unlikely engine/transmission swaps

[Tooljunkie]

Early 80’s my brother had a 71 corolla with a 302/automatic. 
it was fun. It started to twist a little bit, doors were hard to close. manifolds  were swapped left to right and pointed up and forward. 
pipes went down either side of rad and under control arms. 
 

a few years back a buddy put a jeep 258 drivetrain into his 52  dodge 4 door. Motor trans t-case and rear axle. 2wd with a low range. 
i see its up for sale again. Car was rough though. 

[plymjim]

Well since this is a p-15 site what about this 

diesel in a Plymouth! Saw this at Jalopyrama 

a few years ago.  Real nice job.

[Young Ed]

2 hours ago, greg g said:

Had a friend put an rx4 rotary into a GLC, anyone remember those?

Mazda predecessor to the 323 and now the plain 3. 

[Andydodge]

I'd forgotten about this engine swap......318 Poly in my 1940 Oz Dodge, yep thats me in September 1973, 19 yrs old, bright eyed and bushy tailed.....lol........the top pic is the 1940 oz Dodge Coupe that started my love/hate relationship with mopar........pic was taken around 1970 after I'd pulled it apart as all 16yr olds do.........lol...........andyd 

[Plymouthy Adams]

little Mazda.....Great Little Car....

 

 

 

[RNR1957NYer]

Thought for sure somebody would get to this before now - Cessna radial engine in a '39 Plymouth Pick up.

[Plymouthy Adams]

while not a unusual swap, I just picked up a larger engine with full synchromesh 5 speed with OD for my current project and will be changing out the rear gear from a 4.55 to a 3.7

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 minute ago, RNR1957NYer said:

Thought for sure somebody would get to this before now - Cessna radial engine in a '39 Plymouth Pick up.

that was posted one time before I think if not here, I have seen that picture before.....Radical Radial.

[plymjim]

Does that thing have an altimeter in the gauge cluster?

[Plymouthy Adams]

probably not but an attitude adjustment is probably in order.....

[Adam H P15 D30]

Seen this around at a few local shows.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I've seen flat pack beetle engines so hopped up they stomp BB cars at the track....we know weight has a lot to do with this...but these cars run impressive...I liked going to the local track on bug day...but the new owner has made the adventure a nightmare....not been there since he bought the track.

[Loren]

A guy I knew had a Ford Pickup with a CAT 3208 diesel. He said it was a prototype Ford evaluated before going with International’s 6.9.

While not an engine swap my Dad told a story about an unusual repair made during the war.

A 1940 Ford that didn’t have the expected power was bought by a friend of his cheap in 1946.

Upon engine disassembly a WOODEN PISTON was discovered!

Apparently none were available so the wooden piston was substituted. Probably done on a used car lot.

[Sniper]

Back when I was rebuilding the 413 in my 64 300 at the base hobby shop the guy I shared a workbench with was putting a 460 in a Yugo.  Never did get to see the finished job but he had one heck of a roll cage built and everything mocked up.  I left on deployment and he was gone when I got back.

 

[plymouthcranbrook]

This seems a little tame compared to most of these but a guy I used to know(deceased now) put a small DeSoto Hemi(stock) with a two barrel carb into a 1959 2 door Plymouth.  Converted to a home made three speed floor shift it was amazingly fast for what it was, at least to about 80 mph.  Ran real well as he drove it on a 50 mile round trip commute to work for several years.  He then sold it to another friend and he had destroyed it within a year.  

[rhelm1953]

Back in the mid 70's my brother blew up the in-line 6 in my 55 chevy 2 door post.  I was able to pick up a 318 and cast iron torqueflite for $50 so the chevy received a mopar transplant.  To get  a better final drive ratio I also replaced the differential with one from a 62 caddy.

 

Today I have a 1970 Mercedes with a Ford 4.6 liter V8 and full drive line from a 2000 Crown Vic cop car.  Some guys never learn...

[DakotaFrank]

I will try to find the picture I saw on the Studebaker forum.  Someone put a Studebaker Champion small flathead 6 in a Corvette.   

[milo9rat]

I put a sbc dressed to look like a poly head 318 in my 53 Ply. coupe...

[Los_Control]

I bought a car, I did not do the swap myself. I will say the craftsmanship of the swap was good, many experienced mechanics looked at it and approved of the quality ...just maybe not the car. This was in or about 1984 when I was 22 years old.

Was a 1972 Triumph spitfire, it had a Toyota dual over head cam 1600 cc engine, factory header with  dual side draft 2 barrel carbs, Toyota 5 speed transmission.

The engine was so tall, the car had a 7" pro stock hood scoop to give clearance for the engine. Had a nice hot rod red paint job. Convertible with black interior.

The spitfire has a one piece nose that flips forward, was a looker for sure. This car would cruise at 100 mph and just breathing on the gas pedal. The stereo was loud Whats not to like if you are a 22 year old kid?

 

My very first burn out the first day I bought the car, Walked 7 miles home.

I revved it up dropped the clutch and the car never moved a inch, literally  twisted the axles on the independent rear suspension and broke the ujoints.

Just disintegrated the stock rear end.

I had to replace the stock rear end with another, I drove it very easy after that for over a year, by then I was on my 3rd rear end and traded it off for a cj5 jeep

 

Here is a photo from the internet, I had chrome wheels, hood scoop and a chrome luggage rack on the trunk .... fun memories 

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2020 by Los_Control

[Plymouthy Adams]

you needed the GT6 rear axle, better ratio along with gutz….that was factory with 2.0 inline six, dual carbs and 4 speed....

[Los_Control]

2 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

you needed the GT6 rear axle, better ratio along with gutz….that was factory with 2.0 inline six, dual carbs and 4 speed....

I was young and dumb typical 20 something kid ... I bought a 72 corrolla  I was going to use as a donor rear end for the car, would lose the independent suspension etc.

Same time wife and 2 kids, it was never practical. The jeep was a convertible we all could fit in.

[Sniper]

One final swap, maybe not too unusual.  I used to own an 87 Diplomat I bought from the Travis County sheriff, old detective car.  I swapped out the 318/auto for a warmed up 360 and a 4 speed.  The 318 made it's way into my 65 Cuda, replacing the tired 273 that was in it.

[Plymouthy Adams]

that was as state far from unusual but would give the Diplomat guts....but at the same token...the isolated suspension made that vehicle poor handling and the cops hated to do any speed in them, excellent town crusier.  These cars were never rated for a towing package..and this was the exact reason why....get rid of the isolation mounts and you can get a good handling vehicle...at minimum a panhard rod would help tame the beast.

[Sniper]

having put over 100k miles on that ride myself I would disagree with the poor handling comment.  Poor handling is my 51 Plymouth. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

compared to the 51 they handle like a sports car...compared to a sports car they handle like a bucket of cooked noodles......