Hi to all. A friend here in São Paulo Brazil is trying to sell me a ALF chain drive chassis with a huge Hudson Invader 168 engine. The engine is not linked to the ALF transmission yet. Question: is it a viable project? Are Parts for this engine available? Is this marine engine suitable to road use? Thanks Gui. Enviado do meu iPhone usando H.A.M.B.
Can't help but I would suggest you ask the Mods to move this into the Traditional section. I think it would be ok. You'll get to the Hudson guys there that should be able to help out.
That is quite the exotic potential project. From what I could find online, those engines are actually Hall Scott engines that Hudson built under license. Parts for those engines are expensive and the marine version is a bit more complicated when it comes to the pumps for the cooling systems.
I think this can be accomplished but the adaptation to a conventional transmission will require some thought and engineering. The Invader used a typical marine drive with either direct or reduction gearing and a reverse. The oil pan is one long unit and it serves both the engine and drive unit. The pan could be modified and the drive removed but there is one more oddity with the Invader, the flywheel and starter are at the front of the engine, at least on the one I’ve seen. I see what looks like a water pump at the front of the engine but cannot tell if it has the flywheel housing or not. A Hall-Scott Invader was cooled by the water (whether fresh or salt) the boat was in while the Hudson licensed engines were fresh water cooled in a closed system so that is a plus in this case. With marine engines coming in both RH and LH rotation a LH Invader would become RH if turned around to use a front mounted flywheel but the pan would still need to be modified and the drive removed. Drilling the flywheel for a clutch will be necessary as is fabricating a bell housing and oh, the crank is probably not drilled for a pilot bushing either. As the old saying goes- If it was easy everyone would be doing it. If anyone can it will be @Drmalacarne, his ingenuity and resourcefulness has shown that already.
Yes, I am positive that Gui has the true mechanical magic and skill in his shop. I would like to know the back story on the American Le France truck frame, I am assuming the Hudson Invader marine engine was not the original engine in that fire truck. Still its amazing how the Hudson radiator grille shell seems to fit the frame nicely, it's clear that there isn't a drive train to power the chain drive, also the exhaust stacks look to be homemade and not applicable to a fire truck. It does look very cool, but as to the ability to truly be road worthy, I shall just wait to see, as the magic unfolds!
Correct, the engine was not originally installed in the truck frame. It is from a marine application, the casting with the steel cover at the rear of the block is the drive unit. I believe that worked like an in and out box on a sprint car. The shaft sticking out of the housing at the lower left is where the lever bolts on for selecting forward/neutral/reverse.
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