V8 conversion for my 47 P15 sedan

[knuckleharley]

2 minutes ago, John-T-53 said:

The iron duke's still power the USPS delivery vehicles. There are thousands still roaming the streets daily. When the USPS replaces these vehicles with the next generation, there might be a surplus of used and abused 'dukes available, if you're into that sort of thing....

They are inlines,and produce a decent amount of power and torque for everyday driving,and much,much more if you "step on them" a little.

Which makes me a fan.  They are ideal engines to swap into stuff like 20's cars. I once had a 27 Ford coupe with OHC Pinto/Mustang 4 and aod trans in it. Would probably still have it if it hadn't been for multiple hospital and doctors bills.

[MackTheFinger]

1 hour ago, John-T-53 said:

The iron duke's still power the USPS delivery vehicles. There are thousands still roaming the streets daily. When the USPS replaces these vehicles with the next generation, there might be a surplus of used and abused 'dukes available, if you're into that sort of thing....

I didn't know they were in the USPS vehicles. I'm not looking for an iron duke but have had a couple in the past. Good dependable motors.

[Niel Hoback]

I had one in a 87 Olds cutlass ciera.  A real dog. But twice I got 40 mpg!

[MackTheFinger]

10 hours ago, Niel Hoback said:

I had one in a 87 Olds cutlass ciera.  A real dog. But twice I got 40 mpg!

They pulled about as good as a 40hp VW. I remember driving over Mount Eagle in Tennessee in an 84 Buick Century wagon. The 2.5 really made you look forward to hopefully getting to the top and dread having to do it again on the return trip. Still overall a good motor. Wouldn't be a bad choice for a T-bucket.

Edited November 29, 2017 by MackTheFinger
content

[Plymouthy Adams]

Mount Eagle. one side is a pull the other side is a DULL  

 

[55 Fargo]

6 hours ago, MackTheFinger said:

They pulled about as good as a 40hp VW. I remember driving over Mount Eagle in Tennessee in an 84 Buick Century wagon. The 2.5 really made you look forward to hopefully getting to the top and dread having to do it again on the return trip. Still overall a good motor. Wouldn't be a bad choice for a T-bucket.

Yah gutless and no torque.

Might not be bad in a light hotrod.

Some guys on tbe HAMB use these as well as the Mercruiser engines.

If i had to choose between an Iron duke or a 250 inline chevy or even a 230 or the earlier 235 and 261. Well you know the answer. 

I owned a 64 Chevy truck with a 292 that engine i had a lot of respect for. 

Why not leave the Chevy engines with the Bowtie Boys.....

Edited November 29, 2017 by 55 Fargo Spitfire

[John-T-53]

The iron duke is a Pontiac engine.

[55 Fargo]

Pontiac, Chevrolet, or Plymouth, Dodge or Tomato ,Tahmotto.

I get that, as was the 261, a GMC and Canadian Pontiac engine.

Last time I checked Pontiac was owned and Produced by General Motors aka Chevrolet Pontiac Buick Oldsmobile Cadillac GMC....

John this engine at 90 hp and 128 ftlbs of torque in a much higher RPM.band than even a 201 or 218 Chrysler flathead  is not a great candidate for these cars.

They have been used and souped up in light hotrods over on the HAMB.

But we are talking small and light.

The USPS delivery vans are what, running around city and town streets, stop and go.

At least it is a better engine than a 2.3 litre Vega or Astre engine. I know as i owned 2 of these many moons ago...

Edited November 29, 2017 by 55 Fargo Spitfire

[MackTheFinger]

2 hours ago, 55 Fargo Spitfire said:

Yah gutless and no torque.

Might not be bad in a light hotrod.

Some guys on tbe HAMB use these as well as the Mercruiser engines.

If i had to choose between an Iron duke or a 250 inline chevy or even a 230 or the earlier 235 and 261. Well you know the answer. 

I owned a 64 Chevy truck with a 292 that engine i had a lot of respect for. 

Why not leave the Chevy engines with the Bowtie Boys.....

Somewhere in the mid-'80s I bought a beat up '80 Buick Skylark with an Iron Duke. Had a new set of tires on it, a good interior, and ran okay. A buddy of mine had towed it in and the owner didn't want it back. I paid the $50.00 tow bill for the whole car, put a free hood and front end stuff on it from another friend with a junkyard, painted the whole car and my wife drove it for four or five years. Eventually sold it for $750. I wouldn't have tried to pass anyone in it but it was a dependable car and got right around 30 mpg. Heck, I drove 1200cc VWs and VW transporters, I know what the slow lane's for!! The need for speed is best fulfilled on a motorcycle, everything else is Sominex!!!! 

[55 Fargo]

52 minutes ago, MackTheFinger said:

Somewhere in the mid-'80s I bought a beat up '80 Buick Skylark with an Iron Duke. Had a new set of tires on it, a good interior, and ran okay. A buddy of mine had towed it in and the owner didn't want it back. I paid the $50.00 tow bill for the whole car, put a free hood and front end stuff on it from another friend with a junkyard, painted the whole car and my wife drove it for four or five years. Eventually sold it for $750. I wouldn't have tried to pass anyone in it but it was a dependable car and got right around 30 mpg. Heck, I drove 1200cc VWs and VW transporters, I know what the slow lane's for!! The need for speed is best fulfilled on a motorcycle, everything else is Sominex!!!! 

My 2015 Hemi Powered Ram is relatively fast but with its weight that takes 395 hp.....lol

The Iron Duke IMHO is not the best donar for say a P15 or a D24.

The engine at 90 hp at 4000 rpm and 128 ft lbs of torque at 2600 rpm would be a dog in a 3200 lb car.

The 1980 Skylark has a curb weight of 2500 so quite light. Combine this with a turbo 350 and 3.34 diff with short tires and they were still slowpokes....

Edited November 29, 2017 by 55 Fargo Spitfire

[Tom]

On November 14, 2017 at 12:29 PM, Don Coatney said:

Mark;

Hard to believe it has been 10 years but I recall heading home from the POC meet in the Carolina's on I-40 heading west. I spotted your 49 coupe on a trailer several miles ahead of me while I was driving my P-15. I was cruising at around 70 MPH as you were.  So I took my foot off the gas and man alive I shoved her on down into overdrive. I over took you a few miles later running well over 80 MPH but don't you know by then I was low on gas.

The choice of an engine swap is yours to make. But the warmed up Desoto flat-head 255CI engine I installed in my P-15 was very dependable at speed and had ample HP to run some extras. My T-5 swap was well worth doing. But if I were to do it again I would most likely go V-8 or V-6 with an automatic transmission.

Geez even Crabby Adams was there as well as many other forum members.

 

 

 

[Tom]

Smoke started pourin' out of the back when l started to gain on that Cadillac

[MackTheFinger]

15 hours ago, 55 Fargo Spitfire said:

My 2015 Hemi Powered Ram is relatively fast but with its weight that takes 395 hp.....lol

The Iron Duke IMHO is not the best donar for say a P15 or a D24.

The engine at 90 hp at 4000 rpm and 128 ft lbs of torque at 2600 rpm would be a dog in a 3200 lb car.

The 1980 Skylark has a curb weight of 2500 so quite light. Combine this with a turbo 350 and 3.34 diff with short tires and they were still slowpokes....

I didn't recommend the Iron Duke for a P15 or D24, merely commenting on the engine and my experience with it. I owned a couple of them and am well aware of their shortcomings and their strong points. Mr. Aubuchon was asking for V8 options and thread drift took over leading to discussions of V6's and 4-cylinders. 

So to get back on track, if I wanted to stay all Mopar I'd use a 318. If brand loyalty wasn't an issue I'd use a GM 5.3 or a 5.0 Ford. All fine motors and readily available. Ya know, now that I think about it I remember way back in the early '70s I helped a guy put a Pontiac 389 in a '55 Dodge pickup and that worked out pretty well... 

[MackTheFinger]

28 minutes ago, Tom said:

Smoke started pourin' out of the back when l started to gain on that Cadillac

Cadillac sittin' like a ton of lead, 110, a half a mile ahead..

[55 Fargo]

43 minutes ago, MackTheFinger said:

I didn't recommend the Iron Duke for a P15 or D24, merely commenting on the engine and my experience with it. I owned a couple of them and am well aware of their shortcomings and their strong points. Mr. Aubuchon was asking for V8 options and thread drift took over leading to discussions of V6's and 4-cylinders. 

So to get back on track, if I wanted to stay all Mopar I'd use a 318. If brand loyalty wasn't an issue I'd use a GM 5.3 or a 5.0 Ford. All fine motors and readily available. Ya know, now that I think about it I remember way back in the early '70s I helped a guy put a Pontiac 389 in a '55 Dodge pickup and that worked out pretty well... 

No did not think you were Mack.

Just was adding comments based on tbe vehicle you mentioned in your post.

Its all good and at the day of someone dropped in a ????whatever thats really their business.

The Chrysler flathead 6 in healthy form and correct gearing is certainly up to the task for most modern roadways...

Edited November 30, 2017 by 55 Fargo Spitfire

[59bisquik]

41 minutes ago, MackTheFinger said:

Mr. Aubuchon was asking for V8 options and thread drift took over leading to discussions of V6's and 4-cylinders. 

So to get back on track, if I wanted to stay all Mopar I'd use a 318. If brand loyalty wasn't an issue I'd use a GM 5.3 or a 5.0 Ford. All fine motors and readily available. Ya know, now that I think about it I remember way back in the early '70s I helped a guy put a Pontiac 389 in a '55 Dodge pickup and that worked out pretty well... 

That was my original thought that might have gotten lost in the rest of the posts. First choice would be a vintage Hemi of the Chrysler, Dodge or Desoto type. Seems the Chrysler 331, 354 etc is the easiest to get parts for. I am somewhat partial to the 315/325 Dodge version and it will look retro cool under the hood! Second choice would be a 318-360 Dodge with some old school finned accessories.