Anyone know if speed parts exist for that engine? I thought it'd be cool to do up an old Jeepster and I'd like to use that engine. Thnx, 6narow
Edmunds made a head and a dual intake, and Mallory made a dual point distributor. Other than that.......
AHA! I knew there had to be something out there! Thank you so much, Heathen. ...what about exhaust? Any split mainfolds exist? Maybe Fenton made something? 6narow
Holy Ned, You don"t want hot rod that motor. It weighs a million lbs. Most Jeep guys rebuild them in the car because they are too heavy to get out of the car. It's a tractor motor. I think the OHC 6 (cool) or the older F-head 6 (cooler) would be more fun. Rick
do you mean the old Kaiser/Frazer flathead 226 ? I have one of those engines in my 1968 Ingersoll Rand air compressor, it's OEM for that model- this one has an updraft carb very reliable engine, forged rods with bushed small end and snap rings on piston pins- solid lifters on this one if that's the one you have, a GM Chevy late model straight 6 HEI distributor will work on that Continental- by cutting off/shortening the distributor housing and shaft on the dist, and grinding a flat in it- the engine will turn the dist. backwards but it will start much easier than points, and run much better with the HEI when I bought this compressor, it didn't run- pulled it apart one piston was broken- bought a ring set and piston from a net source down South- it arrived in the NOS Kaiser/Frazer parts boxes ! Changed the piston and rings. One valve was stuck open, removed head, squirted it with WD-40 and sanded it with sandpaper- pounded it down with a hammer and got it going up/down again put it back together with the same head gasket cleaned with lacquer thinner, and used sealer on the gasket VAR-ROOM it's running like a bear- I give the updraft carb a shot of starting fluid just to get it started easy first time, then after that it starts all day no problem neat old engine
Scrounger, Correct. Kaiser/Frazier used it in their cars, and the Jeeps, once Kaiser bought out Willys. It was actually made by Continental, which, by the late 40's, was a division of..........Kaiser / Frazier. Back when my father was in the service, he used to work on those engines, as they were orignally designed to power gen sets (my Dad opened and closed radar sites during most of his 20-years as an enrollee of the USAF). Dad always talked highly of that engine, as well. He said it could pull up to about 12-15 KW and if you set if to run at 1800 RPM, it'd do it all day long without a hitch...HOWEVER, you really didn't want to run it much faster (over 2K). Thanks for the advice on the distributor. I didn't know that, but that's something I will DEFINATELY put on the "upgrade" list. BTW, I'm just in the planning stages right now. I wanted to see if it was even feasable, and it sounds like it might be. Thanks again. Enjoyed your post very much. ------------------------------------------------------------ Rick, Your comments are noted. I would really like to use the "vintage" engine (with a twist), but I am keeping the door open on using a more modern drivetrain, as well. ------------------------------------------------------------ Heathen, That's too bad about the exhaust manifold, but you're right. Ain't nuthin' a torch and some rod couldn't fix. 6narow
Continental made motors for all kinds of cars trucks etc. That engine was used by Graham in the late 1930s with an optional supercharger. After the war by Kaiser Frazer who bought an engine factory from Continental and developed their own improvements. One was a 12 port block for cars, compared to the industrial block with siamesed intakes. Engine was used in Jeeps up to 1961. Then there was a short lived OHC six made by Jeep that was based on the old tooling. Probably the best bang for the buck would be a centrifugal supercharger or turbocharger. There were lots of them made and quite a few still around. Should not be too hard finding parts but speed equipment, who knows.
Good luck on a hunt for an intake I have three Kaiser Manhattan's with that engine and if there is performance out there you'll more then likely never find it they probably made five of intakes total lol. I have been watching eBay and swap meets for 2 and 1/2 years and have not seen anything. The 54/55 Kaisers you could find a McCulloch VS57 supercharger as an option supposedly they made the six banger run like a moderately priced V8 of the era. The Vs57 supercharger is actually pretty easy to find although not real cheap and I believe but I am not positive it is the same supercharger they put on Thunderbirds and studebakers there is also a newer version of the same thing made by Paxton (same company different name).
The McCulloch supercharger used by Kaiser continued to be made for Studebaker and the same design without the variable speed feature is still made as the Paxton. You can sometimes find used Paxton superchargers made for Mustang or Camaro being sold cheap. It would work great on the old Continental if you can make mounts, drive pulleys etc. For certain technical reasons flatheads respond well to supercharging especially centrifugal superchargers. McCulloch claimed 40% more rear wheel HP with a 4 - 5 pound boost. About the same as a conventional hop up with two carbs, high comp head, cam, and headers but a lot easier to accomplish .
I’ll second Mr O’Toole. I’ve run those on my yblocks, and I’ve got a soft spot for those old Kaiser Frazer cars. Dad had one of each (both new), the Frazer is what they brought me home from the hospital in. Don’t remember that one. The Stude’s always used the VS (variable speed, split pulley), the 57 Fords used the completely different VR (variable ratio, the F code motors). Later single speed motors used the SN (short nose). Theres more of those around. . I’ve owned all of those, the SN is the best starting point. I believe all those which are ball bearing drive were discontinued when Paxton decided to concentrate on the Novi units. Little history, Robert Paxton McCulloch developed them, and the Granatelli‘s owned and sold them for years. I’m just across the sound in Kent. If you pick that road, contact me and I’ll help if I can.
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