OzVMX Forum

Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: jimson on August 31, 2016, 01:36:29 pm

Title: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: jimson on August 31, 2016, 01:36:29 pm
G'day viewers I'm in the middle of purchasing enough parts to build a old school truck for a daily drive & my business. I'm going to put the cab off an TJ Bedford truck onto a HQ chassis. Now if I buy a 6 cylinder roller that's what I will have to run & thought would be ok, but my son says V8 if I'm going to all the trouble . Now V8's are cool but the 6 cylinders are more plentiful. So what's your spin on this situation peoples ? Thanks jimson
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: maicoman18 on August 31, 2016, 04:48:37 pm
HQ chassis will get you into pre'75 but you might have to limit the suspension!!! ??? :D ;D
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: fred99999au on August 31, 2016, 05:12:59 pm
Go the six and stick a turbo Barra in it.

Just for something different.

Got  a mate who's workshop was doing some work for a 1000HP Barra.
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: 80-85 husky on August 31, 2016, 05:53:26 pm
use a 253 v8. designed for trucks and a solid go all day engine. a blueprint and balance will make it sweet and it will sound ace without draining every fuel bowser. can use a banjo diff as well.
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: Wayno on August 31, 2016, 07:05:25 pm
 I would go a 5 litre injected crate engine, no points no carby  happy days !!!
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: Maicoman on August 31, 2016, 10:25:34 pm
Depending on what state your in I'd be checking with RMS for the correct requirements for VSCCS compliance Certification before registration as you're building a modified vehicle and doing a body/chassis swap.
They'll help you with the ADR's the vehicle has to meet. The last thing you want to do is build it only to get told it can't be driven on the road.
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: crossedup2 on August 31, 2016, 10:34:09 pm
Stick with a 5 litre, 253 pistons are getting  had to find. You'll  find that the 5 litre, well tuned and reasonable standard gets good economy unless you pedal hard.
Stick with the Rochester carby and don't  be suckered into the holley. They actually work much better than holleys as long as the throttle shafts are not worn. With a couple of simple mods to the carby you can get them work efficiently.
Also, get the 3.08 diff and the trimatic for cheap tranmission builds.
Good luck with it. That would be one cool ride!
I use to work on all types of Bedfords as a mechanic in the late 70s. The HQ conversion would be get.......
Peter B
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: 80-85 husky on September 01, 2016, 08:41:52 pm
a mate had a v12 chev engine which came from a plane moving unit chev built for the us airforce as their usual tractors couldnt shift the superfortress and others being built at the time. they stuck two v6's together. would make a cool truck engine.
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: evo550 on September 01, 2016, 08:47:44 pm
Didn't Holden fit 253's to the J series Bedfords ? might as well stay true...
Will the cab fit ?
Love to see a CF Beddy done up :)
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: jimson on September 01, 2016, 09:03:47 pm
Yeah holden did fit V8s to some JT Bedfords. I already have the cab & fitting it to a HQ chassis makes it easy as a daily drive. I don't like the idea of parking a truck every time I go to town it would be a pain in the arse. I'm sure parts would be more available for a HQ then a Bedford. Jimson
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: 80-85 husky on September 01, 2016, 09:05:59 pm
slip over to the old holden website, very knowledgeable bunch on all things like what your proposing as well as a good source of bits
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: jimson on September 01, 2016, 09:18:10 pm
Thanks 80-85 Husky & thanks everyone else, for your input. Jimson
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: Jim on September 02, 2016, 08:29:10 am
c w and ad smith used to be at hurstville years ago i think they moved to heathcote rd moorebank as many bedford parts as u want or steer u in the right direction....goodluck....
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: crossedup2 on September 02, 2016, 05:28:56 pm
Jimson
Here is some inspiration.
Ford onto Holden but similar in many ways. Good Luck.

http://www.aussiev8.com.au/conversions-rebuilds-project-cars/50699-1948-f1-ford-pickup-holden-1-tonner-chassis.html (http://www.aussiev8.com.au/conversions-rebuilds-project-cars/50699-1948-f1-ford-pickup-holden-1-tonner-chassis.html)

Peter B
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: Ekka on September 05, 2016, 09:31:17 pm
I brought a hq tonner and going to install a ls1 with 6 speed  box  from a vx ss I brought cheap
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: 09.0 on September 11, 2016, 06:53:48 am
Looking to do the same. Just bought a hq chassis that has been rebuilt to put an early f truck body on it. Chev small block is my preference. I don't understand using a 253. They suck fuel like a v8 but are slugs.
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: FourstrokeForever on September 11, 2016, 10:41:18 am
I don't understand using a 253. They suck fuel like a v8 but are slugs.

i agree %100. A 253 can be made to go pretty hard in a SMALL car like a Torana but for a small truck the lack of torque will rare it's ugly head. Best off with a 5ltr to start with as it is the same physical size as the boat anchor 253 with more mumbo.
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: 80-85 husky on September 11, 2016, 02:48:11 pm
lots of for and against the two fitty 3 but they are a neat tidy small v8 that sounds good and can run cheap. the later blue motors with 4 barrel are terrible (except for the ign). the early two barrels ran quite economically. we had a servo years ago and looked after a fleet of fords and holdens for an a/c mob. The hq 253's in the wagons and pvans would turn in 23 - 27 mpg while the 250 fords would do 18 - 22 mpg.

the real answer here is big block crate motor, why naff about? but for a budget build, 253 is as good as any and easy to find...ive got one out the back paddock!
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: jimson on September 11, 2016, 09:36:13 pm
Well I've just scored a HQ chassis & started pulling the Bedford cab apart to remove it from it's chassis. I have a blue 202 engine & 4 speed box in the shed. Because I'm such a poor prick, I'll build it & run the 202 but long term when I've saved some cash I'll go either 253 or 308 V8 way. Thanks for all your input. Jimson
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: 80-85 husky on September 12, 2016, 09:04:43 am
give the head on the 20 some tlc and it will pull pretty good. radius off all the turns in the inlet ports so they are smooth and take out some of the boss around where the valve comes in and it will improve torque significantly. chase up a set of quality valve springs, ditch the varajet carb for a ford xe-f webber and your away.
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: Mike52 on September 12, 2016, 09:15:33 am
253 was a way better engine than the 308. The 308 was an extension or adaption of the 253 and with the bore to stroke ratio it had it wore out way quicker than the 253. The 253 could be made to go well with a few machining tricks.
But the 308 is a better engine for just lugging around pulling a load.
If you can find one get a Leyland P76 4.2 V8.
Run rings around both.

Do not get a Rover V8. Piece of Sh#t.
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: 80-85 husky on September 12, 2016, 01:03:07 pm
I was keen to put one of those leylands into a clubman build but my capabilities and my dreams aligned...
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: FourstrokeForever on September 13, 2016, 09:51:38 am
I've been on the lookout for a Leyland V8 for my SWB Bedford van project. They are a brilliant motor with light weight and small(ish) external dimensions. I don't know where all the V8 P76's went to, but they're hard to find with a motor still in them.
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: Momus on September 13, 2016, 08:17:16 pm
Cummins 6 or left field the 2.5 turbo diesel plus 5 speed auto 4 from an lload Hyundai
Title: Re: Old school truck engine size ?
Post by: FourstrokeForever on September 14, 2016, 07:09:01 pm
I was thinking of going to a diesel motor.....A wrecked mid 00's Vito with all the running gear under the Beddy would be neat. But how do I get the sidepipes to sound like a V8?