Hey I been looking for a motor to replac my seized Bedford straight six. Now I found a 250 chevy out of a 85 G20. How long is a 250, from frontpully and back with and with out bellhousing for a 4speed manual. How much torque stock? What do I do to make it look mid-50 , and not awful-80s!? These motors aint that popular over here, is there anything to look out for? Can anyone send me a link to info on bolt patterns for the gearbox side of bellhousing. How big is the normal clutch for a 250 from a light truck?
Volvobrynk, I did my apprenticeship as a mechanic on Bedfords, so can offer some assistance. You don't say what model Bedord it is. I assume that you have a smaller J1 . As it happens these truck when sold in Australia changed over from the 214 to the 250 Chev in the early '70's. They were much more responsive than the old 214 which was not very powerful but usually quite dependable. From memory the 250 Chev bolt pattern on the block is different to the 214. In fact it is the same as the Chev V8. This meant a new bellhousing if I recall correctly the bolt pattern for the gearbox was the same as the gearbox did not change during this model upgrade. I doubt if the bellhousing on your Chev engine will mate up to the Beford box. You should also note that the bellhousing on the Beford also incorporates the rear engine mount so you need the correct bellhousing for the 250 to bolt in. I don't believe that the Chev engined Bedfords were sold in the the UK/Europe so the bellhousings might be a bit thin on the ground over your way.
Hey It's a '55 A5 army truck, there is a built thread on here. I started on in a year ago, but stopped when the weather got to cold. I plan on using a Chevy V8 Bellhousing from a 283 that ran a 4speed, possible saginaw, so i need to do some messurments forehand. Haven't made the deal on that 250 yet. But made one on the bellhousing, but haven't picked it up yet. Most likely, will I need to make an adaptor for the rear mounts. And some of the shitty looking stuff has to go for the look. HEI, vacuum stuff and EGR has to go! Does Valve covers fit from the early stuff?
You do not state the year or model but typical HP and torque numbers would be around 120HP and 200 ft pounds of torque. The 250 was used from 1963 to 1979 (passenger cars) and 1984 (light trucks). 1975 and up models had the cylinder head and intake manifold cast in 1 piece. Passenger cars usually had a 1 barrel carb, truck versions came with a 2 barrel. The earlier head will interchange. They do have an old fashioned look, especially if you clean off the smog equipment and use an old style air filter. The older valve cover (sixties and early seventies) has a different oil fill and crankcase ventilation and looks a little different from the 80s version. The valve covers will not interchange with pre 1963 engines. HEI electronic ignition was used from around 1971. You could drop in an older points distributor for an older appearance but the HEI is way better ignition. They were an excellent workhorse engine. They gave reliable service in cars and light trucks for many years and hundreds of thousands of miles.
Its a 1985 chevy G20 Van. Thats all the add says. http://www.veteranposten.dk/visAnn.asp?Id=110119 Add says: 4.1 L 250 cui straight 6, Year 85 with exhaust and mounts. From a 85 G 20 Van, removed for a V8 upgrade, could be used in a Hot rod. I contacted him by mail this afternoon, waiting for reply.
As they were only made until 1984, that must be one of the last ones. It will have all the ugly crap on it. I see it has the HEI ignition and a carburetor. If it is in decent shape it should do the job for you. At least the wiring will be simple (no EFI or engine management). Ignition distributor and alternator are both self contained. Have you considered a Volvo or other European engine?
The problem with Denmark not build cars and being fare from the US of A, is that when cars finaly makes it to us, it's titled as a 1985, despite it's build in 1984. I have some trouble with danish laws, when swapping engines, I'm only allowed to get 20% more horsepower. So if I install a motor that looks close to the stock engine, I get no trouble with the MOT. The Chevy is so close to the 214 that came in the truck, so that it will slip by. The most avalible engines looks to fare from the 214, and is easy to spot as wrong. And no MOT guy would know the difference, 214 to 250, because the truck is so rare these days, he is most likely to se one for the first time. The best alternativ is a Perkins P6 diesel engine, but harder to find. I got a newer perkins 6.354, but that is to big to pass as a P6.
The same 250 engine was rated as low as 105HP and as high as 155HP. You could show documentation for the 105HP model if it would help. What made the HP difference: 1) the change from gross to net HP ratings in the early 70s. 2)Smog engines had lower HP than previously. 3) As time went on, they figured out how to get more HP and still comply with smog laws. There were 1 barrel carb and 2 barrel carb versions, as well as fuel injection. I see the engine in your pictures has dual exhaust manifolds which will give a little more HP.
You might find, or make, a valve cover that will slip over the one on the engine, and give a more vintage look.
the older pre smog crap head will bolt right on that motor i did on my buddies 81 pickup gives it a cleaner more vintage look plus you get rid of the integral intake (edit i guess rusty already stated that.....now i feel like an idiot)
Now I am wondering if a conniving wisenheimer could cut up a Bedford valve cover and lengthen it to fit over a Chev valve cover.
volvobrynk, I find it unusual that you have an A5 Bedford that only has a 214 ci engine in it. (Was this something the Danish military requested specifically?) As they are a heavier duty truck with 20" wheels my understanding is that they were ordinarily fitted with the larger 300 c.i. petrol engine. I would think that this give you some options when it comes to the transport authorities and your proposed modifications. See the link below. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bedford_A-type_Tipper_truck_4927cc_June_1955.JPG The A model evolved into the J models with similar numbering. In the 70's the J5 was fitted with the 292 Chev 6 cylinder engine here in Australia. A very torquey engine and a candidate for your truck also.
I'm still a little confused. Bedford trucks were made in England which is only a short boat ride from Denmark. So I don't see why you want to use an American engine. Can you not get repair parts, or even an engine from England? I know they are crazy about vintage cars and trucks. I bet someone has a hoard of Bedford parts and engines.
Hey The Danish Army being on the cheap side with all they buy, they found the cheapst truck avalible. A 3t truck with 5t loading capacity and a 82hp engine, must have been cheap buying in bulk. And a slow dog too. http://www.armyvehicles.dk/bda5.htm They where avalible of the book but normal people would go for the Perkins p6. The reason I'm trying to find a chevy, is 1) the Bedford motors is scares around here 2) there is one guy selling parts for them, and sets his own price on everything (too High). The only way to find those engines is to buy a whole truck. No need for a complet truck hanging around by my shop. This the only chevy straight six I've seen for sale in a long time. Most people over here goes for the 350/350 combo, I've know of a guy scrapping a perfectly good souped-up 283 for a 350, people dont know a gem when they see it. My body saved it, lucky F@cker! I would love having a High vinding Sbc in one of my cars!!! People is different over here, so they would scrap a straight six in a heartbeat!!! My dad actualy owns and drives a Bedford J5, 300 ci diesel.
I guess the other question I have to ask is what are you trying to achieve with the A5. Are you simply repowering for continued service as a truck? They are not really hot rod material per se. That is not to say you can't rejuvenate it and have a useful working truck. Just curious to know what goal you have in mind .
I'm not sure how long they are but a 250 uses the same mounts as a small block, you might search for threads on swapping a 250 for a 235 - they're a tad longer than the old 235s were. What you may run into on a 1985 is it's computer controlled carb - not a big deal except if you're not running the electronics - and those things stink, I wouldn't - you need both a carb and a distributor from an older motor. Which should be easy to find.
My plan is to built me a shoptruck for small task around my shop. Haul junk for the scrapper/junkyard. I'm gonna mount a watertight toolbox, a winch of the PTO, and other then that, just have fun with it and drive the snot out of it. So I need a motor has to be more driveable. That 250, the seller dident want to pick up on my calls or respond to mails , yesterday I got a email, engine sold. So now I'm looking for another or a Perkins P6.
Can any of you guys ID this, pre or post 76 motor?http://www.guloggratis.dk/biler/reservedele/motor-gearkasse/annonce/17907673-chevrolet-blazer-4x4?bigimages=1#images
Hey Can anyone ID this for me; Seller claims ; It came out of a 54 car. Comes with 3speed minus bell housing Dont know what a "dipper" motor is Dont know if it came with a powerglide Claims it runs Please help me.
That is a 1954 or later 235 Chev 6 that was fitted with a Powerglide. It is not a "dipper" engine........it has full pressure oiling to the rod bearings, which are insert type, not poured babbit. Essentially the same as used through 1962 model Chevrolet cars and trucks. Should make a good alternative to your original Bedford 214. Ray
Thank you, Hanstray/Ray! So great of you. Is it possible to get the pattern for he Chevy gearbox on the std. bellhousing? If I'm correct Chevy gearbox bolts up with 4 bolts towards the box. 2 bolts up top line x(1) inches apart? 2 bolts down bottom line x(2) inches apart? The two lines are x(3) inches apart? Who can replace the 3 (x)s with mesurements?
The bell housings used on 216/235/261 Chevrolet sixes vary a lot with application. However, they all fit all the blocks. They differ in the lower portion, trucks typically have angled pads for mounts and the bell housing rests on a cross member. Passenger models in '40s and early '50s have threaded holes on the forward side, near the bottom, for small side mounts that only assist with controlling engine torque roll, the primary mounts are front of engine and under transmission. In '52 Chey added side mounts to the engine block......which should be on the engine pictured. On those, they did not use the small bell housing mounts as I recall. However, the transmission bolt pattern also differed over time. Through 1954 passenger cars, the pattern is narrower than '55 up models. Trucks used a wider pattern from at least the late '40s, maybe earlier, and that was the pattern adopted with '55 passenger cars and about all GM manual trans by the early '60s. One minor difference in transmission bolt up is that on trucks the bottom two bolts were inserted from inside the bell housing and threaded into the transmission case. On passenger models, all four bolts inserted through mounting 'ears' on the trans and threaded into the bell housing. Some early '60s trucks used hydraulic slave cylinders, mounted on the right side, as I recall, to operate the clutch arm. I believe all the manual (non-hydraulic release) versions used a left side release fork. So what bell housing you seek will depend on which most closely matches the Bedford's stock setup, I would suppose. Perhaps you can describe it's arrangement, better yet post photos, and you can be guided to the best version for your purposes. Ray
Hey, finally I had time to go to my shop, between house and garden stuff. This is how the Bedford bellhousing looks like. Backside Bottom bolts 9 1/16 inch apart Top bolts 9 1/16 inch apart Top to bottom 7 3/32 inch apart Centerhole 4 23/32 This is how my gearbox mount sits on both sides of the bellhousing. Clutch fork goes to the left. I doubt that any chevy bellhousing is a direkt match, but is there one that comes close?
Sorry I have taken so long to respond to your PM.......but I am going to do so through this thread. As for the GM/Chev/GMC bellhousing that would seem to me to suit your purposes, based on the photos of the Bedford housing, I would recommend a '40s through '59 truck bellhousing. And, the corresponding flywheel, starter motor, clutch fork, T/O bearing and clutch assembly.edit: '60 thru '62 truck would fit the engine, but they used a right side, hydraulically operated slave cylinder for clutch disengagement. The '54 and earlier models were 6 volt systems, '55 up were 12 volts. I mention this because, as I recall, the ring gear and starter pinion tooth count is different between the 2 systems. It doesn't matter so much which you use, the 6 volt units will operate on 12 volts, but all the parts need to match on tooth count. I am suggesting the truck housing because it has provisions for mounts at the lower corners, similar enough to the Bedford as to facilitate fabricating a suitable mount arrangement. The other thing is, the trucks used a wider transmission bolt pattern, more similar to the Bedford, well before the passenger cars did. Cars began that pattern with the '55 models. If you could score the whole works, all parts mentioned above AND a truck transmission too, that would probably simplify things a lot. It is difficult to tell how close in dimension the trans bolt patterns are from the photos. As I write this I DO NOT have an immediate source for those parts, but they are quite common and several HAMBERS may be able to help with supplying what you need. Regards, Ray
40s thru 59 6cyl bellhousing won't fit the 250 6. A 55 up V8 bell will. I'm still wondering why it wouldn't be easier to get a Bedford engine from England. Or adapt a Volvo or some locally grown truck engine. This obsession with an old Chev engine from across the sea is bizarre.
If you care to read the thread, and not just it's title, and LOOK at the pics posted, you will see the OP is considering a '54 235 ex/PG engine.
The reason why I wants to use a chevy 6 instead of a Bedford is price and avalibility. Is that a word? The chevy motor comes up 5 till 1. Normaly half the price. Parts are avalible from more then one vendor. Bedford is one vendor and one junkyard. That is just 3 good Reasons to go Bowtie over Griff!
The first ideer was a 250, bud the guy did'nt want to talk to me on the phone, on the add or by mail. So he sold it before I got the chance. Now I found a nice running, complet and low mile ( or KM) powerplant. But need parts. So know it is of to find the bellhousing neded.
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