I have looked and looked and can't come up with dimensions for various engines - it looks like anything works depending upon how much you cut and move, but I would like to know what's easy - using the stock firewall and radiator location. My tudor has about 28" between the radiator and fire wall - I'm OK with a 4 or V8 no V6. There's a banger in there now. Thanks in advance
Do you want to run a hood with sides? That will dictate more that front/back distance. You didn't say anything about a straight 6?
Hood sides are optional - Planning on it being a highboy. An inline 6 sounds great, I just figured they be too long. But if they fit, lets talk about one...
i here the four cylinder fords work pretty good!! im puttin390 cad in mine... dont know how hard ,,but here its gonna b easyish
A guy at work runs a Ford 2.3 in his ministock car - putting out somewhere around 200hp - that would probably be enough for me. I'd like to stay away from an SBC and there's a seized up 8BA flattie and auto sitting out back...
with stock firewall and radiator locations ,the 2.3 4- banger and the flathead should go in without modifing the firewall. with a SBC will need to recess the firewall.
My model A roadster has a 302 Ford, which is a satisfactory fit AFTER you move the firewall back a few inches. If you want to keep the stock firewall, your list of engines gets short. A 2.3 Ford is compact, economical, easily modified, reliable as an anvil, and available everywhere. Ford even built some 2.5 stroker motors for Rangers. Given your entering ***umption of not modifying the firewall, it might be my first choice. An 8BA is certainly *****'n, but for the money it would take to build it, you could have had half again the hp from the little four-banger........ no kidding. The advice given above wasn't bad. Decide what you want, and do it.
if i was gonna put a 4 cylinder in a Model A with a stock firewall....it would be a chevy II 153 cubic inch...i believe the same engine as the iron duke. it has the same bellhousing bolt pattern as a SBC , so transmission choice would be wide open i know you said no V-6's , but you should consider the chevy 4.3. basically a 350 with 2 cylinders missing. if i was doing a v-6 , that wouild be the one
The 4.3 Chev does have a lot of pep. I was thinking about using a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe 2.3 four banger (85-88). Those things make the Thunderbirds go pretty good and you can buy a complete car fairly cheap.
Use a 215 inch Buick aluminum V8 or the improved Rover version. These can be built to over 300 inches and decent power. For a flathead requiring no body, steering, header work use a V8-60, everything clears! Just dont expect to go very fast.
I just measured my 2.5L Iron Duke. With no fan spacer it would fit. At 28" you would have only a third of the bellhousing behind the firewall. Leave an inch between the fan and the radiator and about half the bell would still be behind.
I saw a "rat rod" at a show in May, a 30-31 Murray 4dr highboy with a V8-60 in it. They'd actually moved the radiator back some and shortened the hood with this engine in it. I should have taken some pictures of the car - it was different, for sure. The back doors were leaded in on it -
Build your own frame, stretch the engine bay, and run what you want. Model As are a tad short in wheelbase and a couple of extra inches will improve the ride a lot.
In 1976 for made some "A"s with PINTO running gear Also could use Mavwreck Mustang II Fairmount Any of the Ford 4 cyl cars will fit.
What ever you do don't try an Allison V-16 unless you have a rumble seat to drive from. Just for your info it takes about 33" to fit a 440 wedge in anything. That would be from the back of the block to the front of the radiator. Just incase that mill isn't mentioned.
Olds Quad 4 looks to be the right size, and the H.O. versions from the factory were rated at 190hp. As mentioned before the 2.3 Ford is an old reliable engine swap for A's. The Shay reproduction roadsters used the Pinto running gear back in the 70's, and with the 'pony stock' cl***es of racing there are plenty of speed parts for the Ford 2.3.
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