Flatfender guys, What Engine and Why?

[fcfred]

What engine are you running, why did you pick it, did you have to clearance firewall or stretch hood, or GASP! cut a hole in the hood? Any Pics?

[Mieser]

For me, its been the Buick 225 v6. Its tight but it fits.



The HEI conversion was pretty easy. I'm running a Datsun truck radiator on a modified grill shell. Chrysler New Yorker dual electric fan. low mount power steering with GM style pump. Holley 2bbl carb on an adapter plate to the stock manifold. The exhaust manifolds have been modified to allow dual exhaust inside the frame with a saginaw power steering conversion.

Overall I have always been pretty happy with it. With the new rebuild of the jeep I am still keeping the Buick because it works ( and I am cheap ).

The only real downfall to the odd-fire is that its MUCH harder to install fuel injection if that's your thing. Even with the smaller V6 stuff is pretty tight under the hood. The cooling I have is marginal in 100 degree weather for sure.

It has always had plenty of power for fun. If you don't think so, go drive a flat fender with the stock motor

[Beat95YJ]

Scat v4?

[Brian1]

SBC 350 bored 20 over with an Edelbrock cam and intake manifold topped with TBI.

Picked it because it is cheap to buy one and is also cheap to build and I wanted the V8 power. I left it carb'd for a year until I adapted TBI to it.

I did cut a hole in the firewall for the big HEI distributor but have since gone to the smaller TBI distributor from the donor truck. It just barely needs the clearance hole now. I also took out the headlight buckets and did some minor trimming of the grill to fit the radiator.

If I would do it all over again it would get a stock 5.3 or 6.0 because they are getting cheaper, reliable and make good power without doing any work to them except headders and a tune.

I dont have a great picture of my engine or current setup but here is one from the feature article when it was still carb'd and had the stock fenders.

[willysworker]

A v6 is an excellent choice.

[77chev]

I'll be running a TBI 350 in mine. I'm a V8 guy and probably won't ever wheel a carb'd rig again on the trails. They are a dime a dozen near me and simple as can be.

Those are the main reasons of doing that over a 5.3 like I originally wanted.

I am going to try and squeeze everything under the hood but if a hole is needed, I'll do it.

[wilez5150]

i had a 231 once, it was easy to work on lots of low end grunt crappy mileage and no power. went away for a sbc/700r4 with lots of power better mielage and the ability to break stuff bad. the next one i built has a 4.3/700r rock rig that works well if your not a throtlejocky into spinning tires. when i do an engine swap on a flatty the first thing i do is remove the firewall place the drive train and cooling and then put it back with good clearnece for air flow down the back of the moter. dose wonders for keeping everything cooler. after 15 years in the rock the v8 willys has been retired to hot rod duty and i'm going to buildanother trail rig with a 4.3/700r4/300
ps the 4.3 rig is on propane an has a 4" body chop, 3" window chop thats why the air filter sticks out so far

[FordFascist]

Be a man. Drive a Ford.

[77chev]

Here's some pictures of mine when it had a 307 in it. They cut a hole in the hood and clearanced the top of the firewall (all fiberglass). It made changing the cap a little interesting but not terrible.

[jeep937]

I've got a '45 that I'm either gonna do a flathead Ford or a 231 non nailhead oddfire.. I've also got a "baby LT1" 4.3l V8 that would be cool just not correct..

[Dirt-Fab]

98 Chevy 4.3 V6. No firewall mod for the engine, but will need to cut for the bellhousing and trans. The plan is to make a custom air cleaner to avoid cutting a hole in the hood.

[Beat95YJ]

Originally Posted by Dirt-Fab

98 Chevy 4.3 V6. No firewall mod for the engine, but will need to cut for the bellhousing and trans. The plan is to make a custom air cleaner to avoid cutting a hole in the hood.

Why not a vortec?

[VermontCJ3a]

Im doing a 2.3 fuel injected pinto swap. Seems to be very easy so far and not much for clearance issues. Basically swapping the old 4 cylinder for a modern one. But Im still in the early stages of my build

[Dirt-Fab]

Originally Posted by Beat95YJ

Why not a vortec?

It is still a "vortec", just not a 92-95 Central Port Injection - "spider". You're right, a 92-95 would be easier to fit as the air intake is in front of the motor vs. on top of the intake. However, I have always been concerned about the reliability of that injection system.

[Beat95YJ]

Originally Posted by Dirt-Fab

It is still a "vortec", just not a 92-95 Central Port Injection - "spider". You're right, a 92-95 would be easier to fit as the air intake is in front of the motor vs. on top of the intake. However, I have always been concerned about the reliability of that injection system.

Just curious, I have told the op that would be my choice.

[Dirt-Fab]

Didn't Dylon have a bunch of issues with the CPI on his Toyota conversion? It's been so long, but I thought it was him or Trenton in the Polygoats that had ongoing issues with it. Could be wrong though.

I agree that the convenience of the forward intake would be nice. I am going to have to make my own plenum in order to avoid cutting the hood.
EDIT: I also like the idea of avoiding OBII with a 95 & earlier motor. I've already got the 98 though. Most likely roll with it now. Besides, something cool about a 1998 in a 1948 Flatty.

[Beat95YJ]

Not sure about Dylans truck, never heard of it running.

I know I loved my 98 vortec, seems similar.

[csutton7]

ford 5.0 mustang---fuel injection is why---explorer intake means you have to stay away from the firewall to get the top intake bolt in or out--see my build below for more info.....chris

[SVARAS]

2008 6.0 VVT (LY6).
Why ? Excelent performance per the buck, reliability, aftermarket support.
Had to stretch the front about 3". It has a LS3 intake to keep the stock hood height.

[superdooty]

4.3 cpi in mine, pushed all the way back to within 1/2" of the firewall. The rear mounted Chevy distributor is the drawback on this, and the earlier small blocks. I will eventually up to an LS or a 302/351.

[fcfred]

Anyobe put an LS v8 in without stretching the body?

[stieg000]

I went with a TBI injected 4.3L V6 from a 85' Astro van. Cheap, cost me 250 for the whole van with a running motor. Tranny was junk though. I have about 200 bucks into the motor since I parted out the van which mostly paid for the new parts I needed.

The 4.3L is narrower than the Buick 225 (probably applies to the 231 also) which is a huge plus since there will be no steering shaft clearance problems. This swap doesn't require any holes in the hood or lengthening of the hood/fenders. I'm running the same aftermarket air cleaner my buddy is on his TBI'd 4.2L straight 6 in his wrangler. My motor is mounted far enough away from the firewall to get a wrench in to remove the bell housing bolts.

[APU]

i too am running the 4.3L out of a 92 safari van. it's super easy to fit. i boxed the fire wall an inch just so i could get my hands behind the distributor but i prolly didnt need too. the wiring was pretty easy. i omitted the smog junk. and you dont need to run the high fuel pressures the vortec need. it starts every time, runs awesome and makes great power. i like it

[SVARAS]

Originally Posted by fcfred

Anyobe put an LS v8 in without stretching the body?

When I did the research for my build, I couldnt find anyone running a LS engine without stretching the front or doing a major firewall cut. My engine is placed the further back you can (without cutting the firewall), I did stretch the front 3", plus I cut a big portion of the back of the grill, and still I was not able to run the stock fan + fan clutch (I have a Taurus Fan). I did find a guy who managed to fit a Vortec 4.8 in 3A, keeping the stock truck intake and without cutting the hood...not sure about how low that engine hangs down.

[early 46]

Mine is a 91 4.3 with 93 cpi heads, running the tbi intake. T mounted my motor as far forward and up ass posible to allow for a long rear drive shaft and maintence. I can pull the distributor out of mine as it sits with no firewall mods. I trimed the shroud off the grill and am mounting a alluminum northern 2 core radiator tight to the grill. Hopfully a slim line fan will fit beween the motor and rad, its tight though.
Heres a older picture of the motor in the engine bay.

The motor mounts have sense changed and the body recived a two inch body lift to clear the sm465 trans. but the motors position is the same.