Guys I have a few questions for the swap of this 1954 261 truck motor to my 1949 216 coupe. The first set of lines are things I have been told I need to do and the second are ones i have that are still in question. I am trying to make this swap a one day seamless deal with no suprises when the 261 gets back from the machinist so my coupe isn't down long. My machinist told me today that my original 216 3 speed will last about a tank of gas if I drive it rough... thought that was funny and we will see if it is true. This website is priceless to me so far and I learned alot from you guys so far! Thanks to everyone that has helped me so far! IF I AM MISSING SOMETHING !!!PLEASE!!! REPLY!! The head was finished today, it was nice with no cracks The block goes in tomorrow. Thing I have been told I need to do...... 1. Drill front timing cover to accept the cars two puck mounts vs. the truck wode mount. 2. I was first told i needed to shorten the waterpump shaft on the 261 or buy the adapter plate to relocate it. Today I was picking up some parts at Jim Carters Antique Truck Parts (thank god they are right down the road) and the guy told me that the 54 was the olny year 261 that was drop in motor and that i do not need to do this. Can someone conform this? 3. The use of the 54 bellhousing i think was cleared up in an earlier post but I will see when I pull the 49 3 speed. Things I don't know..... 1. I know in later years car and truck oil pan are different usually, will my 261's original oil pan be able to be used or do i need to swap the 216 on it (if it will even fit) 2. Does the 261 weight anything noticably more then the 216? I was going to lower the car this weekend and didn't want to do that if the 261 was going to make the front sag more? 3. I think my 216 generator is much better looking condition. Can I just swap generator pulleys from the wide belt to skinny an use on the 54 skinny belt setup or do i need to swap the 216 harmonic balancer and run the older wide belt? 4. Stupid question but Jim Carters has the original engine paint instock. Would you paint grey like the original 216 to look like a 216 sleeper or be proud of the 261 and paint it the original green? Just curious.
'54 water pump is fine. 49-54 cars should use the stock 49-54 car bellhousing. The '54 truck will not work with the stock car driveline as the trans bolt pattern is different and the fork angle is different. Reuse the 216 flywheel, starter and clutch. Basically keep everything the same behind the engine. This ***umes you are keeping the 3spd and enclosed driveline. If you want, you could use a rearend from a 50-54 car that had a powerglide in it. These would have 3:55 gears instead of the 4:11's your stock '49 would have. the 261 oil pan is fine. Your not working on a Nova... engine weight isn't an issue. You should be able to swap pulleys on the generator. If not, use the 261 gen. It's not a stock restoration, right? so paint it anything you feel like... Are you staying with 6 volts?
I am staying closed driveline as long as I can. I would put the money into the 3.55 if I thought the 3 speed would hold up for a while. I want to keep it a 3 on the tree. May be the smartest thing, I just like driving a tree shift. I am staying 6 volt maybe for the rest of the year and will change it over the winter. Just got the car and want to drive it as much as i can, it is just getting the 261, wide whites and lowered this year.
You need a rolling '54 Powerglide parts car & a '53 - '54 3 speed trans. Everything underneath is worth swapping. If you have the 11" '54 truck flywheel, all you'll break is axle shafts & u-joints.
How does a '53/'54 p***enger trans differ from a '49/'53 ?? I thought they were the same.................in fact, I thought everything underneath was the same.........excepting gear ratios on PG cars........ Ray
The '54 3spd has better bearings in it, so its a little stronger, BUT it mounts differently than the earlier trans, so some fabrication of the trans mount would be needed in order to use it in a '51-earlier car. brake design changed in '51 also. Stock '49 is going to have a 9 1/8" clutch which should be enough for this application.
Im quite happy with my closed drivelined 1950 sporting a 261.... Unless going with a big motor, or slamming the car to the ground, the torque tubes are more then up to the task. Use the original bellhousing, flywheel, pressure plate, clutch and itll all bolt right in. Ive been driving mine that way for about a year, and that cute little 9 1/8 clutch has handled it well. When you change to 12 volts that 6 volt starter will like the extra juice. As for the belts and pullies. I ran a 235 for a bit, and i used the 216 fan. I had read the 216 fan was not built to handle the higher rpms of the 235 (smaller water pump pulley if i remember right), and might fail. Sure enough, i was driving home one night and one of the blades flew off and stuck in the panel just below the battery. I was amazed it didnt hit anything important. I learned my lesson so well i put another 216 fan on it, and it worked good for a few months till i swapped to a 261. At that time i kept the fan/pully stuff from the 261.
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