Re: [Amc-list] Late engine/trans into earlier body

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

The engine compartment of the 58-63 American is only 22" at it's narrowest point. The intake of almost any modern in-line four sticks out too far to one side to fit without major mods. An early model 2.3L Ford will fit by just cutting one hump off (or seriously bending with a sledge hammer... I think that's what the guy I assisted did before I got involved...), but a later model won't. I looked at a Mitsubishi 2.6L and a GM 2.5L before I rebuilt the 196 OHV in the American I had years ago, rebuilt the engine around 94 or 95. They wouldn't fit. I also looked at a Nissan 280Z six since it's rather small in displacement, but it's large bore/short stroke -- nearly as long as all the other sixes. I didn't think to check the Ford six out, or I might have went that way. I knew the later AMC six was too long and that hte Chevy six was, and just assumed the Ford was similar. Didn't want anything that wasn't going to have more power potential anyway, so the 170/200 was out. 

The fellow doing the Quad 4 conversion is going to check and see if the original Q4 intake will fit without modifying the engine bay. That intake curves over the valve cover and was made for a front wheel drive, so it might. I'll let everyone know if it does. 

If you're going to cut the hump on the left side, the 2.5L AMC/Jeep four might be a winner though. I'd use one of those before anything else that took the same amount of work. 

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Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:58:41 -0500
From: Glen Hoag <hoag@xxxxxx>

I'm surprised that there was only a brief mention of the AMC 2.5L 
four.  Sure, it only made it into Jeeps (and the mythical four 
cylinder Eagle Premier) plus the base Dodge Dakota 1996-2002, but 
it's a GEN-U-WINE AMC engine and should fit at least as well as some 
of the other suggestions.

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)


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