ClassicCar

Rocket88NZ

Has anyone put a 308 Hornet motor into a short wheelbase Wasp or Super Wasp? I know anything is possible but can it be done without major mods?

Mike.

ski4life65

should swap right out

Rocket88NZ

Why did they make the Hornets with the longer wheelbase, was it just for better handling/ wieght distribution?

Mike.

PaceRacer50

I have a 1950 PaceMaker coupe which was the first of the short wheelbase cars. I believe cutting the 4" out was to same material and money only. the firewall is indented for the 232-262-308 engines to bolt right in.

I did not have to change anything at all to use the 308 in the 120" wheelbase car period. bolts right in no problem at all.

the 124" wheelbase Hornet was the same basic chassis design that came out in 1948. Seams that Hudson just decided to stick with the longer wheelbase for the top of the line vehicles.

I'm a little confused why Hudson never offered the 308 as an performance option in the Wasp shorter wheelbase cars especially for the racers.

later,

PaceRacer50

Hudson308

Dropping a 308 into the SWB cars is a bolt-in operation, provided the 308 is from a stepdown. The LWB Twin-H air cleaners won't clear the SWB wiper motor, but there are a few creative tricks to get around that. The one other tweak I've run into when dropping a 308 into any '48-50 stepdown involves the cross-shaft for the throttle linkage. Because the '51-up blocks and heads are a bit wider, that '48-50 cross shaft barely reaches the pivot hole in the throttle/plug wire/coil bracket. I had one drop out and stick open on the freeway once.

I would guess Hudson never offered a 308 in the Wasp/Super Wasp because they would have an even more difficult time selling Hornets.

Rocket88NZ

Thanks guys, appreciate the info. Would you rebuild the 262 or find a rebuilt 308 to install given the choice?

Mike.

PAULARGETYPE

HI HAVE THEM ON MY 50 PACEMAKER CV HERE ARE THE URLS FOR SOME PHOTOS

http://hudsonpix.multiply.com/photos/album/1#photo=50

http://hudsonpix.multiply.com/photos/album/1

51hornetA

262 is a great engine. Unless you are actually going to dirt track race this car a rebuilt 262 is a smooth engine.

hudsontech

PAULARGETYPE wrote:

HI HAVE THEM ON MY 50 PACEMAKER CV HERE ARE THE URLS FOR SOME PHOTOS

http://hudsonpix.multiply.com/photos/album/1#photo=50

http://hudsonpix.multiply.com/photos/album/1

Cool setup - and still not as cramped as todays cars are stock!!!

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

HudsonTech

http://hetclub.org/burr

Rocket88NZ

Wow what a nice job you did, a million miles from what you started with, thanks for the pics, shows what vision, skill and determination can do.

Mike.

Rocket88NZ

51hornetA wrote:

262 is a great engine. Unless you are actually going to dirt track race this car a rebuilt 262 is a smooth engine.

Thanks Sean, is sure going to be alot cheaper to ship required parts out here than complete engine, plus I will get to learn more about Hudson internals buy rebuilding myself.

Mike.

Also...Rocket,

Unless you are using the engine for show purposes, I think you'll find the single 2 BBL carb a lot less trouble than the twin H set up. For one you will have trouble getting the air cleaners to fit and there is a lot more monkeying around getting the twin carbs to run correctly.....mine run rich.

So purely for a driver I would stay with the 262 and a single carb, put Pertronix ignition on it and enjoy it.

Rocket88NZ

I know what you mean Jim, I have pulled the wiper unit to fit the back aircleaner in. I do like the look of the twin H though. I have a bike (Honda CBX 6 cylinder) that has six carbs so setting up 2 is not too much of an issue, I have it running pretty good although I do need to go down in jet sizes as it is a bit rich at present.

Mike.

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