I recently overhauled an Iron Duke for my son. He is going in another direction with his hot rod. The motor sets in the corner of my shop staring at me every day. So here is my imagination getting me in trouble again. I want to put this Iron Duke in a light small hot rod coupled with a 700r4 for cruising. I could use some insight from anyone who has gone in this direction, hopefully with success. Woody
I had one for my T and then got crazy with a 348. Bought it from a guy that had one in his full fendered 27. He loves how it drives in a light car.
2004r might be a better choice shorter trans and closer gear spacing.P have a friend that has a 1929 full fendered steel ford with 2.3 ford with a c4 and he drives it every where even cross country.
iron duke has the small (60 degree V6 type) bellhousing, right? they make a 700 case that fits it, but I don't know of a 200-4R case that does. Should be just like any other bare bones automatic 2.5 S-10 from the 80s
You are correct.Used on Chevy 60 degree V6's, 4 cylinders and other FWD engines 2.0L (OHV I4), 2.2L (OHV I4), 2.5L (OHV "Iron Duke" I4), 2.8L (60* V6), 3.0L (90* V6), 3.1L & 3100 (60* V6), 3.3L & 3300 (90* V6), 3.4 & 3400 (60* V6), 3500 (60* V6), 3.6L (60* V6), 3800 (90*V6), 3.9L (60* V6), 4.1L V8, 4.5L V8, 4.9L V8
My Iron Duke T modified has what I think is a 200 R4, came with a lockup kit which I never used, seems to work fine without it. It has the newer metric bell housing.
The Iron Duke and its cousin the Mercruiser I/O both had the small block chevy bell housing attachment. Later GM 2.5L 4cyls came with either the 60 degree or the SBC bolt pattern depending on application.
Information on the internet shows iron duke to fit a 60 degree bellhousing,while the chevy 4 cyl used in midgets used a 90 degree bellhousing
The 153 Chevy and the 181 Mercruiser 4 cyl engines have a chevy v-8 bellhousing pattern and are not iron duke engines. Charlie
Also used in North-South cars, too. Probably shoudn't admit it, but I had an '82 Camaro with a 151 and a 4 speed. They (and the Firebirds) also came with the 200r autos, so 200's for the "traditional" orientation is available. I think S-10s had them, too! And Monza-types!
It is the 153" Chevy II motor your thinking of, along with the 181 Mercruiser. The real Iron Duke was the 151" motor used in the Pont. Just because something is on the internet does not make it "true" (2.5L is not a true Iron Duke). Check out 6=8 at Clifford Performace. Earl
Ok my day is good, I learned something. The earlier Chevy II heads had the intake and exhaust on the same side 153 Ci. The Iron Dukes are cross flow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Iron_Duke_engine I had one out of an Astre and let it get away years ago and wish I had another one. Great engine for a light weight rod and with the right rear and od it might be quick around town and able to get a lot of smiles per gallon on the freeway.
RWD Iron Dukes, and even some found in Jeeps, circa '80-'84 have the Chevrolet V8 bell pattern. FWD ones seem to have the smaller, metric pattern. I'd run the 200r4. I believe that they take less horsepower to run than the 700r4. As far as I know, both the 200r4 and the 700r4 can be found with either bell, so it all can be done, so long as it matches up. I think the 200r4 weighs less too.
I had a 151 (not sure if its a iron duke) in my 85 jeep with a 5 speed ,i think it was a early t-5. That think ran like stink on and off road. Only posting this because real hot rods have 3 pedals.And s-10 set-up might bolt right up.
My '88 S-10 has a Iron Duke/5-Speed. About 30mpg and quite a bit of power with a 4.11 rear-end. Their very easy to service, and impossible to destroy. 10x the motor the shitty 2.2 is. We had one in a CJ-Jeep, extreme gas mileage and never any problems. My best friend has one in his S-10, tried to kill it to warrant a 4.3 swap and it never gave up. Held no oil pressure, and hes still driving it. My cousin had one in a '87 S-10 that he drove and gave hell for over a decade, he finnaly traded it for a 4x4 4.3 truck and wishes he still had the Duke.
Are these 2.5 "4 tech" engines that desirable in the hot rod world? I just crushed 4 S-10's that had these engines. 2 were 4 speed T4 trucks, one had a T5, and the other, a 200r4...who knew...I didn't, just thought they were old junk.
There probably one of the few 4-cylinders ever made that adapt well to none commuter duty. Their not ugly, and have no timing belt/chain to randomly fly off. Around here, a S-10 frame/chassis goes for about $200 to a hot rodder or somebody replacing their rusted out POS. Rear ends are worth about $100 and people are always looking for one for some reason or another. The junk man gives $130 for "little trucks".
Of course, the T5 will bring as much as the truck did crushed, but hey, why read the internet and learn what you have before you junk it.
ive been throwing around the idea of a daily tudor sedan with a 2.5 and t-5, i think it would plenty of motor for it
My wife's S 10 has the 2.5/151 "tech" crossflow engine, and a 4 speed automatic. After going through 4 transmission rebuilds, and one engine rebuild I'd never own another one. And this was not driven hard, just day to day commuting most of the time at 35 or 40 miles per hour. That said, if it had a turbo 350 on it, (which it won't fit) I'd probably use the engine for something light weight.
The automatic ones were turds. GM perfected making automatics never shift at the right time or rpm in the 80's it seems. If they had any options, like A/C, they sucked as well.
By the way, last night I just ordered an adapter from Speedway (not to get off topic) to hookup an Iron Duke Pontiac to a Chevy 350 trans. Would think the adapters would work for any SBC bell , but you will be on your own as far as a flex plate goes.
Curious about that Speedway adapter, hugh m. I wonder if it would work for mating a mercruiser 2.5 (sbc bellhousing pattern) to a 700r4 that was behind a 2.5 or 2.8 60 degree pattern motor.
Typo back there on post #9. I knew it was a 153 but my one finger typing didn't. Thanks for catching it OFT.
The original iron duke starting in '61 had the same bell housing as the SBC. I used one in a '34 Ford 2-dr with an Offenhauser adaptor to a '39 Ford trans. Worked fine with a 3:25 or 3:54 banjo.
I want to impart this bit of info about TH200-4R's. The trans guru in San Antonio who built 4 700R4's for our club's rides, including mine, doesn't care for the smaller trans. He would build one for my '40 but said it would cost over twice as much to make it as roadworthy as my current 700R4 and the rest of the transmissions he has built for us. His rebuilts have not failed any of us, and we don't baby our cars. Just for your information. Good luck whichever way you go.
True Iron Duke engines were also used in the small AMC cars like Gremlins and Hornet/Spirit so when crawling around the junk yards lift the hoods and look.
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