Suggestions for creative drivetrain ideas for my 1927 T roadster pickup project!?

I have 3 projects going at same time and I have "the fever". Yall know what I mean. I can't stop. I want to do something different. I'm researching some cool unusual drivetrain options for my T build. I'm pretty traditional so I don't want a CRX motor or anything stupid. Haha. I'm thinking of some of the cool 60's style wierd motor/trans build options. Any ideas? Pics?

 

How about an all aluminum Buick 215? Light engine in a light car.

 

Why not chain drive?

 

Pinto engines are popular.

Why not do a hopped up banger? There is a good aftermarket for them right now.

 

Cool idea. I'll look into it. I even thought about some of the old multi engine builds. Not sure I have the skill to pull it off. But that's what hot rodder friends are for! Then comes money issues. That's where creativity comes in.

 

No offense intended polecat, I'm too old and lost in the world of modern autos. I can't get with modern import culture. But I have thought about classic import banger stuff. JAG, and British stuff.

 

...the Pinto motor's forty years old and ... okay, well, they built them in Germany.

 

Haha, that's right. I meant classic import stuff can be cool. I don't know too much about it. However the modern import stuff makes me spew bile like an angry old man. I call them hamster cars.

 

I love these threads where I can spend others time and money!

Daimler hemi! Very cool
Here's one but there's lots more in the search
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151281

Here's a corvair engine in a t roadster.

 

Pretty dang cool. And different.

 

Does that Corvair powered T have one forward gear and 4 reverse gears?

 

Pinto 1600cc made in England
2000cc OHC made in Germany
2300 OHC made in U.S.A.

 

Reverse grind cams are or were available for Corvair engines some guys also flipped the rear end when using the corvair out front.I think Cotton Werksman ? flipped the rear when he built a front engine corvair powered T that was something like 36 inches tall to the top of the windshield.Had pics of this car on the cover of StreetRodder at a drive up window the window was higher than the car he had to reach way up to take his order!

 

The classicest classic European engines must be the Jaguar XK six and the Alfa Romeo twin-cam four. The Fiat twin-cam is similar in character to the Alfa but, with its iron block it is a bit more utilitarian.

But don't forget the BMW M10 slant four. It first appeared in 1961 in 1499cc form; the '65-on 1990cc is visually pretty much identical. Best looking was the 'ti' with twin Solex PHHs - best swopped for Weber DCOEs. It's a torquey motor, flexible down to idle in stock tune; it'll pull like a train in a light car. And because it's a slant four it's visually asymmetrical, which is some different for you

Staying with German engines there is the Mercedes-Benz M116/117 V8 which, though it first appeared in 1971 it looks a lot like the bigger and rarer M100 V8 of 1965-on. I've always thought it an overlooked engine for transplants, though performance parts aren't exactly abundant. Classic German engines have a look all their own, lots of rounded shapes in aluminium alloy, which polish up nicely, and not a lot of ribbing.

 

The Jag DOHC six is a bit different. They are available in several styles depending on year and many had a gm th400 trans. More torque than a T needs...

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Volvo B16,B18,B20 with the Volvo 4 speed.

 

Put a Lambo in a 27 in the late '70s for a fella. it run out real well and it was real different. but you just don't find them laying around.

You may consider a banger out of an '80s S-10. Lots of hop up parts for them, they got a cross flow head and in a light car it would be a hoot to drive. Pretty easy to build one with multi carbs. Factory stock they had a tri-Y header if you find a late '80s model. That are a push rod motor so they don't look ultra modern.

Just a thought.

 

cummins 4bt or there is a mercruiser boat engine out there that is half of a 454 chevy motor. it is a 4 cylinder but it has 454 pistons.

 

Studebaker 259 v8 and three speed. I've heard they are pretty reliable and not too bad on gas.

 

How about a good old Crosley OHC 4banger. They were used in boats too. Last ones were called Bearcat 55 or something like that.

 

http://www.chrfab.com/

There's some cool stuff here too.

 

http://www.chrfab.com/

There's some cool stuff here too.

 

I'm having a blast looking up all these motors. Still have to consider availability of parts to some degree but I like all the ideas. I still like the crazy multi engine big block inline 60's builds. I've seen a stretched frame with 3 351 Clevelands in a row. Also offset multi V8's and inline 6's. Two Flathead fords in a row. Not at all practical, but cool. You don't see too many of those these days.

 

Here's an Alfa Romeo twin-cam in its natural habitat, from another thread:

 

i plan on starting a bucket this winter i hope.. as its gonna be on a major budget.. im gonna have to use what i have available to me im afraid.. which is a 1974 Buick 455 with a auto.. ( have a bad leg so must be auto anyhow.. not sure what auto trans ) however, if i was going to buy a engine for it i would probably run a dodge slant 6 with with a turbo. check out youtube for some slant 6 engines setup this way.. that engine is a beast.. and bullet proof from what iv been reading.. never have owned one tho.. so just going by what i have been reading. good luck on your build. o yea their is a video fa tbucket with that engine in it with zoomies if you wanna see what it would look like ina bucket, i think it looks cool.

 

Food for thought - I'm pulling together parts to install a 265 ci flathead Chrysler into a '28 roadster pickup. I got the engine out of an Oliver combine that I gave $100 for. Its vintage, different, and has an OK aftermarket - eventual upgrades for me include a McCulloch supercharger, Edgy head and cam, some fuel injectors hidden into a triple set of Holley 94s.

 

If you really like multi engines,look at some pulling tractors for ideas. Many neat looking Jap motors when you remove the emissions BS. I'm putting together a full fendered T RPU with a pushrod Datsun engine rhat will be given an old time appearance. Gutless but hopefully exteme high mileage. Think outside the box.

 

Simca Emi-Sul OHV V8 - basically Ford V8-60 block with OHV heads that were patterned after the ultra rare Ardun V8-60 heads. Stock in a Simca is about 130-140 hp and they look cool as hell. Just not too easy to get one...

Steve

 

If I really wanted to piss off the traditionalists and build something wicked cool and weird at the same time I'd go find an old Datsun rotary with a turbo charger on it.

That'll get you to weird and old but is in no way traditional, (at least not HAMB traditional.) However, on the up side, it would HAUL ASS in a light T roadster. I saw one in some sort of little late 60's Jap car a couple weeks ago and I have to admit, I loved it. It sounded like a chain saw and was about the size of a toaster oven, lol.

If you want to do something totally trad and just a little odd ball at the same time you might consider the old Dodge flathead 6. There were all kinds of speed parts for them back in the day and they look really cool with a finned head and a couple carbs hanging off them.

 

cookiemonster131 almost has it right.

He suggests a Mercruiser that is half of a Chevy 454. What he is thinking of is the 470 Mercruiser that was made by Mercury Marine from about 1976 to 1987.

It has a light weight diecast aluminum block and displaces 224 ci. and prodices from 165 to 190 hp using a cast iron 460 Ford head, Ford pistons and rods.

When modified with a performance aluminum 429/460 head they produce about 225 hp and 250/275 ft/lbs of torque.

With a dressed weight of about 300 lbs., thats about 100 lbs. less than a Model A engine, they make a very good engine for a light weight car.

The bellhousing uses the standard Chevy V8 patern making it easy to use either a WC T-5 or a 200 R4 light weight transmission.

They can be set up to run with either a 2 or 4 barrel Rochester carburator or with fabricated intake they could be set up with many other trick style side draft carbs or fuel injectors.

I am building several of these engines using the 4 barrel Quadrajet that came on the 188/190 hp. Mercruiser.

I intend on installing them in several Model A's and a Volvo 544.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=256713&highlight=mercruiser

Dick