engine & trans swap in a 49 hudson?

chopperchuck

hello I'm new here,I'm looking to put a newer motor & tranny in my 49 2door step down,i plan on rebuilding a 308 for it down the road,but for right now i was thinking about a 225 slant 6 or a 300 ford,any ideas?

looking for more guys who did a swap.--chuck

[Deleted User]

is this topic interesting to me also, thanks for the consultation, I will be pending.

Tanks you.

Marconi

Press Kale put a 225 slant 6 with a torqueflite in his 49 Super years ago and is still running it. Several members have put a Ford 300 six with the cruise-o-matic in their cars. Sam Tribble and Ken Jones come to mind. Check the roster. They're all here in SoCal.

chopperchuck

Marconi wrote:

Press Kale put a 225 slant 6 with a torqueflite in his 49 Super years ago and is still running it. Several members have put a Ford 300 six with the cruise-o-matic in their cars. Sam Tribble and Ken Jones come to mind. Check the roster. They're all here in SoCal.

thanks for the replies,i'm new to this site,how do i use the roster? do a search for Press Kale?

chopperchuck

OK,i talked to press,a really nice man.still can't find Sam Tribble or Ken Jones,

the guy who was gonna sell me his 225 & tranny has flaked out-[no sell.]
i'm just trying to find someone who already done the 300 ford swap.so i don't have to do a sub-frame swap,SO anybody know anyone who done this?

here's what press had to say about his swap:::
the 225 dodge swap is pretty straight forward,use a truck oil pan,a mid 70's 360 dodge van radiator run the exhaust between motor & tranny,i guess you have to find a later hudson 52-54 hudson & use the floor/ tranny cover to clear the 904 hump,& use a dodge U joint that compatible with the hudson drive shaft,he used a ford rear end with highway gears,he also used the dodge air conditioner,he said he cruises all day with no effects,

Browniepetersen

I understand the 225 swap. I have seen Press's car several times and he has a great combination. Since that is not available, how come you are not going the way that almost everyone (80% of the hotrods today) does with the Chevrolet 350? Parts, Roadside service and all considered the Chevrolet offers a ton of advantages. The Chevrolet seems to be the "belly button" answer for all car applications. They have so many parts available that you can even get the "tri-power" fuel injection systems at a reasonable price that has always been the standard for "Old School" hotrooders.

chopperchuck

i'm not real big fan of chevy motors,but i'm open to any & all advice,have you do this swap?[smbk chevy]if so PLEASE tell me tell me..

[Deleted User]

Before My Illness sidelined me I had planned on putting a 300 Ford six out of a mid-70s Pick-up in a 54 coupe that I have. The engine had a rear sump oilpan, and was essentially the same width and length. I was planning on fabricating motor mounts that bolted to the front of the engine and fit in the Hudson mounting location. While I did not try it or anything like that, it appeared that the exhaust from the Ford to the Hudson downpipe would almost bolt up with minor tweaking. Of course since I planned on using a C-4 trans I would have to fab a rear mount. I had obtained a floor shifter from an early Ford Mustang.
Bob Hickson
I think this would be a great swap as the 300 Ford has great torque and is readily available as to finding parts. Also You can order all kinds of speed parts if You wish. Clifford offers a manifold for 3 sidedraft Weber carbs as well as headers and dress up accessories. But mainly I just did not want a run of the mill swap. I know that a lot of cars are running with Chevy small and big blocks. I guess I just like to be different. Also , with the new Stand alone ECU's available you could have, with a little more work, a Fuel Injected 300 cid engine.

chopperchuck

good news,,i very well may have scored my engine,we still need to get together,he works crazy hours & me getting ready for school to start next week,50 miles is so close but so far away,oh well keep your fingers & toes crossed

hoggyrubber

i currently have a chevy inline 292 in my 53 hudson. i fab'ed motor mount purches that bolt onto frame and used 60's bell housing mount adapter i mad. had to shorted front drive shaft a few inches. it would have been better if i had used the 250 oil pan and a automatic trans instead of a manual 3 speed. very little room between engine and firewall, the clutch linkage is in way of floor pan- should have at least done hyd clutch.
oh well, i am hopefully going back the a 308 in a few months at latest so i am not worring about changing anything. all the slant 6 225's i drove while growing up would last forever but were pretty much dogs compared to 292's or ford 300's. had i bet 5 of them but i am much happier with a inline chevy, but if you are set on the 225 go for it and good luck!

chopperchuck

heres what ended up with,just encase anyone cares..:evil: it's a 1970 225 slant 6W/a 4 barrel & a 904

Jon B

chopperchuck wrote:

thanks for the replies,i'm new to this site,how do i use the roster? do a search for Press Kale?

The names of all H-E-T members are listed towards the front of the roster, then you find out what state (or country) they're in, and turn to the main part which is listed by state.

Of course, the roster was printed in 2007 or 2008, so a lot of contact information may have changed since then. Don't know when you joined the Club but you should have received a roster in the mail.

chopperchuck

thanks for the reply -but i ended up calling Mr press,he was the final push for me to run the slant 6,that's what he been running forever W/no problems:cheer: now i just gotta get a rear end & drive shaft-& my rear end in gear :woohoo:
i never did find out how use the roster..oh well!

MikeWA

The Roster they're speaking of is a printed book put out by the HET club, its not a feature of this site. You get one when you join the club, and each time its updated. I think its automatic- at least I don't recall ordering it, and I've got several laying around from past years.

segajeep

Anyone ever consider a diesel (12 valve Cummins or a Mercedes 3.0T)
They have crossed my mind.My car came with a 318 poly in it.

Isn't a 262 700 ish lbs while a 6bt is 950 ish.

chopperchuck

segajeep wrote:

Anyone ever consider a diesel (12 valve Cummins or a Mercedes 3.0T)
They have crossed my mind.My car came with a 318 poly in it.

Isn't a 262 700 ish lbs while a 6bt is 950 ish.

[strike]
your's had a poly in it? got any pix[/strike]?what rear end is in it?
i'm gonna do a rear swap in mine 'cause they're gear so low....:sick:

never mind found them [the motor]

segajeep

The swap looks ok, it has a trans and the driveline is hooked up.,but the front motor mounts are lame. Just some L channel steel bolted to the front crossmember. I'm gonna try to fire the 318 up and see whats going on.It would be a huge advantage if i don't need to change out the drivetrain right off the bat.

chopperchuck

[/quote] I'm gonna try to fire the 318 up and see whats going on.It would be a huge advantage if i don't need to change out the drivetrain right off the bat.[/quote]

thats for sure!B) good luck!

chopperchuck

i'm bring this back from the dead since there is another guy doing a engine swap in a 51 Comm. :whistle: he's looking to make it a daily driver & is open to any engine.
anybody got pictures of any engine swaps?? how to's? any & all help will be passed on.
Thanks Chuck

RamblinHornet

I put a 4.0 Jeep engine in a 1969 Rambler along with all the fuel injection. That would fit easily in the Hudson. If you look for a 2wd Jeep, you can use the trans, too. I used a 904 torqueflite, but the crank sensor and mating the torque converter to the Jeep flywheel was some work. I had to weld studs to the front of the converter and use nuts on the front of the flex plate like a ford. And the 4.0 will take a distributor and a carburator for an easy swap. Lots of them around right now. 258 AMC sixes are around, too, and would fit well. But the 308 would be my first choice anyday!!!!

[Deleted User]

My 54 stepdown has a chevy in-line 250 with a two speed auto trans. Its been in the Hornet for some time and Im amazed how will it runs down the road.

It looks to me the cross member was removed and a custom one build .

The big dream is some day to lay my hands on one of those 308 i keep hereing about , but for now im just tooling down the road with my little chevy in- line

Matt

lsfirth

Here's a swap I'm in the middle of. 429 into a '49 brougham. As you'll notice, I've also welded in a mustang II front end which is detailed in this post:
http://www.classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=24&id=114985&Itemid=152

I'd KILL to see someone put a Hal-Scott Hudson Invader into a stepdown....in my opinion, that would be the end-all-be-all "hudson in a hudson" combination!!!

chopperchuck

my 1st phone conversion with Press was:
the 225 dodge swap is pretty straight forward,use a truck oil pan,a mid 70's 360 dodge van radiator run the exhaust between motor & tranny,i guess you have to find a later hudson 52-54 hudson & use the floor/ tranny cover to clear the 904 hump,& use a dodge U joint that compatible with the hudson drive shaft,he used a ford rear end with highway gears,he also used the dodge air conditioner,he said he cruises all day with no effects,


After another brief conversation last night here's some more,i really hate bugging this really great man about his car,if anybody every get the chance to swap stories with this fountain of information i say DO IT!
Hudson mount on the left side, Mopar mount on the right, w/fabbed bridge. He also swapped in a '64 Ford 8.8" rear from a '64 Fairlane 500.the Ujoint is the chevy to dodge, He has over 375K miles on the swap!

StayBrown

The 225 swap idea looks good, how did the swap go? I'm thinking of and considering doing the same for my '53 2-door S. Wasp.

chopperchuck

I haven't even looked at my Hudson for over a year,(took time off to build a vehicle with my 19yr son)
It's still apart but it looked like it was going to be a good match.

50C8DAN

It would seem to be easier and cheaper to find a running 262 or 232 Hudson 6 within driving range. They are not that hard to come by. If you plan to put a 308 in it later it will be a lot easier to do if you have Hudson power in there already.

hudsontech

Despite being a stauch Hudson fan I've always thought that the three greatest 6 cylinder motors built were the old Chevy stove bolt sixes, the AMC 7 main bearing Six and the Chrysler slant-6 - once they figured out some minor problems with the initial production.
Yes, Hudson engines were rugged (make that "overbuilt") and were good solid power plants, but the three I've listed are the most bullet proof engines (6's) I can think of.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

Kdancy

I would have to vote the AMC 232-258 6 cyl and the Chrysler slant 6 as well. Very good engines.

SuperDave

I installed a Ford 289 in a 47 P'cup years ago. It had a 308 at the time (that was worn out). I used the Ford FMX automatic and it was the easiest swap I ever did. I used the stock driveshaft/U-joints and shift linkage! Only mods were the addition of home made motor mounts and re-routed the fuel line and the lower radiator outlet. Oh .. I also had a later model neck soldered to the radiator so to use a modern cap. It would have been an easy task to put it back to stock. Front springs needed to be replaced since the Ford weighed WAY less than the 308. That was in Florida. Someone spotted the old truck in the Mountains of NC a few years ago. Rusting under a tree. Same engine..

chopperchuck

I may be just doing a Jag/sub frame swap & being done with. And as far as finding a running Hudson engine within driving distance....... I'll just have to rebuild the bloody thing anyway

Browniepetersen

Did Press mention that he has over 700,000 miles on his dodge slant six. That should say something? Glen Johnson has used chevy 6's. chevy 8's and currently has a 350 in his 47 and a 454 in his 53 hot rod. Just a thought.