62 SlabSide Diesel Swap

[6SLabSidE2]

Ok I am a 40 year retired amry vet, I use to own a diesel performance shop and I currently have one of my favorite diesel engines sitting around waiting to be out into somthing and figured I may attemp to swap it into my 62. I have done a few other 6.0 Diesel swaps into other things such as a f100 and ranger, my only question is the 62 has alot smaller engine bay then the newer year ones.

What I am asking beside do a ls 4l60 swap and hammering the tunnle has anyone else done a big block swap into a 62 and with a larger transmission, did you have to remove the factory ac system push the firewall back or anything.

As far as exhaust goes im thinking of doing fender stacks with rain drop tips on out the top of each front fender to direct smoke up and out away from the car.

Engine produces 600hp 1200ftlb trq

I have complete engine, transmission and everything to do the swap, only thing is intercooler maybe have to be a custome one to get it all to fit under the hood.

Im wanting to do this swap for the wow factor and because I already have all the stuff to do it, vs just doing a normal LS2 swap like pretty much everyone else does plus i can get 20mpg out a of a 6.0 diesel.

Thought and inputs from anyone else would be great.

[Lee]

Being the owner of a ‘62 myself, I think it would be incredibly dangerous to do what you propose, and the automotive gods will curse you and your descendants forever if you even attempt it.

However, I think smoke stacks would look great coming out of the fenders of say, a mid 70’s Oldsmobile, and it would make a great demolition derby car to boot. A real crowd pleaser for sure.

[papawayne]

I'm a factory guy too, but hey, it is your car, and you can do anything you want with it. I know zero about diesels, and I am too old to learn, but you have at it. Wayne

[frasern]

Had you waited 12 days, I would suspect a "Gotcha", however; Not as familiar with the 6.0, but I rebuilt a 7.3 last year and it is big and heavy, makes that 430 look tiny. Also, the PCA transmission is very compact, no room in that tunnel for anything else. Only way to do this is with a separate frame, then cut a rusty body enough to sit atop it.

[6SLabSidE2]

The being said I get where you are coming from I’m a purest too, but board with the boat anchor of the factor motor. Least the 6.0 is a ford engine, not a ls swap, yet again not sure what plans are just yet I’m look into some power options for the factory motor as well I even thought about just .

Being the owner of a ‘62 myself, I think it would be incredibly dangerous to do what you propose, and the automotive gods will curse you and your descendants forever if you even attempt it.

However, I think smoke stacks would look great coming out of the fenders of say, a mid 70’s Oldsmobile, and it would make a great demolition derby car to boot. A real crowd pleaser for sure.

[6SLabSidE2]

The 430 Mel is just as big and heavy as the 7.3L and 6.0L diesel engines they weight just shy of 980lbs fully dressed. The 430 is a 7.0L thick skirt and casting block and weights just shy of 800lbs with a hp of 300hp but a 6.0 easy 1000hp with little effort.

Had you waited 12 days, I would suspect a "Gotcha", however; Not as familiar with the 6.0, but I rebuilt a 7.3 last year and it is big and heavy, makes that 430 look tiny. Also, the PCA transmission is very compact, no room in that tunnel for anything else. Only way to do this is with a separate frame, then cut a rusty body enough to sit atop it.

[6SLabSidE2]

That’s the only thing that stands in my way of the 6.0 swap is the amount of trans tunnel modification I may have to do to get it to fit. Then started thinking a 4bt swap lol with is a 4 cylinder Cummins but at that point might as well ls swap it, I was only leaning more towards the 6.0 because I have it already.

quote=frasern post_id=422999 time=1710943419 user_id=14352]
Had you waited 12 days, I would suspect a "Gotcha", however; Not as familiar with the 6.0, but I rebuilt a 7.3 last year and it is big and heavy, makes that 430 look tiny. Also, the PCA transmission is very compact, no room in that tunnel for anything else. Only way to do this is with a separate frame, then cut a rusty body enough to sit atop it.
[/quote]

[1Bad55Chevy]

There you go.. 5.9l cummins swapped 62 Lincoln...
https://www.dieselworldmag.com/features ... -elegance/

[Lee]

You have to ask yourself, why hasn’t this guy put a fifth wheel on the trunk? Coolest tractor truck EVER! He’s already got the compressor for the air brakes.

[1Bad55Chevy]

I am probably the only person on here that doesn't hate the diesel swaps into classic cars. On the flip side of that there is a huge difference between doing it and doing it right. The biggest issue in front of you isn't the trans tunnel but rather the unibody construction of the vehicle. Take some time and really look at the sheet metal schematics of these cars and truly ask yourself "can this handle 1000hp and 2000ft/lbs of torque?). The answer will be no! You need to start with a frame like this.
https://roadstershop.com/product/1964-6 ... e-chassis/

All I ask is please don't cut up a really nice survivor for this. If your going to do something like this start with something rough or a parts car.

[papawayne]

Chevy has my mantra perfectly. We also have 38 Zephyrs in the family, and someone is always getting in touch with us about them so they can have the body. We just sold a very rough one to such a person who made promises of restoration like you wouldn't believe, so we didn't. On the upside of these retro rod people is the fact that they have lots of driveline, suspension and interior parts to sell or take to the dump. Stay in touch with them. We got a transmission back for another restorable 38 by using another name and address instead. Wayne

[Lee]

Despite my apparent “discouragement” of such activity, I am firmly libertarian, and I believe you the right to do whatever the heck you want with your own property. Especially so if you start with a hulk that would otherwise sink into the ground. However, every once in a while, my jaw drops when I see something like this:

That was the before picture, and a perfectly good show quality L-29 Cord. Then a multi-millionaire in Florida got hold of it, and thought it would be much better with a Corvette drivetrain, custom interior and funny wheels:

[papawayne]

Ouch that hurts, but my wife would think it's kind of nice, if I only showed her the after picture. But at shows, she spends more time looking at the "K's" than she does the slab sides. She would confuse a Cord with a K, and I'm not admitting it. Go figure. Keep track of your buyer when you sell a whole car or a restored one. You may need his/her parts. The headlights on this one are truly ugly. Wayne

[Mike]

It's someone's own money to do whatever they want with. I think there are a lot of old cars that should be left alone and it's sad when you see a car that's a 100 year old survivor-ish being hacked up for new suspension and drivetrain but at the same time if it's a car that there's still a lot of around like a model A derivative or it was in rough shape to begin with modernizing it can make it actually drivable in today's world. Especially if it keeps its original looks. A lot of those old cars are nice but they can be work to drive and a pain to maintain.

[papawayne]

My mother in law's mother drove from Ma to Ca during the depression. Don't have a clue how she did it running away from her husband and with small kids. I don't even know what kind of car they had. Were there even any roads? Can you imagine trying that today, even with a modern car? How about something from the 20's? Here is a reason to restore and keep something from the past just to show that people actually did these things in those days. We can debate the sanity of it later, but it must have been better than going on a horse. Wayne