Engine swap for Carrier a no no?

cmp_uc_guy · #1 05-03-05, 18:11

I just want to ask the die hard carrier guys out there about engine swaps into a carrier. Is swaping say a v6 and auto transmission for drivability in parades considered a sin in the militeria world.

Rob

Hanno Spoelstra · #2 05-03-05, 21:07

Rob, presuming it´s your carrier, you can do with it what you want. I´d opt for authenticity, although in my view a few alterations for practicality are allowed.

I wonder if the steering setup of the carrier would work with an automatic transmission? It might start shifting up and down at awkward moments.

H.

alleramilitaria · #3 05-03-05, 21:25

the carrier has loads of extra space and has great engine covers that would hide a wealth of "sins". i personaly would rather see a carrier on the move than a big flower pot in a field or shed. but thats just me.

Stewart Loy · #4 05-03-05, 22:51

Rob,

I am not sure that the engine and transmission are the parts that I would 'modernize'. The flatty V-8 makes enough power for sensible play, and once you switch over to a regular coil, they start and run all day without a fuss.

Sure the trans has no syncros, but you don't do that much gear changing in a parade situation. I share Hanno's skepticism about an automatic transmission and inappropriate shift attempts ( like when turning ) that might do more harm than good.

I have seen some altered engine and /or transmission projects and by and large they were not pretty. All of the effort that must have been expended to place a modern engine into an old vehicle will just show up all of the other faults - little or no legal lighting, poor visibility, crappy brakes, etcetera.

Can you get it ready for VE Day?

Good luck with whatever you choose - just let us know so we don't look stupid at a show by saying that 'your flathead runs real quiet' when in fact it is a brand new V-6!

Stewart

Tony Smith · #5 06-03-05, 02:46

The real sin is not contemplating a temporary modern engine transplant to get you mobile, the sin is permanently butchering the vehicle's engine or trans mounts so that a change back to original down the track becomes a major work or even impossible. As pointed out in other posts, it is possible to buy "Bolt-in" conversion kits to fit a Chev V8 in place of the Ford Flathead and these fit without any modifications. These will also work with a Chev V6, but the engine mounts will need a bit of imagination. Unfortunately, the Chev V8 doesn't have the same exhaust beat as the Flatty

and depending on the cam fitted, may not run well with good torque at low revs for parade work!

alleramilitaria · #6 06-03-05, 02:53

dont get me wrong i love seeing carriers, jeeps, trucks, tanks, etc 100% corect... but

if we all kept the engins, trans, armor, radios original then very few would be moving under there own power.

i guess its up to the owner to have a save vehicle for events and reeinactments. i have a similar problem. i have a chance to get a 7ton mac prime mover. but there is no eng so i would have to have a flower pot or put a modern eng in it.
decisions decisions

:

dave

Barry Churcher · #7 06-03-05, 16:26

Rob, the big thing to take into consideration is the saleability of the vehicle. Some day you will want to get rid of it and move on. A carrier with many modifications does not have the value of a pristine restoration. No one wants these clunkers for hunting camps etc anymore because of the snowmobiles,ATV's and such.
Now having stated the sensible part, I could easily consider a re power. No one can see under the engine covers in a parade or static display. I have owned a few stock carriers and I had a friend with a 289 cu in Ford engine with auto. transmission in his carrier. Boy I'll tell you his was a lot more fun to drive and it went like stink. We had great fun with it. We could go through a marshy spot close to his place, so fast that the beast didn't have time to sink in. We buried a half track in the same spot so deep we thought it was going to be there forever. Also have you considered a Mercury engine. 255 cu in. of Flatty with a top mount distributor. Put a 283 Chev carbbie on backwards and you are good to go. At the end of the day it's your carrier and your decision. You won't be able to please all of us.
Barry

cmp_uc_guy · #8 07-03-05, 16:26

Thanks guys,

Everyone has added a good comment.
Since that one guy had luck with the automatic trans I wonder if any logical automatic setup would be just as good. The sound would be lost but It would be worth the drivability. And for sure I would never never make an engine swap in a vintage vehicle irreversable.

Heres a thought.... since I have 2 Mk1s, I'll make one a 6 cyl turbo diesel (auto) that is convertable back to the Flat head, and one an original setup.

Since I want to play NOW, I'll do the original setup second!!

Regards

Rob

Richard Farrant · #9 07-03-05, 16:51

In Britain, when carriers were sold off and used commercially, usually in the timber industry, many were re-engined with the Ford 4D diesel as fitted in the Fordson Major and Fordson Thames trucks of the 50's era. I believe they slotted in well but do not know what was involved to convert. My worry about using modern high torque engines (in comparison to the old V8) is damage to the drive axle.

Richard

Maurice Donckers · #10 08-03-05, 07:54

I have driven several Carrier moddels , with original enginnes , and if the ignition is set to modern petrol , and everything is right , they go like hell . T 16 is the easyest too steer , and the universal the most fun to drive . I can`t see all the botter in converting them . But if they are not set right , then I can understand that they don`t want to go . I have heard dozens of V8 just running on a few of the 8 cilinders , and the owners then explain aaah it runs as sweet as a .....
maurice

Dave Page · #11 08-03-05, 19:11

Hi, having driven quite a few carriers myself, I can assure you the ones that were restored to original specs. performed far better than the so called upgraded ones. Apart from the resale problem there is the fact that you will be missing out on the true experience of driving your carrier; all it's little idiosycrasies.
I new of one carrier where a powerful, modern V8 was fitted. This resulted in the entire gearbox shearing the bolts off the bell housing and spinning - ouch!. There is an engineering lesson in that; bolstering one part exposes weakness in another.
That said, it is your carrier.
Good luck,
Dave