ford engines in studebakers

[studestang]

I love studebakers but im new to them I just kind of discovered them . I was wondering hopefully someone could answer this for me can you fit a Ford engine in one maybe like a newer mustang engine.

[KGlowacky]

You can fit any motor into any car if you have the time,money and talent. Dependind on the model of Stude , this will determine the task.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Sure!!!! The monster Chrysler Hemi will fit...been done.

You just have to look at what you have...make sure nothing hit anything, build a set of motor and trans. mounts...bingo!

If your engine has a front sump....you obviously have to swap that for a rear sump pan.

A Ford is overall smaller than a Chevy right....and that's a popular swap.

If you have experience doing that sort of thing....go for it.

BUT....like costs of high dollar things...if you have to ask you "probably" can't afford it". Rings true here too. If you have to ask if it'll fit....you may be better off having someone with more experience do the fitting and mount work.

This is not a put down to you...just possibly saving you the heartach, money and maybe a still born project.

Mike

[bradnree]

At the Good Guys and National Street Rod Association shows (both on the internet) I see many Ford 302's, Small block Chevys, and GM V6. There were more Studes than I have ever seen in DesMoines recently at a Good Guys show----cars, trucks, original, mostly original, and street rods. The International meet in Omaha will draw many Stude street rods. Many times this SDC site displays writers with non-acceptance of street rodding, but everyone does the car hobby differently and we are all drivng Studebakers. A friend of mine is just finishing a Lark with a Mopar 318 because that is the rebuilt engine he had available in his garage, and no he didn't throw away the Stude engine because it didn't have one when he bought the car...BRAD

[PackardV8]

Greetings, studestang and welcome to the forum. You will find all the answers here, even if the traditionalists and iconoclasts here never agree on which is correct. Just don't take us seriously.

The Studebaker V8 is such a physically large engine, literally any other modern ohv V8 will fit. The really-small-block-ford-302 is so tiny, better bring two. Just one looks so lost and pitiful down there in the bottom of the Stude engine compartment, the natural reaction is to wonder who thought it would be a good idea.

thnx, jv.

PackardV8

[jimmijim8]

While at a local car cruise a fellow asked to see my engine in the Hawk. When I opened the hood he exclaimed, GEEZE.. I have to admit that the Stude V8 looks a bit intimidating due to its physical properties. To me it looks more appropriate than a smaller size looking engine under the hood. I once saw a Stude pickup with a Ford small block in it. Looked to me that there was enough room for another on top of it. Can you say way too low. I don't mean to offend any body. jimmijim

[studestang]

Hi thanks for all the info guys one more question does anybody know where I could get a good cheap studebaker any model is cool with me, doesn't have to be in the greatest shape Im not afraid of a little work I do have a couple of fav models I like the starlight coupe, daytona, lark,champion,commander, though any will do for me as long as it's Studebaker.

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by studestang

I love studebakers but im new to them I just kind of discovered them . I was wondering hopefully someone could answer this for me can you fit a Ford engine in one maybe like a newer mustang engine.

A few years ago I went to the auction of an old salvage yard that had been closed for a number of years. The auction bill listed a '53 Commander hardtop with a Ford 289 and a 4-speed. I thought "yeah right, somebody else bit on the Ford 289 story". When I saw the car it DID have a Ford 289 in it. It was a very nice fit. The car was so rusty overall and so packed in the brush and such that I doubt if it could have been pulled out in one piece.
Yes, there were other Studebakers (and some Packards), probably a dozen, all very ordinary Larks except two M trucks. There were a LOT of Brand X treasures, many very restorable.

Paul Johnson
'53 Commander Starliner (since 1966)
'64 Daytona Wagonaire (original owner)
'64 Daytona Convertible (2006)
Museum R-4 engine

[whacker]

There is no such thing as a "good, cheap Studebaker." There are cheap Studebakers and there are good Studebakers. Expect to pay a fair price for a good Studebaker. If you are into engine swaps, you might be able to get a good deal on a six cylinder model. The price of those has remained pretty low because of the six, but they are good little cars, and the price of those is climbing as well. A six will have a lighter frame in most cases, and smaller brakes, but if you swap in a modern, lightweight V6 and convert to modern disk brakes (and sway bar and bigger shocks, and maybe stiffer springs) you might have something when you are done.

[Jeff_H]

I have a 3.8 V6 ford in my '53 K. Found out later its not one of fords best from a abuse tolerance; but thats another story. Got the entire wrecked donor car to get all the EFI stuff and trans, etc. If I did it again, I'd look hard at the 3.8 V6 buick instead. Biggest headache was relocating the oil filter. Like most V8 fords, the oil filter on the V6 is on the front driver side corner. This one attached to the timing cover. To get the engine as far back and low as I could, the front of the engine sits sorta even with the front cross member on the frame. The oil filter spin mount nearly hit the frame even with no filter on it! On this engine, the filter mount is also the cover for the oil pump. I had a plate machined and surface ground and tapped for fittings made to replace the filter mount/cover. That let me run hard line down under the front of the oil pan to a remote filter mount I bolted to the other side of the block. It works but looks a little odd. Since both ends of the hard line are solid with the block, didn't need to use hoses. Other problems I had were with the lower radiator hose since fords come out on the driver side and the stude rad neck is on the passenger side. Took me months of intermittant work to come up with solutions to all this stuff. Good thing I have a lot of patience!

Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[PackardV8]

By your

quote:Found out later its not one of fords best from a abuse tolerance; but thats another story.

Then you've heard that all Ford 3.8l heads eventually crack. The good news is there are aftermarket redesigned replacement heads which will not crack. About $750-1000 for the heads, valve job, gaskets and labor and you'll be back in business.

PackardV8

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by PackardV8

By your

quote:Found out later its not one of fords best from a abuse tolerance; but thats another story.

Then you've heard that all Ford 3.8l heads eventually crack. The good news is there are aftermarket redesigned replacement heads which will not crack. About $750-1000 for the heads, valve job, gaskets and labor and you'll be back in business.

PackardV8

I guess it depends on your definition of "eventually." I ordered a new 1989 Thunderbird, that only came with the 3.8 litre. I drove the car for 13 years and then sold it to a family up the street. I still see the car regularly. The guy stops by occasionally to tell me what a good car it is and that it is still on the original exhaust, etc. I just saw the car on the road this weekend. I guess that all mechanical things fail "eventually." I've owned many other cars that had failures at much earlier age and miles than this Thunderbird is now.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY
1954 Commander Starliner (restomod)
1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)

[Dan White]

Before someone goes yanking the orignal engine if it runs well just because they know another make's engine better is foolish money at best. As others have said give the Stude engine a chance, it can perform as well as anything its size or even more if supercharged or turboed. Take a look at Ted Harbit, his original 232 (talk about a small V8) powered Chicken Hawk set many a record against supposedly more powerful big three cars. The performance at the Pure Muscle Car Drags are also evidence that Stude made fine high performance engines. I am not a purist and if you want to swap be my guest, but a Buick 3.8 (turbo even better) or a Cad 472 or 500 would be my choices. Dare to be different if you aren't going to stay with the original.

Dan White
64 R1 GT
64 R2 GT

[bradnree]

Lenny: Studebaker original, mostly original, or street rod....go for it !!!!!

[Jeff_H]

Haven't had a problem with the one I put in my '53 yet. Bought the parts car for the '53 project in '95. It was a wrecked '84 tbird. I always liked the styling of the '83-'86 tbirds and about a year later I found one with the same v6 with [u]no rust </u> in the back row of a used lot. Bought it and drove it as a summer car for 3 yrs. Summer of '99 I used it on a 250 mile trip to the SDC zone meet on a 99 deg day. The heater core decided to blow out on the way home on the interstate and dumped most of the coolant out the AC drain before I got off the road. By that time the temp gauge was pegged and it was nearly siezed. I got it towed home the next day. Cracked one head and cost me a full rebuild. Good thing I can do all the wrenching. It turned out that the rad was partly clogged up and it had been running hot for a while before the heater core let go. Rebuilt engine, new rad, etc, etc and its going strong with another 35k on it today. Irony is I spent probably $1100 or so for parts and machine work on that and about a year later a local shop that specialized in engine work and installing remanufactured long blocks went out of business and I bought another rebuilt 3.8 bagged on a pallet at the auction for $150......

Jeff in ND

quote:Then you've heard that all Ford 3.8l heads eventually crack. The good news is there are aftermarket redesigned replacement heads which will not crack. About $750-1000 for the heads, valve job, gaskets and labor and you'll be back in business.

'53 Champion Hardtop