Technical Obscure Engine Combinations

Since we already have a thread about a small block Mopar with Chevy rotating assembly possibly going O/T with a LS head on a Ford six cylinder I thought what about a thread about with engines built with parts from other makes like the small block Chevy stroker engine built with a Studebaker crankshaft, or the 400 SBC built with Ford I-6 rods. You Bonneville guys should enjoy this one If the mods don't delete it.

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/mopar-engine-with-a-chevrolet-rotating-assembly.1286925/

 

Ford 4 banger with a 327 head.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-stipe-model-a-ohv-conversion.1272009/#post-14582608

 

The first smalll block 348 I did used 300 Ford rods . The rods are heavy and require heavy metal to balance it is cheaper to go aftermarket rods.

 

According to @gimpyshotrods they use Honda rods in the Ford inline 6 now.

 

Nissan L16 / L18 / L20B Crankshaft into an early English Ford "Kent" engine.
You end up with a quality Forged Crankshaft for peanuts compared to a high $$$$ Cosworth crank.

I've witnessed a L18 crank in a 1600 Kent turn to 11500 rpm [with a down port head] and it made enough power to embarrass a Lotus twin cam.

This was very common in small-bore road racing here in NZ a few years ago.
L16 crank into a 1500 for "pre-65" racing

DIY attached

 

Rich Fox also built a mopar 4 cylinder with a Ford Y block head.

 

Fairly common to fit an A crank into a T block. Gives a much stronger crank with an extra 1/4” stroke. Typically the rear flange is cut off and re-welded 5/8” shorter, plus a bit of lathe work on the snout for a relatively direct fit into the T block. The Model A rods are a touch long, so grafting T tops to A big ends is one option. Mill out the webs and weld on boxing plates to create tubular hybrid rods. Then all you need is the oiling system, cooling system, overhead valves, transmission mods, etc…

Here is a T block in the mill getting the main journals roughed out and ready for new babbit


Complete with shortened A crank and billet main caps

 

I miss that guy.

 

The 1.888" journal size allows for a large offset grind on rod journals, for maximum stroke increase.

 

Not super obscure, but I ran a 2300 with Chevy I6 rods. Also had a 351C with sbc 6" rods and BBC roller rockers. Both ran great.

 

Pete Aardema must have crazy dreams at night, what with all the wild engines he comes up with.

 

Seem to recall an early Hot Rod Magazine article about machining a 292 or 312 Y block crank (3.30 or 3.40, respectively), to replace the 2.87” 289 crank.

 

Too bad Pete'd be kicked off here faster than he could sign up, esp if he posted what he did, much less how. ;( ;( .
It literally is no different than what was done from the teens-> late30s, adapting available junkyard high(er) performance oem pieces to what you've got. Except there's just not too many Roofs, Frontys, OX-5 or Durants(for connecting rods), even gen-1 hemis floating around in every junkyard/backyard. Not even 28 chev 4cyl for ford T/A conversions. Sucks to be us, I guess. Ya, I get the rules...
Marcus...

 

Volvo 16v head on Ford 2.3 or 2.5. Studs line up. Just have to run external oil line.

 

That man did some neat stuff. Spoke with once right after the pandemic put things on hold. I asked something like “how do you come up with that stuff”.
He said something like “see it, visualize it and machine it”. Hell of a talent.

 

Copy and pasted this. It was from FrozenMerc the other day. I found it interesting. It was Chevy bbc parts in a MEL

For forced induction applications (FED's generally fit in this), the easiest is to drop in a set of 427 Chebbie pistons (+0.050") and offset grind the crank down to the BBC rod journal diameter and use the BBC rods. I don't remember if the stock BBC rod length would work, or if you had to go to an aftermarket rod. 6.7" rod length sticks in my head, but all that info is at home where I can't access it until this evening. Either way, this combo will get you about 490 to 505 cubic inches (depending on final bore) with 8 to 8.5:1 compression with the flat-top 427 piston. Perfect for a FED motor topped by a 6-71.

I also understand that 460 cranks can be made to work with a bit of machining as well since the MEL's and 385 Series used the same bore spacing. I imagine the Main Journal diameter would be the biggest hurdle.

 

This may venture beyond the realms of the Hamb, but Alan Millyard's motorcycles definitely fits this thread.

 

After going to Speed Way museum I talked to Rich Fox he was surprised that the motor with the Y block head Was there. I ask why the Y block head instead of a windsor and he said because the valve layout matched the orginal camshaft. the guy was a true talent

 

I remember a Chevy six in the 60s with 327 heads cut and modified to hit. Was in an anglia

 

Or the Ford 300-6 with cut up 351 Cleavland heads.

 

A mad scientist friend here built a Model A engine using a 5 main crank out of a forklift and builds dizzys for them out of a Honda 4cyl unit. He has run at Bonneville and some FAST events

 

I built a 200ci ford six using an Aussie crossflow head.

 

Mopar 440 connecting rods in a 460 Ford. Offset ground crank (4.14) and your around 500 cubes for pretty cheap. Today it’s not worth the effort with the abundance of stroker.

 

GMC 270 with homemade Harley carb setup

 

I’ve got a friend in Texas , that did that! 460 Crank in a MEL block. Not sure how much power it made! Or at least he was going to! Forgot to ask him the last time I was down there!




Bones

 

Pretty heady stuff.
I've seen it, but I'm mostly clueless.
An overhead conversion for a Dodge Brothers 4 cylinder?
Hmmm... maybe I don't need a 440 in my old Dodge.

 

2 cylinder SBC..... https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2021/05/two-cylinder-v-twin-chevy-engine/