 4 bangers and flathead V8's and sometimes another make may be found acceptable....sometimes. So, don't stray from the most often done mods and expect to considered "Traditional" "What's in your wallet"? Ray
Free Engines are a lot like Free Puppies. They never are actually "Free". Be sure this engine is something you want to build a car around, or else it will just end up as another never finished project.
Which Chevy 6 cylinder and trans are we talking about? If it's a 216 with a torque-tube type stick trans, that's a whole different animal than say a 292 with a 700r4 behind it or something like that. We need to know exactly what engine and trans we are talking about. Some are making ***umptions that may not be correct.
Isn't going to a SBC a lot like going back to Ramen Noodles because you couldn't figure out how to grill the steak??? 300's are about 37 inches from fan mount to crank flange. The height of a 300 may be a bigger problem, they are much taller than a flathead 6, about 28 inches from oil pan to valve cover, depending on which oil pan was installed. The carb and air cleaner will quite often stick above the valve cover as well, depending on the intake and carb combo. A Y-block would be my first choice, but then I have a 292 core sitting in the corner that is just begging to be built. There is a '39 project on here built around a rather raucous 430 MEL that is about as cool as it gets. Figure out what you want the car to do and pick the appropriate engine. There is nothing wrong with a SBC, I just tend to stay away from the things that everyone else does, even if it makes a bit more work for me in the end. The thought of building a lowered, custom inspired Fat-Fendered Ford with a big 6 is appealing. Could be a really cool car when you are done.
You know part of me feel it's easy for a lot of us to couch build this guy's car. We are not paying or doing the work. Do we really have a dog in the fight? With that said 1980 gold asked for opinions and got them. I'm more of a history guy. I also look at this practically. So here is a run down of period inlines.... L Heads 7HA..... These Ford engines debut in 1941? or so... These were really good engines. Post War these come on real strong. Some of the " Whiz Kids" or the young ex military or wartime engineers wanted to drop the V8 during Ford's reorganization in 1947. Cooler heads prevailed as one of the engineers said .....Ford is the V8, the V8 is Ford! ....Hence the 8RT in 48 and the 8BA in 49 the last version of the venerable V8. The H series flat six post war was rated at 95 hp the V8 100. Some say the six was a better all around engine. As good as it may have been, the flat six never had the mystique. On the practical side it had and still has Zero.....Zero, aftermarket performance support. Any performance modifications to an H series six have to be custom or homemade. Custom ground cams....homemade manifolds. The 7 HA is a great engine that is original to these cars. As far as Rodding.....very difficult. Chrysler Dodge sixes.....The 7HA is superior so why bother. Olds ....Pontiac flat sixes....7HA is superior.... Hudson Six... A Hornet Six with Twin H Power....Now here is an engine I would consider. Arguably this is the best of all Flatheads of any configuration. A Twin H Hudson in a Ford.....That's cool beans but on the practical side how hard is it to find and build, then adapt a Twin H? OHV sixes.... Chevrolet Low Pressure Babbitt rod engines....Stovebolts 216-235 pre Powerglide These are good engines but were obsolete even post war. Babbit bearings and splash oiling date to the 1920s. These can be built for HP but it has to be done carefully and even a hopped up Stovebolt is no better than a stock 7HA. These engines do have performance support but in no way can compare to a hopped up Ford V8. They just don't have the legs for high sustained high RPM. 1950 Powerglides....1955-62 full pressure Stovebolts.... These are my favorite Chevrolet six cylinders. They have full pressure (50-54 Powerglides have improvements but 55 up is the full package) They have aftermarket support. For a pre 55 Chevy and even some pre war Ford stuff these may be a good choice. Still though these are behind the Ford V8 and really pretty equal to the 7H in stock performance. So for a Chevy they are great, a Ford not so much..... 215-223-262 OHV Ford. I like 223s. These are great little engines with some aftermarket support. Stock they are superior to both the V8 and the H series. Hopped up the V8 easily out performs even a hopped up 223. It is capable to go all out on these but you are talking high dollar. Some of these, 262s are built for the dry lakes. For average hot rodders, the V8 gives better performance for the buck. These are a good choice for a Ford but personally a Yblock, Flat head V8, SBC, Olds, Caddilac V8s are better in a 40s Ford IMHO. 62 up Chevy sixes..... Same bell as the vernable SBC. These are really better engines than the stovebolts but I like the Stovebolts much better. It's a later period engine 1960s. You have to ask your self this..... If you were building a car in 64, with all the great engines available would you choose this one? Practically it may fit pretty good. 144,170, 200 Falcon and Mustang sixes... These have some support. These are good engines but personally I can't shake the Falcon thing. I know Vic Edelbrock played with these before his death but..... I would not choose one in a 40s Ford. The V8 choices are just too great. The 240-300 4.9 Ford Big Six Arguably the greatest gasoline engine ever built. This was to be the OHV successor to the Hudson Twin H! As good as this engine is, Ironically it's much like the 7HA of the 1940s. In the HAMB era it had no aftermarket support. Aftermarket manifolds....headers and cams come later....70s 80s and 90s. For strict a period 65 and older ride, stuff will have to be custom made. Since it debut in 65....again it's late for a period car. It's big. It's the best. It just does not have that period mystique that goes along with a 40s Ford. My two personal choices for a Six in a 40s Ford....... 1. 7HA stock or with custom modifications..... 2. The Hudson Twin H.....if you going to go cool go all the way. Easiest install besides the stock H series. 62 up Chevy inline.....same bell as the SBC What I would put in a 40s Ford car..... 1. Flathead Ford V8 2. Caddilac 331 3. SBC 4.Olds J2 5. Nailhead 6. Early Hemi or Poly
I just found this on eBay. I wish I could afford it. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Flath...461496?hash=item285c7e2038:g:0p4AAOSw-VtbFWef
I have to go along with Squablow. WHAT Chevy six. A 250 or 292 wouldn't be bad and a good one runs for ever just like a 300 Ford Six would or a 250 Ford Six for that matter. The 250/292 might be the simple way as there are a lot of V8 adapters that will bolt right up if you want to use the stock Ford trans. Probably simpler than the OH **** how am I going to make this later Ford engine work in my car without going bankrupt in the process. The guys that bleed Ford blue always forget that little ditty when they throw their Ford in a Ford it. It's a damn puzzle to figure out what the hell fits what else and some times there is no way to mate the two without spending a **** load of money. As for a Ford Flathead six, even free as mine was they aren't cheap to work on. Any speed part is unreal expensive and hard to find. It happened to fit the criteria for the engine for the car I am building that it will go in and the car doesn't need any elaborate speed goodies.
[QUOTE="FrozenMerc, post: 12596195, member: 91434" 300's are about 37 inches from fan mount to crank flange. The height of a 300 may be a bigger problem, they are much taller than a flathead 6, about 28 inches from oil pan to valve cover, depending on which oil pan was installed. The carb and air cleaner will quite often stick above the valve cover as well, depending on the intake and carb combo.[/QUOTE] Then engine compartment of that era Ford car is quite deep, there would be no issue with height of a 300 six. Yes the Flathead six is not as tall as a 300, but i’d wager there is good 14” to 18” of height between the top of the Flathead six and top of the cowl/hood. More than enough to accommodate the OHV 300 and it’s induction system. The 240 six was introduced in the ‘65 Ford p***enger cars, which had a much lower hoodline than ‘40’s era Fords. The 300 is a tall deck version of the 240, but the difference not more than two inches, if that.
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