There was a thread on this already. Search function. It was advised that a net power loss could be expected. A V8 85 was considered a much better swap.
there was one running around new england for a while. black model A roadster with a hopped up 60. sounded like a swarm of angry bees. I LOVED the sound of it. end of the day it just didn't make enough power and was swapped for it's big brother
Start with Tardell Book...add V8-60 commercial trans or an 85 trans with hole added for 60 starter drive. Build as in book, but mounts will be several inches farther back. Engine will be severely lacking in the low speed torque the A has, but will be happier than the A at 60MPH. Consider...60's are worth money. I think selling and buyin a 221 or 239 would give a much better result.
I had one many years ago. As someone noted above, you need a later transmission because the starter is on the other side of the engine. If you install it in the stock location, you can use the rest of the stock driveline. The stock battery location interferes with the left exhaust pipe, ***uming you run dual exhaust, but that’s pretty minor. You don’t need to do anything to the firewall or floor boards. The 1937-40 fan ***embly will not fit, so you need to find an alternative method; that was really the most difficult thing. And, of course, a stock Model A radiator has only one inlet and outlet, whereas you should have two of each for the V8; mine used Y-shaped collectors but that would probably be considered too crude now. In fact, a builder today would probably find more sophisticated solutions to all of those things, but maybe this will provide a sort of minimum baseline. … Oh, and I thought my V8-60 worked just fine in my Model A, but it was by no means fast or powerful by modern standards. Good luck.
I have a friend in Arkansas whose has one in a Model A coupe with a supercharger on it and its a slick setup for sure, really looks good in the car too
Fan can be handled...you just need any of the Ford gens with fan attach, and 60 is small enough that fitting it in there should be easy. Probably need a '32 fan to get it near the radiator!
My avatar is a 28 coupe I put a V8 60 in, worked ouit great but it had no low end power, my 30 pickup with a warmed over B four banger motor would out run it up to about 60 mph and ran out of its rpm range. I was very unhappy with the car and sold it about six months after I finished it. I would use a full size flathead, I'm building a 30 sport coupe with an 8BA flathead now.
I have been a 60 fan for decades as I let my 60 powered T go before I went to Viet Nam. Now I'm trying again and after talking to many 60 owners, I find that most gear their thrifty A like they had a 239, not a 135. Ford geared the overweight p***enger cars at 13.8 and top gear at 4.44. In the light commercials they went 15.6 to pull away in first and the same 4.44 at the top. That commercial case takes six or seven different ge****ts. Use in a special car with much less weight should be able to get around 12.5 or 13:1 first without bogging down and to keep the revs up, an overdrive and common p***enger car trans gears brings the final ratio to about 3.4 which may be a little tough to push a lot of wind but open wheel cars may be able to do it with a 4.56 rear. An old Ryan overdrive would be even better, coming close to 3.5:1. Other great gearing would be a T5 with close ratios and ending up close to the 12.5 first and 3.5 top gear. That combination is not easy to find. Way more common to find the toy 60 trans with the 3.78 model A rear which is not terrible but only three speeds. Too common is the complaints about torque while judging by poorly engineered cars. The flywheel is another part that influences such an underpowered application. I generally like light flywheels, but for a 60, that 9" clutch and middle weight flywheel from 1940 may be the best play. Don 't get anything for nothing but no reason to waste the limited power with bad judgement. Wanting to see how the "thrifty 60" does on the wimpy alcohol diluted fuel. Good Luck: Fred A
I had really considered using a V8 60 for my Model A Victoria project. I talked with a lot of old timers and did some cost research and decided it was too expensive for the return. I went with a 59ba and am glad I did. Still not running though. Mike
Victoria is far from a lightweight. Built on a wood sill and plenty of wood to hold the thing together, plus fenders, tough job for the little engine. I hope to prove Mr.32 to be overstating his case, however as the engine mounts, steering. and other controls go in to my roadster, change to the larger flathead is being provided for. I even have the 59A engine at the ready. Toughest part to be the rear ratio change. Won't be calling anyone else crazy until I see for myself. Thanks for the support: Fred A
I Run a 40 V860, no fan, Taylor engines rebuilt, Limeworks...just breaking it in, runs like a top. Underpowered? Yeah. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. Article in Streetrodder , August 2009
My lil 60hp will turn the 800x15 tires just fine. I am running a 5speed ****** behind it. I have an electric fan, but it don't seem to overheat with it off. Running 3/8" holes in the head hose outlet. Lee
I'm looking to put a 60 in a car I'm collecting pieces for. 27 roadster on an A frame. Trying to figure out what rear to use. Would a stock A rear axle hold up to the 60? I'm guessing so by the remarks of power differences.
Keeping weight down and smart gearing still seems to be the key to best use of a 60. Ignore those and you won't get full value out of the meager power the 60 provides. Do it right and you can work around it. Good Luck: Fred A
I would hop up the 4 banger or put a 8ab or 8ba in it... My buddy is swaping a 4 banger for a v8-60 in a Model A roadster now for a customer and it really looks like alot of work to go 10mph faster.. -E
I looked into the swap for my Victoria. I came to the conclusion it was going to take a lot of money. The best bag for the buck to me was an 8ba. My second choice would have been to hop up the four banger. Just letting you know what I found. Best of luck on your project. Mike
I have about a thousand bucks in the V8-60 engine and trans with good 85HP style gears. The 4.56:1 Model A rear gears were $20 at the T meet. Look to come in under $3K for the mechanical total. My Cragar overhead engine done to survive ****ed up $12K in a hurry just the engine and trans('39). Expect that either would make for a 70MPH open wheel roadster with the 60 staying together longer and on less fuel. Even more motivated to prove the worth of the little engine. The banger is a history lesson and the other an engineering lesson. Good Luck(to me): Fred A
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