On a nice warm summer day when I should be working outside, I am typing away on the computer.
Doing so does allow one to refocus their otherwise addled brain. A certain carburetor sitting atop a Ford FE engine is where I should be directing my focus. Instead, I’m pondering engine swaps.
My ’63 Galaxie has developed a hard (next to impossible) to start problem when the engine is cold. There is spark and there is fuel – that leaves only the carburetor, a device whose internal workings possess a much greater mystery to me than does than the female reproductive system. I suppose I do have more experience with one than the other.
All this jaw-flapping does lead somewhere; it actually leads to this ’62 Galaxie.
This spring, I met our very own Tom Klockau in Hannibal, Missouri, for the annual Loafers Car Show. As I was driving up Route 19 between the little burgs of Perry and New London, I was behind this Galaxie. This car had me curious. Despite driving 70 mph (or so) on this two-lane road, I was not catching up with this Galaxie. Upon arriving at the interchange of Route 19 with US 61, the Galaxie had to wait for oncoming traffic, allowing me a better look. A single romp on the accelerator of the Galaxie indicated something was a bit different.
At the show, a quick peek under the hood explained it all. In place of the 292 or 352 V8 it likely had originally, somebody had worked some magic by installing a Ford 4.6 liter V8 from a late model Ford Crown Victoria. It even still has its four-speed automatic transmission. It’s a twist upon the Ecoboost Edsel.
I’m not ordinarily a fan of re-powering serviceable vehicles, but for all I know it may have been divorced from its engine many moons ago. It is far preferable to see a car repurposed than discarded.
During my futile attempts to diagnose a carburetor, the idea of such a swap is an intriguing thought. Yes, such a swap would require a myriad of other unique challenges but it still intrigues the idealistic part of my brain.
So here’s the question: What engineless car would you like to marry with what power train? There is a substantial penalty for using a Chevrolet 350 as your power source!
Dodge Neon ACR with the Mini Cooper S’s supercharged 1.6… but with Chrysler engine management and no pesky drive-by-wire.
Citroen 2CV + Honda F20C (AP1 S2000 engine) with associated tranny and diff (6MT, Torsen).
1st gen Dodge Caravan AWD with the turbo III and 5-speed from a Spirit R/T. Or use a Chrysler Town. & Country van if you prefer.
the other swap I would like to do is a corvette c5 chassis complete under my 65 corvair!
I’m somewhat of a purist, however in terms of drivability and to have a functional somewhat reliable semi-daily driver, I would probably be inclined to have some modern drivetrain bits underneath what I’d desire as a truly stock or close to original looking machine. Case in point:
I still drool about ‘someday’ wanting Bruneau Enterprises up in Alberta build me a “new old stock” Canadian Pontiac. As ’61 Pontiacs were such a part of my youth, I’d love a ’61 Pontiac. Sedan or wagon, and being American, I’d welcome the difference of the comparable somewhat Canadian Poncho. I’d have to go stick and the SBC or Canadian “Astro-Fire” 283 might be the ticket. As close to original looking as possible, but substituting carb and cast iron manifold for a tuned-port injection system and even go over to 1980s/90s breakerless ignition, electric fan. Or, the ubiquitous LS-1 350, but with ‘painted’ orange Chevy/Canadian Poncho valve covers to get as close as possible to the original.
Disc ABS brakes, slightly stiffer springs and a more modern, variable-ratio steering box.
Since the American Pontiac Catalina/Ventura went down to a 119″ wheelbase, (equal to the ’61 Chevy whose wheelbase was similar, but had the “X” frame as opposed to the U.S. Pontiac full perimeter), The Canadian Pontiacs don’t look quite as “odd” with the narrower Chevy X frame track vis-à-vis American Pontiac juniors as did the Canadian vs. American ’59 and ’60 models.
Just a thought.
A 572 Hemi in a 1950 Studebaker Starlight coupe. I’ve always like those cars and I’m a big fan of the Hemi.
A Coyote in a Fairmont, been done before and becoming a popular swap (or for that matter in any Fox), an LS in a C4 since C4’s can be had for next to nothing, a Cummins 4BT in a Ranger (a friend’s doing that right now), an EFI 302/T5 in a first gen Miata (saw one a couple of weeks ago).
-89 Mitsubishi Sigma with an AWD Evo IX drivetrain
-79 Malibu with a GNX-spec turbo 3.8 Buick***
-Fox Lincoln Continental with the DOHC InTech 4.6
-Jaguar Mark X with the supercharged AJ V8 from an XJR
-Dodge Mirada with a 340 (MoparRocker and I were thinking alike on this one)
-Rover P5B Coupe with BMW N54 TT I6
-Acura Legend Coupe (2nd series) with C32B V6 (Honda NSX engine)
On my list of things to do:
1971 -1974 AMC Javelin (preferably SST model or lower trim spec, no AMXs, don’t want to ruin history) with SBC or LSx & Tremec. I know it would be a lot of fabbing, but once done, it would be G L O R I O U S!
Pursuant to the RWD H body posting that came after this, an HO 3.4L V6 in any of the 1975-1980 H bodies. Use the 185 horsepower HO Ram Air V6 from the 1998-2004 Pontiac Grand Am GT along with the 5 speed from the V6 powered mid 90’s F bodies. Or, a Quad 4 HO. Same power, less cylinders, somewhat lighter weight…
2.0 LSJ turbo (from Cobalt Turbo SS) in a Fiero, or a mid to late 80’s J-body. Pref Olds Firenza. Just because.
Additionally, the same 2.0 LSJ swapped into late model (2004- present) Epsilon I chassis cars, mostly my Pontiac G6.
Chrysler 2.2 turbo in a Yugo GV. In Eastern Europe, it’s not uncommon to see turbo Lancia motors swapped into these. Or, the same motor in a Fiat X-1/9.
A BMW or Atlas straight six in a Ford Falcon/Maverick/US Granada body.
LSx (or now LTx) in a Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ. Come on, you know *someone* is working on it as we speak…
The LS3 drivetrain from a Pontiac Grand Prix GXP or FWD Impala SS into a GM U-van, preferably my Aztek. Kind of an “Aztek from Hell Lite Version”. Although a LS3 equipped Uplander would screw with people’s minds…
LSx into a late 80’s Nissan 300ZX or a mid 90’s 200SX (Silvia).
OK, I’m done for a while. The Belgian beer I’m having is starting to affect my imagination…
Bit late to this party, but has anyone been following Project Binkie? http://www.badobsessionmotorsport.co.uk/test/index.php/projects/binky
A mini with a 2.0 Celica GT4 4WD underpinnings. And done right too, with some serious fabrication skills in making a mini chassis that can handle the power, and still demonstrably be a mini. They’re up to an interesting stage too, with the engine and running gear pretty much nailed down, but plenty of work still to do.