I just picked up a '51 Wayfarer, an' it's got the original straight six w/ a Gyro. I want to drop a 283 an' a 3-speed in it. I've been gettin' a lot of "input" from people who know everything about everything. But I'd like to get some info from guys that build cars, not crap. Any help?
I've built quite a few mopars over the years but they all have had mopars in them, cant tell you how to put a bow tie in one
dude keep the inline 6 or at least put a cool mopar engine in it i got a 50 wayfarer fastback and I've rebuilt the whole motor lots of cool dress up parts for them too also do a search lots of threads on dodges like yours.
going to be doing the same thing in a 50 Coronet Convertible. The flat 6 is cool and all but... The arguements have all been thrashed out on here already and on the P15-D24 site. As much as I believe in same make swaps, the price and availability of an early Hemi is prohibitive to the average guy, SB mopars are costly to rebuild. A slant six is, well, still a 6 and the Poly is another one that's not cheap to redo. All in all, the SBC is a good alternative for a budget build and they go it nicely. Don't listen to all this rack & pinion shit either, the SBC will go in w/o having to cut anything. You do need to offset the motor to the pass side about 1". You also will want to consider swapping out the rear. Do a search... you will come up with some good answers and pics...
no reason in the world it cant/shouldnt be done. as long as its not a 350/350 its no different than what was done in 50's/60's. do you have 283? i am building one with no home. forged pistons/327 rods/steel crank/2 stromberg 97's. was a junior fuel drag motor, now has lowered compression, rumpity rump cam. 292 cid. pm if int
I would repsectfully ask you to reconsider. A chevy with a mopar is an unsaleable car. the chev guys dont want it and no mopar guy would ever buy it except if on a rescue mission. The early hemis might be prohibtive because you cant find one (but hey are almost a bolt in.) Someone said mopar small blocks cost too much to rebuilt. BALDERDASH. A 340 or 318 can be built for peanuts. I have done many in my career. 318s regularily make over 300 hp with a mild cam and a fourbarrel and headers. Even with just a 4 bbl it is a good strong and powerful motor. (More than a 283 BTW) Just so you know it works both ways i was asked to originally do a slant 6 Dodge for a 35 chev (FourAmerica Vintage Stock car now owned by Richie Iverson)and refused as well. I told the original builder a Chevy should have a Chevy and a Dodge a Dodge. Otherwise if this trend continues I am going to build a 67 Camaro with a 440 Dodge just for revenge. To ruin an otherwise rare mopar this way. Well I dont understand how you could. It is your deal for sure and your dime but I wish you would reconsider. Don
The flatty 6's are a great little motor...hard to kill them and you can coax a decent amount of power out of them...my 54 dodge panel has one and I drive it all over. As far as the engine swap goes there are alot of great threads on here regarding that. Just use the search tool...small block mopar would be more first choice just to keep it all mopar but if you already have a 283 then go for it...you will have no problem selling the flathead 6 when you pull it out
have buddy,s of mine that have mopar 6,s 360 mopar v-8 and sbc in early 50,s dodges and plym,s all are happy with thier cars with the drive trains they picked and one with a 318 in a 50 wayfair and one 2 door 52 with a 350 350 sbc when sold both got about the same price so my 2 cents pick what you like and do it then drive the shit out of it
Very, very, BORING!! You can get small block crate MoPar engine as cheap as a SBC. I had a 360/380 crate in my '81 Mirada. Very reliable, great bumpy idle, very quick. fory, You should build the car the way you desire, but I personality don't like the usual. Jack
I got a 1949 wayfarer, and I have a 383 I'm putting in it. I had to cut the firewall and I also have a Dakota front end under it too.
When the 'new' camaro hit the showroms in 66 one of the die hard drag racers at Woodburn Oregon bought a bare bones version then installed a Ford Flathead. Boy did that piss off a bunch of the bow-tie boys...lol ....and then you'll have just another shiverlay powered rod... .
Who is the knot head that came up with the thought that is cost more to rebuild a mopar?? everyone that has never built one thinks the sbc cost less, thats who. put a damn MOPAR in a MOPAR and a CHEVY in a CHEVY!!!
Right on Don! Small block Mopars don't cost any more than chevy's and make lots of power reliably, don't desecrate that car!!! I am going to build a chevelle (you know the red ones with the black stripes that every town has at least 5 of) with a 426 max wedge just for revenge as well - how wrong would that look under the hood!? Oh, and the hood scoop would face the right way as well!! Well, maybe not.
I went through this last week with the guys on here. I bought my wife a 54 plymouth and had a 350 but they convinced me a 318/360 out of a Dodge Van or a 70 model A body would fit a little easier. Look up my thread "Torn between engines for my wifes 54 plymouth ". Several of the guys convinced me that this option would be a easier swap and would keep a mopar in a mopar
It's your freaking car! Do what you want with it! Stick a chevy,ford toyota .....what ever your heart desires engine in it. Just drive it and have fun with it.
Ditto. Here's the link to the thread just in case your too lazy to search: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...en+engines+for+my+wifes+54+plymouth&showall=1 When it comes down to it, your asking for advice, and I'm sure it's not the kind of advice like "Keep it Mopar!" or "Chevy's are boring!" but on what has been done before, what will work. I'm sure you want to get that '51 on the road to terrorize the streets without having to spend more money than you need to and with as little headaches as possible. So, in that sense, if we are to compare the Small Block Mopar with the Small Block Chevy, the Mopar WILL be easier. I've experienced this first hand, and so have many others. With my '50 Dodge, I chose to drop in a 273 V8 (same block as a 318) because it was what I could afford. Lucky for me, it dropped in with no modifying or cutting besides new motor mounts and transmission mount. The '66 Plymouth Valiant that I pulled the motor from had a special driver's side exhaust manifold that cleared the steering box and column perfectly. The motor fits like it was meant to be there. Now, if you are dead set on a Chevy 283 or 350, that's fine, but be prepared for the swap to not go as easily. My friend put a 305 Chevy in his '50 Plymouth and is still trying to figure out what he's going to do for his steering. There's just no room. Yes, this can be remedied with a front fame swap or mustang II setup, but that's really going further than you really need to go. If you want to drive your hot rod sooner, with more money in your pockets, I can only share what I have learned, and that's that. Good luck, on which ever path you choose. Keep us updated on your progress. Vince.
Hey Vince, I've read your build a million times and I love the way it came out. Like you said it's a little easier of a swap with a sbm . I just happen to be a chevy guy and if my chassis wasn't toast I might have used a mopar engine. What ever "fory" decides on would be ok in my book as long as he's happy with his ride and drives the wheels off of it.
My first engine swap in my first car: a 283 SBC and T-10 tranny into a 1950 Plymouth. Same as your car except that you have a bit more room in the engine compartment. I cut out the stock bellhousing/tranny crossmember and fabricated a new tranny crossmember out of pipe and angle iron. Hey, I was 16. I needed to use a circa-1955 driver's side (left) exhaust manifold as this has the outlet at the front, under the generator mount. This way it clears the steering box. You can mount a generator or a GM alternator off that generator mount (just need a spacer on the bottom bolt if it is an alternator). Front motor mounts were fabricated. The frame is wide open and has a good shape in that area, so you will not have a problem here. I don't think that those front saddle motor mounts that mount on the front lower four bolts on the block will work. You need to use the side motor mounts on the engine. I was able to modify the stock clutch linkage very easily. I could have kept the over-center spring, but I tossed it. Hey, I was 16. Yes, that gives your left leg a workout. Initially I fabbed up a driveshaft with a Chevy front and the stock Plymouth rear. That worked even though it was not true (welded it laying on the ground, on some angle iron LOL). Hey, I was 16. That shaft vibrated some but never broke. I ended up replacing the rear with a 67 CAmaro unit. This allowed me to use all Chevy u-joints (the MoPars use those funny trunnion u-joints) and gave me emergency brakes (the MoPar has it on the transmission). Everything else was simple and straightforward. Throttle linkage, for example, fell right into place. You will catch grief for putting a SBC into this car, in fact it looks like you already have, but it is your car so do what you want. What I do know is that this swap will work and work well. My swap turned out mint. It was fast and powerful and economical, and the SBC weighs less than the flathead 6. I drove mine all over the country - finally it rusted away.
AGAIN, there is ABSOLUTELY NO need to mess with stock steering at all. You offset the motor to the pass side(same as you do with a 273/318,etc...) and as you did with the 273 manifold, you use either a front dump rams horn manifold or a manifold like this install in a 50 Plymouth... Also, from what I have heard, the SB Mopar will require slight pass side fenderwell trimming... No trimming required for SBC... My personal reason for running a SBC is that I literally have over 20 of them in my garage, ranging from a 55 265 all the way up to a 2001 LS1... Also, around here, 60's & 70's Mopars are getting scarce. They have been doing a "beautification program" around here too. Anything sitting in a driveway or back yard is towed & scrapped/ considered a derelic or abandoned vehicle and fines are imposed. Not much of anything left around anymore... Just remember this... Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one and some stink more than others but the ONLY one that really counts is YOURS. Take as much advise as you can soak in, then do what you want with your car(UNLESS somebody else is going to pay to build it for you!)
I must say I agree with you. When I did my swap, those cast iron manifolds did not yet exist. Was the ram's horn era. Also, I mounted my motor a little further back. For me, the solution was that 55 Chevy manifold (which I still have!).
I just can't remember what that manifold pictured comes from. I know I have one somewhere in the stash, just have to dig it out.
273/318 for comparison. *NOTE* Nothing is touching the steering column or box in these pics. Plenty of wiggle room.
Since the Mopar guys will flock to this thread with froth foaming from their mouths, I'll ask a question of my own - think a 440/727 will fit in a '48-'54 Chevy/GMC truck? -Dave
The Jalopy Journal
