[graynak]

hi all
let me introduce myself
my name is geoff
i've dug myself a hole, and i'd like a hand rather than a rope!

i've got a 1946 International Harvester Metro Van.
picts can be seen here to get a sense of what i'm dealing with: METRO

I ultimately want to turn it into a camper-van that can cruise in the low-60s. While safety repairs are somewhat universal (disc brakes and telescoping shocks), the engine choice seems to be giving me nightmares. It has a 3.73 rear-end, so I think any decent overdrive transmission should work.

But again: WHAT ENGINE SHOULD I CHOOSE!?!?!?!
Either one will need frame-mounts, some re-plumbing, and some electrical enhancement...

things (in no particular order) that i'd like to get input on,

noise (is the 4BT too loud to be that close to my body???)
power (will the 4BT be able to keep me at 65 with any sort of incline???)
gas mileage (will the F300 get me from one gas station to the next?)


I know the 4BT will be a much more expensive build, but if I get 30% better mileage, then I may



PLEASE HELP ME!!!

thanks for your time

geoff

 

[DarylB]

Go all original - rebuild the flathead engine. Nice slow cruiser

 

[scout4bta]

Go with the 4BT! The orginal 6 would never get you 65 mph anyway. As for the sound, there's a thread about that goiing on right now, here.
Sound deadening is not rocket science, you can do it. You will need an overdirve transmission, keep the 3.73 gears.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

wow that is killer.. I am a big fan of old vans & things like that.. I have long had the same idea, me and my long time girlfriend sort of have van fewer, I would love to do something like that.. Anywhoo, cheers, I say go 4BT.. Sound proof well and do goo motor mounts but other than that you should be fine.. Find out what the rear axle gearing is, you actually want to shoot for about 70 at around 1800 rpms. Might as well go faster if you can :beer:

 

[CrewCab59]

Way to cool,that old iron needs a 4bt.Yank out the gasser and never look back.

Thanks
CrewCab59

 

[Mikel]

Just keep the original pieces you remove, in case you ever decide to go back to original.

 

[graynak]

Go all original - rebuild the flathead engine. Nice slow cruiser

well ... i've thought about that, too.
but i have concerns about finding replacement parts if it ever breaks down on the road ... and concerns about my wife learning to double clutch ...

and more so, concerns about whether the green-diamond can handle 2 hours of sustained rpms.

on top of that, a decent rebuild on the GRD would be about 2500... i'd rather use that toward a nice new(er) engine...

cheers

g

 

[graynak]

You will need an overdrive transmission, keep the 3.73 gears.

thanks for the encouragement ... and the noise link ... good read


if i buy a drop-in 4BT, what automatic transmission will bolt up with little hassle?
i've seen TH400s, but that doesn't have overdrive...

thoughts?

 

[graynak]

wow that is killer.. I am a big fan of old vans & things like that.. I have long had the same idea, me and my long time girlfriend sort of have van fewer, I would love to do something like that.. Anywhoo, cheers, I say go 4BT.. Sound proof well and do goo motor mounts but other than that you should be fine.. Find out what the rear axle gearing is, you actually want to shoot for about 70 at around 1800 rpms. Might as well go faster if you can :beer:

thanks... (your web-site is great ... i wish you live in portland!)

the original idea came from when we lived out of a van for 3 months in new zealand.

the rear axle is 3.73 ... so we are in good shape there.

now i need to find a fabricator who is willing to get the big-bits done for me!!!

cheers and thanks

geoff

 

[scout4bta]

thanks for the encouragement ... and the noise link ... good read


if i buy a drop-in 4BT, what automatic transmission will bolt up with little hassle?
i've seen TH400s, but that doesn't have overdrive...

thoughts?

You can use a non overdrive, but you'll be stuck at 50-55 mph,

Dodge!
518/46rh non lockup, 46rh lockup, 47RE electronic, needa a PCM.
Make sure you purchase one that came from behind a Diesel, there is a difference between then and the ones that sit behind a gasser.