Installing a 308 in a 47 Pickup

hudshornet

Does anyone have any pointers regarding installing a 308 in a 47 pickup? I am in the process of finalizing a purchase for pickup and it does not have an engine or transmission. I am toying with the idea of installing a 308 that I am going to get from Jim Guin, another option that I have is a 262 if I can find one locally. Eventually I would like to build an all out 308 with a supercharger. Does anyone have any leads on a cheap 262 in north Texas? Also I have heard rumors that the 262 is as responsive as the 308 to performance upgrades does anyone have an thoughts on this rumor? As soon as I pick up the truck I will put some pictures up, I have wanted one of those as long I can remember so I am pretty excited about it. Thanks for all the help
Hudson

[Deleted User]

The 262 / 308 will just fit in the 46 / 47 truck engine bay . The steerings piman arm nut will be right up against the oil pan flange. On mine it was ground off just slightly and 7X mounts used on front of engine to prevent movement. If a Hydromatic is used you will need to ad a crossmember , worthwile addition to the mix.

Courtesy Man

I have a 1956 Hornet 308 in my 1947 Hudson pick-up with single lever stepdown trans with overdrive. I made a plaster mold of a 46-47 original repro motor mount and poured my own motor mounts out of Devcon flexane - made them 1/4 inch shorter to avoid interference with the pitman arm nut - worked for me. As I did this some 20+ yrs ago I also added a 1971 Ford Cougar 9 inch rear axle. I understand from comments here that there are other newer axle replacements. I don't feel the truck is driveable with the original rear axle ratios. I also put in the larger drum brakes on the front from a full-size Step-down. As I recall some former owner had changed the front motor mount brackets to accept the stepdown motor.
Very doable. Gert Kristiansen

[Deleted User]

I've never done so but there was a posting here on the forum not long ago about using the Stepdown brakes on the 40's cars. Aparently not a hard modification to make. The truck I had used a 52 Hornet rear end to match the Hydromatic set-up and original truck springs,
Roger

PAULARGETYPE

YOUR GOING TO FIND THE 52 REAREND TOWIDE FOR YOUR 47

SamJ

My '47 has stepdown front brakes and a '71 Torino 9" rear axle lug nut to lug nut. it's 1 1/4 inches wider than the original.

Park_W

Paul, I don't understand your comment. I put a '51 rear axle under my '47 and had to reverse the rims to get the tires out wider. I think the stepdown axles are about 3 to 4" narrower than the '47.

50C8DAN

The other kind of cool option would be to put a Hudson 8 in the pickup and use '47 Commodore 8 trim.

RL Chilton

"The other kind of cool option would be to put a Hudson 8 in the pickup and use '47 Commodore 8 trim."

Here, here!

[Deleted User]

No reason it wont fit , Charlie Harris used to have one in his,
Roger

hudshornet

Strangely enough this truck has commodore eight emblems on the hood. Although the engine is long gone so who knows what it actually was. Anyone have a lead on a straight eight?

Lee ODell

My Dad had a 47 PU with a Hudson 8 in it. It was a fun truck to drive. I even got the front wheels to bounce off the street while quickly push gas pedal on and off in first gear. One of the dumb things a teenage did that Dad didn't know about. I think. Maybe.
Lee O'Dell

[Deleted User]

You know another option that works to replace a 212 is the Jet 202. Still a Hudson power plant but a more modern item . And still the same size phisicaly so no major issues to make it fit.
Roger

lostmind

The stepdown 8 has the same interference issues as the stepdown 6.
the gear box nut hits the reinforcement cast into the block.
I gound away some of the block and some of the nut to get it in.
otherwise only the radiator needs to be changed.

[Deleted User]

What about the older 8 (46-47) they are narower in the back arent they? Basicly the same motor other than that.

Aaron D. IL

A local chapter friend of mine had a '47 Coupe with a Hornet 308 in it. It also had hydramatic and the biggest mod to it was the rear cross-member. It was cut and a hydramatic cross-member clamped in with leaf spring clamps because it sat lower than the original cross member. A well-done conversion and cleaner than I make it sound here. That car would get up and move too. Also you need to trim the drive shaft and shave the casting at the rear of the engine to clear the steeling arm nut. Things are a bit tight down there. If you have a 6 cyl truck you will likely have to adjust/move the front mounts too. If done right you could still use the original radiator but not sure how that works out on a truck.

Another compromise is as mentioned about a Jet 202. smaller but an updated engine also available with Twin H and overdrive or hydramatic. They tell me the Jet was an honest 100 mph car. Not sure how the weight compared to the trucks....trucks might be lighter.

[Deleted User]

One of the last Hudson pickups I had, had a 308 with a hydro. I think this is a good setupp. Don't forget that the original radiator will not cool a 262 or 308. If you make this charge, you will need to put in a better radiator. The best way to do this is use a 41-47 straight 8 radaitor.

Aaron D. IL

Thanks for the correction Glen. Yeah has to be an 8 cyl radiator. You might have to do some digging to find one. I don't think anyone has reproduced them as of late.

faustmb

I have an aftermarket Afco aluminum radiator in my truck with a sbc motor. It was the same cost as a recore and almost a bolt in. I have a rebuild able 308 that will go in if the sbc dies, or I get really really bored:)

hudshornet

Does anyone know if a radiator out of 54 hornet will work in this pickup? The reason I ask is that I have a newly recored radiator from my hornet that I will keep if I can install it in the pickup. Thanks
Hudson

[Deleted User]

I've seen a 48-49 radiator in a Hudson pickup. I think the bottom of the inter fenders had to be cut a small amount. Another charge is that stepdown coil spring will need to be put in the pickup. They are the same size as the pickup springs but will lift the front end due to the weight of a 308.

Geoff

You can only use a Step-down or '40-47 8 cyl in your truck as the sump is configured to fit over the suspension. And to fit a Jet 202 you have to use the entire unit - engine clutch, transmission, as these are not interchangeable to the '47 units.

50C8DAN

It would look great with a H8 and a Edmunds twin carb manifold like this:

hudshornet

Thanks for all the wisdom, I am leaning towards a 262 for now and building a 55 308 for later.

hudshornet

Although if I can find a straight eight then I might go that way just for the fact that most people have never seen one.

faustmb

The step down radiator needs quite a bit of inner fender trimming to fit, a few inches of notch per side. That's why I opted for the Afco unit. I have 2 good stpdown radiators, I just hated to cut up the inside.

Lee ODell

What is the part number and price of the Afco unit. I will be needing a radiator for my PU.
Lee O'Dell