New to the group

[wilmot andy]

Hi, my name is Andy, and I have a 1949 Dodge Wayfarer. Its a two door sedan fom Neb. I bought 10 years ago. I started taking it apart some years ago, but it got postponed. I also have a 1946 International K2 pickup truck that I started restoring two years ago. All thats left on it is the sheetmetal. Now I live in SE Wisconsin, and winters coming up, paint wont stick, so I'm itching to start the wayfarer mechanicals. Now I know most of you prefer to restore, but I already have a stock flathead 6 truck that is very slow. I don't care for the fluiddrive transmission, or the drum brakes this has. I want to go with the dropped spindles, and disk brake kits I have seen. I saw Wilcap's transmission adaptor, and would like to go that route. I have seen Blueskies and Don Coatneys engines and would love to do the same. The problem is the cost. There is a Fenton head on ebay right now, so far its up to $500. Now the cost of a head, split exhaust and dual carb setup, wilcap adaptor at $550, new tranny and rearend, not to mention the engine rebuild and new tranny, thats alot of money. I don't want to, but I could get a parts car with a running 318 or 360, with a 727 tranny ,swap it and be done (not quite). Any suggestions from either side?

[Plymouthy Adams]

The truck would be the easiest for V8 upgrade due to frame rails etc.....I have a 1941 K1 that somewhere down the road will get either a 318 or a 3.9 Dakota V6..I bought this to encourage my kid to get into the scene as his high school buds in this "country" enviroment have pickups..but he shows zero interest in cars except to go fast and burn fuel...

[Merle Coggins]

Welcome Andy,

From your user name I'll take a stab that you live in Wilmot? If so you're fairly close to Bob (AKA "rearview") There are a few of us here in SE Wisconsin, although you're probably the most southern of the bunch.

If you do want to do the V8 route I have a 360 that I got out of a 1975 truck that a friend of mine was scrapping out. I don't know the condition of the engine, as I never heard it run, but you could have it fairly cheap if you want it. I probably should rig it up in a stand and see if I can light a fire in it to see what I have for sure, but I haven't done that yet.

Merle

[wilmot andy]

Tim, I just had the engine in the IH rebuilt. Very hard to find NOS bearings and parts for that engine, new valves are $24 each. I am looking at keeping that original. Merle, I live on Wilmot road in Pleasant Prairie, Kenosha. 2 miles east of I-94. If I do go with a newer engine, I would prefer the 360. I talked to a guy at a car show here who has a 318, and was swapping to a 440, but I would like to afford the gas to drive it. You don't have a tranny for it still, a 727 or 904? Might be interested. By the way, Jefferson is this weekend.

[Merle Coggins]

Sorry, no trans. If I remember correctly, that truck had a manual trans with transfer case (4WD). I believe my friend kept that part.

I am somewhat familure with Pleasant Prairie. I've done some work at the Power Plant, as well as other various jobsites down around there.

And yes, I know about Jefferson this weekend. Actually I found out about it here, from Norm (Norm's Coupe). I am planning to run out there Saturday morning, possibly with the buddy that I got that engine from.

Merle

[Guest rockabillybassman]

Welcome Andy. Part of the fun, or challenge, of our old flatheads is to get them pumping without spending a fortune. To that end, some examples. A milled stock head will work damn near as good as a fancy finned one (but of course wont look as good!), an intake manifold can be fabricated (look at bloodyknuckles tri carb setup... stunning!), same with a split exhaust, and you dont need a fancy Wilcap adapter (Don Coatney has a full run-down on his self-made adapter somewhere in this forum... do a search). Cost? Your labour and probably less than a quarter of the price of buying readymade stuff.

As a side-bar, I believe some models of Toyota 5 speed (maybe Supra?) are incredibly strong, and best of all the floor-shifter is in the right place for early cars. A lot of the Aussie rodders run them behind flathead V8s because T5s are expensive outside of the US.

[Plymouthy Adams]

A 727 is nice but for the economy truck you sound like you are building the 904 will more than do the job...most of the 1/2 ton pick up turcks with 318 and 2 wheel drive Ramchargers through 93 got the A500 whick is the basic 904 with OD...where as the A518 is based on the 727..727's for the mall block is not nearly that common..the 727's were with the larger big blocks and the slant 6 ....I recommend a TPI engine out of a wrecked truck, A500 OD as this baby will pull and pull hard...I have this set up in my 3/4 ton Dodge van and it pull my huge trailer loaded without difficutly.

[rearview]

Welcome Andy. Just a little west of you out in Twin Lakes. Got a Wayfarer also... just a "newer model"

Milling the stock head will give you a good bump of power, I've got machinery at my disposal and plan on ripping a bunch off mine this winter. More than welcome to tag along and sweep up the chips if you want yours done also.

You can grab a 360 or 318 and 2wd trans from a grand cherokee or dakota, and use the throttle body injection fairly easily.

[wilmot andy]

Thanks for the help. I would still like to go the split exhaust/intake, shaved head, but need to know more about the tranny. I couldn't find Coatney's thread about the adaptor, would like to know how hard it would be. I don't have a milling machine, but plenty of small machine shops in town. The 360 sounds like it might be cheaper for me though. Andy

[Don Coatney]

Thanks for the help. I would still like to go the split exhaust/intake, shaved head, but need to know more about the tranny. I couldn't find Coatney's thread about the adaptor, would like to know how hard it would be. I don't have a milling machine, but plenty of small machine shops in town. The 360 sounds like it might be cheaper for me though. Andy

Andy;

Follow this link for photos on how I installed a T-5 behind my Desoto flathead 6.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v65/DonCoatney/T-5/?start=all

I pulled my how to article that was posted on the HAMB as someone started selling my ideas. While in Concord, NC last week I met a guy selling an adaptor plate, disc, and input shaft adaptor to mount a T-5 behind a flattie as follows. His setup is totally different than what I did.

KVC Products.

Paul (586) 296-2488

Jim (586) 776-9760

Mention my name if you call them.

[wilmot andy]

Thanks alot, Don for the link. Thats just what I was looking for. Now not to sound too ignorant, but what kind of difference is it, I don't think theres alot of getup and go, but are the benefits more in the cruising speed/ lower rpms? Just a little leary about spending lots of time and $ and not being happy with it. Just looking to make it more comfortable driving, cruising.

Tim, I also sent you a PM

Andy

[Don Coatney]

Andy;

Follow the links below for details on how my car runs on the highway. At 70 MPH my engine is spinning about 2200 RPM's.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=5554&highlight=home

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=4012&highlight=tulsa