Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines 250 swap, nede advice and measurements

Hello

I'm new here, but I'm a born and bread car guy. And I love trucks a lot.
I'm a skilled ex-mechanic and a trained Welder.

The other day I was contacted by a guy who is a friend of a friend. Very nice guy, whom just bought a 56 Chevy 6400 firetruck.
He had an issue with the engine (261), that put a rod through the block.

He wants to do an engine swap, but can't find a 261, this side the Atlantic, that is running but without car. I should have mentioned that I'm Danish, and also apologized for any shortcomings in my English and my spelling in general.

He also got an early fifties 235 pressurized car engine in his stash, with a car transmission and pedals from a 1936/37 car. With motor mounts further back on block them the ones in his truck. But luckily both his engines have the same early "under the timing cover" truck mount. That sits over the front crossmember.
We been going over this a couple of times. I think he should stay inline, and he just wants to get it on the road. So if I help him, he don't care what we stuff in it.

I've been looking around and there ain't many 261 engines around. The closest we got was a 250, in Sweden. Or a low miles 235 from a 57 pick up. And I think that the 250 will be better for a non period correct truck, that will se some mills on it

This is a long post, I know, but I try keeping it short.
But what is the commonly used way to get a 250 in to an old truck?
Is motor mounts in tha ball park of right?
Is there an "timing cover" motor mount available? Or can anybody do a drawing of how it needs to look, because then I can have it laser cut at my work.
But I would prefer to have some advise on how to do it if anybody else got any good input?

Is it correct the 235/261 is same length, as a 250? And the 230 is shorter and the 292 is longer?
And can anybody measure on up for me?

What starter, clutch and flywheel do I need for a 250, to match a SM420 with a 55-72 V8 truck bellhousing? 168 teeth flywheel of an V8? Will the 261/SM420 clutch fit the flywheel? Will a v8 starter from any car/truck with a 168 teeth flywheel fit?

Is it a good idea to run a Dual carb intake on a truck?

Nobody got nothing to say?

Not even a welcome or V8 suck?

Hello Brynk, sorry for the delay! The 235/261 engine block is a full 3/4" shorter than the later 194/292 engine blocks. This was measured from the machined front surface of the blocks to the rear bellhousing mounting surface. The one exception is the 292 is taller than the other 194/250 engines, but the lengths are the same between the 194/292 engine family. From my experience, since your located in another country where many of the newer American engines aren't very popular or common, is its often easier to try and replace the old engine with one that is the most similar to it. Because trying to fabricate or make adapters to fit the newer engine is sometimes more costly in the end unless you have a surplus of junkyards to source things such as brackets, etc....

I understand many of the old classic cars still running in Cuba have been converted to Russian marine Diesel engines over the years. Maybe a similar approach would be easier for you.

V8's do suck!

@cncdude
You are semi-correct on the rarity part. But some of the early G-vans was 6s, and they are widely available in Sweden. But they are available, and most people (😱😳) want V8 (shaking head).

And all the novas and Camaros get relived of theirs at some point. There and that many motor-savi people, there is more car guys, that can't build a motor. Average Joes or the typical Danes don't rebuild engines, they swap engines.
So parts to swapping in good motors should be more sell-able the then feeler-gauges and sensitive measuring tools.


Has any of you tried making a front mount for under the timminng chain cover?
Does all the 3gen. I6 have two tabs with two threaded holes per side? Or is this only some 292? And will a mount like an early GMC cradle, fit between the side mounts and go under the timminng cover. So it can go down to the front crossmember of trucks that wants to upgrade to the newer 7 main stovebolts.


I migth have scored a mud-fifties pressurized 235 engine, with a car trans for my 29 hot rod build

@the French town flyer, are you on the HAMB by same name?

And sub note, I work as a welder and fitter, if the things we cut out of an plate for our mashine leaves room for a bracket or things of that nature. We can have it cut for the value of the scrap! So making adapter won't cost much except time. And time I have! :-D

I'm actually doing this to my 55 Bedford A5 6 tons truck. A Perkins 6.354. So now I'm surfing the WWW to find a good transmission to put behind it, I've been looking at NP542. They are avalible with a SAE bellhousing for easier conversions. But I think about cutting a plain plate out for that too.

Brynk,
Check here for some ideas on motor mounts for dropping a 250 in the truck. Most of these are for V-8s but I would think that you could fab up some mounts and mount them to the frame with a biscuit style frame mount.

SpeedwayMotors;
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Shop/Classic-Truck-Engine-Mounts/15.html

There is some idea there, but I'm still in the need for measurement for the brackets. I got them for
The V8, but I have no need for them. At least not this time.


I was thinking something like this

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6z0gb4739wh031o/Billede%2002-08-2016%2014.41.07.jpg?dl=0

But to do that I need one like this, but for a modern six

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ta3uj2fualmotbi/Billede%2005-08-2016%2017.28.19.jpg?dl=0


And is this a 292, or how all 3Gen. Stovebolt sixes look.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tgtm7bg2w4gossg/Billede%2005-08-2016%2017.41.10.jpg?dl=0