Willys pickup motor swap: pic request

[Chumley360]

This may be the wrong forum this, but here goes. I'm bench racing an idea at the moment but would like some pics to chew on. I'm looking for inline six swaps done in 40's, 50's or early 60's Willys pickups and/or wagons. I'd really like to see AMC six's, but I'll take anything that I can get thrown my way. Thanks.

[waynestiles]

there is a similar group strictly dedicated to the Willys phase of Jeep-dom.
If you don't find enough info here give this site a shot

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/WillysTech/

[mathman]

Don't have any pics but the best starting point for such a swap would be the 1960s Willys pickups that originally had the 230-OHC engine in it as it might require less firewall modifications. Prior to 1954 only some of the 2WD wagons had a six-cylinder as an option. The 226 L-head was used in the pickups/wagons starting in 1954.

One of the problems you'll run into with the straight six swaps is length of the motor. Most of the 'popular' ones are a bit too long for the Willys engine bay, resulting in a lot of hacked firewalls and grills. I've heard of people using the Ford 200, GM 250, Dodge slant-6, and occasionally the AMC 232/258. You'll definitely want to find a grill that was originally used with a six-cylinder rig - they're a lot shallower than those used with the four cylinder engines.

But I'm partial to the original engines in the Willys pickups:

http://www.jeep-trucks.com/assets/images/20040619/000_0004.jpg

The WillysTech yahoo group mentioned above would be an excellent place to ask - there's a little bit of everything. Just be prepared for some good-natured ribbing on daring to modify. ;)

[bigun]

HMM You know what might be a cool swap simply for the size would be a Mercedes turbo diesel I know at one time rustywagoneer was talking about adapting a Toyota tranny and transfer case behind one.

[Chumley360]

Thanks guys. Mathman that's a great pic. I knew what the OE engine options where, but I hadn't realized that the bays were so shallow. Good food for thought.

[The PIG Smith]

I'm bench racing an idea
OH WOW!
I am KING of Benchtop Racing!
I've got no money, no time, no skills, no special tools and no friends...
...but I've got a HUGE imagination.

Mmmmm....maybe I should get one of those monster size belt buckles, inscribed with World Champion Benchtop Racer.

Just being silly...I wish you the best in your project!

[bigun]

OH WOW!
I am KING of Benchtop Racing!
I've got no money, no time, no skills, no special tools and no friends...
...but I've got a HUGE imagination.

Mmmmm....maybe I should get one of those monster size belt buckles, inscribed with World Champion Benchtop Racer.

Just being silly...I wish you the best in your project! I'll race you!!! Back when the J.C. Whipme carried more than chrome hubcaps I used to spend hours building cars from all the parts you could find in there.

[cincyjeeprs]

Not a six, but a common swap back in the day was a Studebaker V8. Mated right up to the T-90. That's what I have. It's shorter than a 258 and one cube bigger!:thumbsup:

[tgreese]

Not a six, but a common swap back in the day was a Studebaker V8. Mated right up to the T-90. That's what I have. It's shorter than a 258 and one cube bigger!:thumbsup:
Old school swap for CJs was a Studebaker inline 6 (with a firewall notch). Studebaker used the T-90 in cars, and the bell bolts up. I didn't know they used the T-90 in V8 cars though ... maybe you have a 6-cylinder bellhousing? (i'm not sure if the bell pattern is the same for the 6s and the V8s or not - might be).

That's way cool though. I presume you bought it that way? The Studebaker engines are great - forged everything.

[waynestiles]

try finding a decent Stoody engine. ---LOL--(and thats got nothing to do with laughing).
If you think us FSSJ-ers are obsessed you've never been around the Studebaker Drivers Assn. guys & gals.
its a religion with most of them--a down and dirty fanatical one.

I live in SW MI just across the state line from South Bend and lived there for a while as a kid when my Dad worked in their factory. their annual meeting is there again this year---and you'd think the city was prepping for the Olympics.

[skeletor]

i think the buick 225 dauntless odd fire v6 would be great in those trucks.

btw mathman that is one clean engine bay, you sure thats a jeep?

[cincyjeeprs]

Old school swap for CJs was a Studebaker inline 6 (with a firewall notch). Studebaker used the T-90 in cars, and the bell bolts up. I didn't know they used the T-90 in V8 cars though ... maybe you have a 6-cylinder bellhousing? (i'm not sure if the bell pattern is the same for the 6s and the V8s or not - might be).

That's way cool though. I presume you bought it that way? The Studebaker engines are great - forged everything.

Yes, bought it that way. The T-90 was native to my Utility Wagon. The 259 V8 came from a '61 Lark as far as I can tell from the block SN. I don't know which vehicle the bell came from. I think the rest of the "story" about this truck is apocryphal (aren't they all?).

[mathman]

i think the buick 225 dauntless odd fire v6 would be great in those trucks.

There's a guy in Dallas putting a late model Chevy 4.3 (I think that's the size - 4.something anyway) V6 in his Johnny Cash Special (lost track of how many different years of Jeep parts and other makes have gone into it). Haven't heard how it's coming along but the motor fit in real nice.

btw mathman that is one clean engine bay, you sure thats a jeep?

Thanks and Yep - we used and abused that truck for almost 40 years before I started tearing it down for a rebuild in 1996. Dad had a cattle rack made for the bed and has hauled as many as two fully grown cows back there. It's earned a rest and is living for car shows right now while I finish tweaking the last few bugs. The firewall took a lot of work:

http://www.jeep-trucks.com/assets/images/Firewall/firewall000.jpg

And I always liked this shot of the in-progress of the cab:

http://www.jeep-trucks.com/assets/images/bed-willys/cab001.jpg