ford small block swap

[857lover 291]

i’m not intending on even attempting this i don’t have the knowledge or fab skills but do you guys know of anyone who put a small block on there tractor chevy or ford  a 351 or 350 would be hard but i feel like some has to have put maybe a 289 or a 302 or a 305 or something if so i wanna see some pictures @danweikert21

Edited April 5, 2022 by 857lover

[SylvanLakeWH 25,359]

[ebinmaine 66,963]

23 minutes ago, 857lover said:

351 or 350 would be hard but i feel like some has to have put maybe a 289 or a 302 or a 305 or something

On the fords, a 289, 302, 351 small block. All the same.

 

On the Chevrolets, the block was of VERY similar size all the way from 260 cubic inches to 400 cubic inches. 

 

It isn't the size of the cubic inches that determines the exterior size of the block.

 

 

 

That said,

I've never seen it done to a garden tractor in person.

I have seen the V8 conversions on farm tractors.

 

You can bet I most certainly have processed the thought!!

 

[ri702bill 8,207]

No, but a Motorhead I used to work with made a 283 Chevy powered Harley trike about 10 years ago ....

Edited April 5, 2022 by ri702bill

[ri702bill 8,207]

16 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I have seen the V8 conversions on farm tractors

Reminds me of a Ford 9N or a Jubilee with a 53 HP 8 cylinder flathead ...

[lynnmor 7,283]

I would choose a lightweight General Motors 215 cu. in, aluminum V8 to do something that wild.  Builders of homemade airplanes still seek them out.

[Achto 27,407]

A guy that I know built a GT with a flat head Ford engine. It's a hydro with a Case rear end.

 

 

[WHX?? 48,526]

I love talking to that guy at shows Dan  We yak about the necessity of cup holders! 

Edited April 5, 2022 by WHX??

[ri702bill 8,207]

1 hour ago, lynnmor said:

I would choose a lightweight General Motors 215 cu. in, aluminum V8

Ah, the old Buick Skylark? motor of the mid 1960's. It found its way into some British cars as well ....

[ebinmaine 66,963]

7 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

Ah, the old Buick Skylark? motor of the mid 1960's. It found its way into some British cars as well ....

Bunches of Brits used it for many years.  

[ri702bill 8,207]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Bunches of Brits used it for many years.  

 

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Bunches of Brits used it for many years

But - with Metric threads and fasteners...hand me the 15 mm spanner, would you, mate???

[Handy Don 12,021]

Too right, mate. Brilliant!

[ebinmaine 66,963]

23 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

 

But - with Metric threads and fasteners...hand me the 15 mm spanner, would you, mate???

 

I've been wasting my time

 composing a rhyme

 that befits the situation. 

 

Every thread can be SAE

If that's what you REALLY want it to be. 

 

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,359]

 

[Thor27 767]

Wasn't there a member in florida that put a flathead in a D?

[Snoopy11 5,714]

Here is my analysis.

 

I see the appeal to having/using a V8 in a Wheel Horse. The problem you would have with a build like this would be:

 

• Decision to go ECU or carb
• Radiator and water cooling system

In my opinion, if you wanted power in a small package, and to have something that would actually come together without having a hemorrhoid supreme... the "best" engine to go with if you were thinking about doing something like this is a VW 2110cc air cooled engine. I heartily considered doing this myself... and still might in the future. This engine would fit well in the small space, wouldn't require any electronics, and wouldn't involve cooling issues.

 

 

 

Turn-key engines such as this are out there... with free flat rate shipping to your door.

 

It is possible... and it is reasonable... you just really have to consider what you are doing... and what is the best engine to choose. 

 

Don

Edited April 5, 2022 by Snoopy11

[Stormin 9,981]

5 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Bunches of Brits used it for many years.  

 

  I built a hybrid off road Land Rover with the 3.5 V8. Modified Range Rover chassis, engine, gearbox and running gear. Land Rover body work. Never laid a spanner on that engine in all the time I had it.

[ri702bill 8,207]

1 hour ago, Snoopy11 said:

like this is a VW 2110cc air cooled engine.

AKA "The waterless wonder of Wolfsburg"

[953 nut 54,748]

4 hours ago, Thor27 said:

Wasn't there a member in florida that put a flathead in a D?

That was about five or six years ago. Bob's member name had been gulftane and later changed to @rtfbg. He was the builder of "The Beast" pictured below and a true gentleman. When Bob's health was declining and he needed to sell "The Beast"  @Bear G appreciated the craftsmanship that Bob put into it and bought it. When it is displayed at shows @Bear G always posts information about the builder, he does that with all his customs. Bob passed away about four years ago, RIP.

 

This is his build post, good reading.  

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by 953 nut

[Thor27 767]

Thank you Richard, yes Bob was who I had in mind, Didn't realize he had passed. RIP Bob.

[bc.gold 3,403]

 

[19richie66 17,482]

 

 

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 66,963]

@19richie66

That's good stuff right there big guy. 

[19richie66 17,482]

Forgot one 

Click on picture below and it opens up a build album.

Photo album from a guy I follow. 

Edited April 7, 2022 by 19richie66

[ebinmaine 66,963]

2 minutes ago, 19richie66 said:

one

That Gasser is a super cool build look.

I've tripped over that in the past while falling down YouTube wormholes. 😀

 

I saw an old V4 engine (Wisconsin?) a few years ago that I thought would look pretty awesome on a garden tractor.