Customs Olds Rocket Engine into a 1950 Ford

Hello

Im looking into putting a 324 engine into my 50 ford.
Has anyone on here completed this swap and if so how did it go and what do I need to watch out for?
I've not purchased an engine yet.

Thanks

Andy


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Geezz, I can't give hands on advice however I owned and drove one in 1967 with an Olds bolted to the stock trans. I also have a 51 Ford project and the 324 and Hydro that will some day get married together. Think I'll pay attention here. Might make my future job go easier. I actually have a Hot Rod small magazine that walks you through it and must have read it a long time ago being I bought it off the shelf. The cover shot is the Olds motor hanging over the motor compartment. Maybe I should go dig it out.
The Wizzard

 

That sounds cool! Be great to see any photos if they're available.


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I'm sort of in the same position you're in and can tell you that you're gonna need a starter switchover housing to move the starter to the right side of the engine to clear the steering box. I've been looking for one for two years and foolishly passed on a couple because I thought they were "too expensive". Prepare to get out your checkbook unless you feel reallly lucky. You're also going to need a dropped tie rod to clear the pan. I do have the adapter to the Ford transmission (which will be the weak link in the drivetrain), plus the pilot bearing adapter and the motor mounts and can tell you those parts were hard to find and expensive. You may get lucky and find a complete setup someone removed years ago. Trying to find everything you need piece by piece is not going to be fun. (I am also looking for a T85/R11 setup so I will have an adequate transmission.)

You might be better served by using a whole different drivetrain, but again, parts availability is going to be a problem.

 

What a classic combo! Stick it out and do what it takes to get it done. Like Pist-n-Broke, I have a magazine or two that cover the swap I'll go on a search mission tomorrow.
I think Tubman is right about the switchover casting, that darned steering box is right where the starter wants to be, but that's hot rodding.
There are a couple of HAMB members who have done and posted some very nice aluminum castings. It sounds like we all need to ask them to make a few switch-over housings. I'm surprised Tony from Ross hasn't re-cast them.

 

My buddy and I did this swap back in 1965. His cherry pie dark green metallic 50 tudor and my very good running '56 olds 245 HP 324. I went in the service before it was done. No info, sorry.

 

We were all into Cads and Oldses in the '49-'50 Fords when in our teens...there were lots of those, ('55-'60 around San Jose, CA.)
Then Ron Heimermann installed a '56 Chevy 265 in his '50 Ford convertible, (he was Mike Donahue's step brother, so we got ringside seats! I even helped him wire it!
All the while, I'm thinking..."Why this little Chevy? He could have Cad or Olds!"
When he got it back from the muffler shop, I found out why. Handled beautifully, so smooth, fast, too. No heating problems, and the next year he and his bud Schwabe replaced it with a 283!
It was 'monumental' for the times...Oh, and NO dropped tie rod, either.

 

Here's some inspiration from an old Popular Hot Rodding until we can find you some hard info..........
The car in the photos was featured in at least one magazine in the mid '60s and was purchased by my neighbor Larry when he got out of the Navy in the late '60s. It was beautiful, fast and sounded fierce. Larry wasn't a hard core car guy, he just loved the car and had the money to buy it. After a week or two of successfully driving it around, he couldn't get it started (imagine that, with 6x2s on it). I guess he was too embarrassed to ask for help 'cause the car sat in his driveway and he drove something else. It sat in his driveway deteriorating until one day it was gone. I wish I knew where it went.

 

Well, found the Mag. It isn't the small Hot Rod it's the small Car Craft and November 1956. Man that makes me feel Old, Oh wait, I am Old! So I got a little laugh reading the article. This was using the stock Ford trans with an adapter from Cyclone and using the stock Ford clutch arm in it. They used the Olds flywheel and drilled it to take the Ford pressure plate. They did not move the starter. Instead chose to off set the motor a full inch and do some grinding on the steering box. They explain it's OK to do that with the Open drive line. Generally I would agree however I would also want to off set the Trans mount the same. The photo clearly shows they did not do that. Hmmm. You are all correct about dropping the center link and it says to go 2 inches and have a qualified welder gusset it. They left the Olds front center mount in place to "support" the motor and then formed some "Heavy Plate" to fit on top of the stock Ford front mounts and bolt to the timing chain housing to "Stabilize" the motor. They also ran the driver side exhaust pipe between the A frame and the frame inside of the coil spring. Hmmm. Bet that worked well. They also had to remove the heater fan motor for valve cover room. It says the Left head interferes with shift linkage in some cases, Hmmm. Are some Olds left heads in a different location? Says they mounted the Ford generator on the Olds motor to stay 6 Volt. So it made for a interesting read to say the least. I think I'll find a way around some of there solutions and do things just a Tad different. I loved the photo of the Exhaust pipe laying on top of the A Frame. I wonder if they were able to re install the Fan blade or chose to just blow that off. Ah Yes, the good old days. The final photo of the install is the top of the motor in the car. I love the Caddy air cleaner mounted on top of the Olds oil bath unit to make the motor look Bigger than it is. Wow, that's all I can say is just Wow!
The Wizzard

 

Thanks for the info guys. Sounds like it needs some thought!


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It looks like one of the biggest issues is clearing the steering box on the left side. Are you building this car in NZ? In which case if you are right hand drive then that won't be an issue.
If you are needing a block and heads for a mockup I have some you can have if you can pick them up.
Russell

 

I built one in 1966. The parts were available from J.C. Whitney. The starter change over and motor mounts. I used a motor and trans out a 55 Old Holiday 88 that my neighbor got drunk and hit a tree with.
He gave me the car if I would cut it up and get rid of the remainders so he could tell his wife his car was stolen. Used the Olds rear and shortened the drive shaft. Whipped a lot of early Mustangs and tri-5 Chevys with that old car. Road salt finally got to the car and the frame broke and I pulled the motor and junked the car.

 

In 1962 the older boy down the street had a 1950 Crestliner, the only one I had ever seen. One day the hood was open and I saw it had a smallblock chevy, the Universal Solution to the Ford Problem. He explained how well it fit with no weird problems

 

Is it possible to change the steering box to something newer and smaller or relocating it ?

 

Thanks Russell. I appreciate the offer. Whereabouts are you based?

Yes the coupe is in Auckland NZ. It is left hand drive but my thoughts were the same as yours after reading the above posts. I'm still working on the body so a conversion is still feasible if I can find a RHD dash.


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I know some people use an old Volvo steering box. I think I'll investigate a right hand drive conversion


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Or you might try one of the mini starters that Ross Racing Engines sell...

 

I am in Pukekohe. Message me if you want the engine.

 

There is a book called "The story of a California Hotrodder. It is one of those large soft bound tomes that tells the story of a few young guys growing up hot rod in Cali, in the
mid to late fifties and beyond. The fellows name is Jay something. In the story he goes into
a pretty detailed account of such an installation of an Olds in a 50 or so coupe. I think his
brother may still race a Henry J. I dont have my copy handy, but could probably find it
buried in my "stuff." I know the fellow did other writings and think he may have passed on.

 

I don't know if it helps or not but i just bought a copy of HOP UP June of '63 in it is an article on swaping a '57 Olds rocket into a '54 Merc.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hop-Up-Mag...565590?hash=item4b30e07cd6:g:gJsAAOSwn~ZZa91n

 

Stand by. Rocket motor with Stromberg 6 pack going in to 33 Ford Roadster.

 

I'll be watching this thread. My friend has a 50 Ford and just acquired a 1950 303 olds with a manual trans he saved from the scrapper.

 

Yes, I believe the title of the book is "California Hot Rodder" and it was written by the HAMB's own Jay Carnine (C9), who passed away in 2009. You are correct, in the book he does describe this exact swap. There are no pictures or anything but he does give a pretty good description.

 

Is there anyway you could scan and post this article. I can't find tis book. Thank you!

 

@51 mercules I just did a quick search on Fleabay and found 8 copies of it!
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...dder.TRS0&_nkw=California+hot+rodder&_sacat=0

 

Cool!Thanks! I don't know what I did.Missed it! Thanks again.

 

Are you sure it's Car Craft November 1956? Thanks.

 

I was a senior in high school built a 53 303 bored to 324 put on a j2 manifold used the 4speed hydro put into a 50 2dr sedan I used hurst engine mounts shaped the starter with an adapter to the right side. Wish I had that car back . That was in 1966, 1967

 

Sorry about the bad info and thanks for catching it. It's actually February 1956. Here is a shot of the cover and the Car they installed the Olds motor in.
The Wizzard

 

Love those old cover shots. They always had everything already bolted on the engine, clean clothes and no fender covers or anything.
Kiwiandy, how's it coming? Did you get a mock-up engine in there yet?