I've been searching for a low mile 4 cylinder engine for my "gonna'' be driven '34 pickup. All the rice burners are hi mile but I found a wrecked years ago '88 190e M-B with low miles for CHEEP. It's 140 cubes,16 valves and without the fuel injection looks pretty traditional.Any know anything about these engines? I want power and mileage and can't afford to builder my banger.........opinions requested
Save your money for the banger... There is nothing cool about modern 4cyl motors. Nothing cool at all.
How about an Iron Duke or one of those 80's vintage GM Twin Cam's (forgot what they call 'em)..you know, the ones with the head gasket problems? They make north/south bellhousings to make 'em fit RWD and T-5 transmissions..and without the funky factory covers they look like an OFFY. Pretty cool!
I found a guy who had a "built" 350 chevy, from carb to oil pan,rebuilt never been fired, was getting divorced, has a lot of really good parts probally 350 hp, got the whole deal for $700.00. Deals come around like that all the time,just keep lookin'. Im sure there is a cheap ford V8 out there somewhere. Dont settle for just anything.
Sounds like a 2.3l 16valve motor that used the Cosworth designed head.Don't know how it would run with carburetors and you'd probably have to get all the wiring harnesses and engine management boxes to go along with it.A pretty spirited engine but parts are expensive.
The easiest way to do an engine swap is to use the entire drivetrain and anything else that will work from the donor car. The M B is a quality machine and would be a way to get the '34 on the road really cheap. I once put a blue oval Ford emblem on a '78 L20B Datsun motor that was installed in a '27T full fendered roadster.(I wanted to mess with the minds of the great unwashed masses.) That motor looked like an old time Fronty conversion, but a cammer don't you know. It made Rod Action mag. The whole car cost about $3500 in '91. The coolest people I know do things that everybody else don't do; use their own resources, and their own heads. pigpen "Come see a fat old man sometime!" (John Wayne)
That there "cheap" Marsaydees motor might well cost you as much if not more than a decent early Ford banger by the time you've got it actually running down the road. For power and mileage howsabout a way mild SBC with a 5 speed trans? Way more oomph out of even the mildest V8 than the hairiest rice burner engine and with a good tall overdrive top gear the mileage won't be bad at all---maybe 20-25mph with luck. SBCs may be an "unimaginative" choice but they are seriously "Pep Boys" friendly, cheap to build, cheap to maintain, and in mildly built form fairly bulletproof. If you're really gonna drive this thing a lot then you'd be wise not to go as far off the the rodding "reservation" as an import 4-banger would be.
[ QUOTE ] I've been searching for a low mile 4 cylinder engine for my "gonna'' be driven '34 pickup. All the rice burners are hi mile but I found a wrecked years ago '88 190e M-B with low miles for CHEEP. It's 140 cubes,16 valves and without the fuel injection looks pretty traditional.Any know anything about these engines? I want power and mileage and can't afford to builder my banger.........opinions requested [/ QUOTE ] Hagar the 2.3 Ford 4 cylinder is an excellent way to go for a hot rod. They virtually dominate "mini-stock" oval track racing for a reason. They breathe well and their bottom ends hold uop well in stock form. Check out Racer Walsh in Jax Fla or Esslinger Engineering in Cali if you want to see some hop up parts for them. Want to look trad?, bolt on a four barrel intake with a dual Stromberg adapter like the one from Vintage Speed or make your own. This would be very cool and easily possible for small money. BTW the ignition systems are good in stock form and can be easily wired to "stand alone" in an early vehicle. Don't forget these hook up to the Borg-Warner T5 trans which will give you overdrive and decent shift performance. In fact I have the bellhousing and clutch fork for this swap that I'll send you free if you pay freight. How's that?!
Traditional is nice, but lately I've been thinking we sould start our own traditions. I mean hell, if some in the 40's or 50's could get a good running engine for what, a days wages, they would throw it in their ride too. I do agree though that unless your confident making your own intake, and possibly heavily modifing the ignition system, maybe go with something a little more simple. then again there's a guy up here who has a free LANCIA sitting in his yard, and he's been eyeballin it for a cheapie modified....
I really don't want a V-8. I've had a pinto engine but they always look like a pinto engine with that cheesey valvecover and timing belt cover. It's hard to find one without a LOT of miles. I've got a 153 and a 181 mercruiser,but I've done it before so it's like putting a bellybutton in it.The banger guys all admit it takes a lot of bucks to build and it has reliability issues.The whole M-B can be bought for 100 dollars and I think I can traditionalize it's appearance cheap.A fabbed intake,a TBI and dist from a 2.5 GM will make the engine look naked. That funky German design makes it look old and it has a neat cast header that needs no apology.The truck will get 100+ plus miles a day with several drivers using it. I just think bellybuttons are too common.
What about a 1600 cc Pinto motor(1971 era)?Overhead valve and plenty of power for their size.Used them in the 78-80 Ford Fiestas also and they had plenty of scat.Don't know much about aftermarket stuff but I bet a Pinto forum could tell you.
Use a GM Quad 4.....the best years are 89-94...the W-41 package was the best.....Berrettas,Grand-Am's And Olds Calais.......Check your local wrecker.......the W-41 package was an underated 200 hp.......cheap,cheap .......cheap. In the big fat Q-ship(Grand-Am)(2800lbs.)......they were turning 14 sec. times at the quarter......Whatever floats your boat. .....There still only half an engine.
A hundred bucks is like getting it free. Will you be able to use the trans and rear end? I think the gauges and interior parts are really nice also; seats maybe? Good luck. pigpen Navel, navel, oh navel.... (Playing with navel again.)
Greaserzombie. In the Feb. '52 issue of Hop Up mag. pg. 21, you will find a '27 T roadster on a '32 frame, with a Ranger six cylinder, 250 hp aircraft engine. It's got to be the coolest and most original setup I've ever seen. I can't post pic's yet but maybe you can find a copy or someone else will post it. pigpen "Viva la difference."
I say go for it. I love the unique or unusual approach. And the cheap or almost free is the best part. That little M-B is a screamer and if it isn't fast enough you can get a euro head for it that will pump it some more. I'm not sure how to approach the engine management systems but with your experience I am sure you'll figure it out. Has anyone ever used one of those 4 cyl. marine blocks that are half of a 460? Also I was eyeballing the 6 cyl. in and old rear drive toyota Crown wagon in the junkyard last week. What a cool looking engine. And rear drive too with a stick shift.
[ QUOTE ] I really don't want a V-8. I've had a pinto engine but they always look like a pinto engine with that cheesey valvecover and timing belt cover. [/ QUOTE ] Yeah you're right, a 2.3 does'nt look all that "exotic" they just run great once they get uncorked. BTW I would'nt run the plastic timing belt cover at all, why cover up those neatly "drilled" timing gears? Also the 2.3 and the later 2.5 is not merely a Pinto motor, they were used in Mustangs(200hp in `85-`86 SVO turbo version), T-Bird Turbo Coupes, Merkurs, Rangers, and Mazda trucks etc. Offy still makes a finned aluminum valve cover for em I believe for the custom look. Finally the biggest argument I've heard from the small block chevy crowd is that they can pull into any parts store and get a waterpump for their rod after they dump the Flatty and convert to the standard issue boring SBC.(that's one I'll never get, you never hear Ferrari,Porsche, or Alfa Romeo afcionados screaming about parts availability from the corner store when you hear them tout about their SPECIALTY cars, why should so many early Fords be equipped with a run of the mill SBC?) The context of my post with those points in mind is that with a modern Ford "Banger" at least it's a real "Fordbanger" AND you can get a waterpump or starter for em everywhere.
i've got an '89 190e that's pretty peppy for a little 4. ebay parts are plentiful and cheap but i don't think it would make the same power with carbs. i want to build some sort of rod with a mb 450 se v-8 in it. the old ohc inline six from the old 250 series cars would look pretty neat in a rod imho. they came carbed and have a bunch of alloy and aluminum parts that could be shined up. i've got one with a bad rod bearing (got the whole car actually)sitting by the barn "just in case" i ever get a chance to build something around it.
DO IT! You said you don't want a V8. You like 4 cylinder engines. You want economy. You can get the whole thing for $100. You can do what it takes to get what you want. Who cares what anyone else likes, do what works for you. (Sure works for me!) From the earliest days, hotrodders have built 4-bangers for economy, for road racing, for dirt track, for drag, and for Bonneville. Model T, Model A, Model B, were all hopped up - not necessarily because they were great engines, but because they were cheap, available and easy to find. And that's only Ford. Over the years people have worked up Chevy Nova 4s, Willys F-head, Crosley, and more. Innovation is the soul of hot rodding - especially traditional hot rodding - and that's what we are here for. Go ahead and build that M-B Trad Truck - and post some pics! Dave
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