Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

In this Discussion

engine & trans swap in a 49 hudson?
  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    hello I'm new here,I'm looking to put a newer motor & tranny in my 49 2door step down,i plan on rebuilding a 308 for it down the road,but for right now i was thinking about a 225 slant 6 or a 300 ford,any ideas?

    looking for more guys who did a swap.--chuck
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • servat_hudsonservat_hudson
    Posts: 56Senior Contributor
    is this topic interesting to me also, thanks for the consultation, I will be pending.

    Tanks you.
    1949 Hudson Commodore
    1969 Seat 850 Especial
    1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass supreme
    1979 Buick Skyhawk
    1985 Pontiac Fiero

    Don't Worry... Be Happy!!
  • Marconi
    Posts: 549Platinum Member
    Press Kale put a 225 slant 6 with a torqueflite in his 49 Super years ago and is still running it. Several members have put a Ford 300 six with the cruise-o-matic in their cars. Sam Tribble and Ken Jones come to mind. Check the roster. They're all here in SoCal.
  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    Marconi wrote:
    Press Kale put a 225 slant 6 with a torqueflite in his 49 Super years ago and is still running it. Several members have put a Ford 300 six with the cruise-o-matic in their cars. Sam Tribble and Ken Jones come to mind. Check the roster. They're all here in SoCal.


    thanks for the replies,i'm new to this site,how do i use the roster? do a search for Press Kale?
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    OK,i talked to press,a really nice man.still can't find Sam Tribble or Ken Jones,

    the guy who was gonna sell me his 225 & tranny has flaked out-[no sell.]
    i'm just trying to find someone who already done the 300 ford swap.so i don't have to do a sub-frame swap,SO anybody know anyone who done this?

    here's what press had to say about his swap:::
    the 225 dodge swap is pretty straight forward,use a truck oil pan,a mid 70's 360 dodge van radiator run the exhaust between motor & tranny,i guess you have to find a later hudson 52-54 hudson & use the floor/ tranny cover to clear the 904 hump,& use a dodge U joint that compatible with the hudson drive shaft,he used a ford rear end with highway gears,he also used the dodge air conditioner,he said he cruises all day with no effects,
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • BrowniepetersenBrowniepetersen
    Posts: 2,413Platinum Member
    I understand the 225 swap. I have seen Press's car several times and he has a great combination. Since that is not available, how come you are not going the way that almost everyone (80% of the hotrods today) does with the Chevrolet 350? Parts, Roadside service and all considered the Chevrolet offers a ton of advantages. The Chevrolet seems to be the "belly button" answer for all car applications. They have so many parts available that you can even get the "tri-power" fuel injection systems at a reasonable price that has always been the standard for "Old School" hotrooders.
    Brownie
  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    i'm not real big fan of chevy motors,but i'm open to any & all advice,have you do this swap?[smbk chevy]if so PLEASE tell me tell me..
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • BJ__TNBJ__TN
    Posts: 1,211Platinum Member
    Before My Illness sidelined me I had planned on putting a 300 Ford six out of a mid-70s Pick-up in a 54 coupe that I have. The engine had a rear sump oilpan, and was essentially the same width and length. I was planning on fabricating motor mounts that bolted to the front of the engine and fit in the Hudson mounting location. While I did not try it or anything like that, it appeared that the exhaust from the Ford to the Hudson downpipe would almost bolt up with minor tweaking. Of course since I planned on using a C-4 trans I would have to fab a rear mount. I had obtained a floor shifter from an early Ford Mustang.
    Bob Hickson
    I think this would be a great swap as the 300 Ford has great torque and is readily available as to finding parts. Also You can order all kinds of speed parts if You wish. Clifford offers a manifold for 3 sidedraft Weber carbs as well as headers and dress up accessories. But mainly I just did not want a run of the mill swap. I know that a lot of cars are running with Chevy small and big blocks. I guess I just like to be different. Also , with the new Stand alone ECU's available you could have, with a little more work, a Fuel Injected 300 cid engine.
  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    good news,,i very well may have scored my engine,we still need to get together,he works crazy hours & me getting ready for school to start next week,50 miles is so close but so far away,oh well keep your fingers & toes crossed
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • hoggyrubberhoggyrubber
    Posts: 477Gold Member
    i currently have a chevy inline 292 in my 53 hudson. i fab'ed motor mount purches that bolt onto frame and used 60's bell housing mount adapter i mad. had to shorted front drive shaft a few inches. it would have been better if i had used the 250 oil pan and a automatic trans instead of a manual 3 speed. very little room between engine and firewall, the clutch linkage is in way of floor pan- should have at least done hyd clutch.
    oh well, i am hopefully going back the a 308 in a few months at latest so i am not worring about changing anything. all the slant 6 225's i drove while growing up would last forever but were pretty much dogs compared to 292's or ford 300's. had i bet 5 of them but i am much happier with a inline chevy, but if you are set on the 225 go for it and good luck!
  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    heres what ended up with,just encase anyone cares..:evil: it's a 1970 225 slant 6W/a 4 barrel & a 904
    hudson050.jpg
    800 x 600 - 53K
    hudson052.jpg
    800 x 600 - 59K
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • Jon BJon B
    Posts: 4,761Moderator

    thanks for the replies,i'm new to this site,how do i use the roster? do a search for Press Kale?


    The names of all H-E-T members are listed towards the front of the roster, then you find out what state (or country) they're in, and turn to the main part which is listed by state.

    Of course, the roster was printed in 2007 or 2008, so a lot of contact information may have changed since then. Don't know when you joined the Club but you should have received a roster in the mail.
  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    thanks for the reply -but i ended up calling Mr press,he was the final push for me to run the slant 6,that's what he been running forever W/no problems:cheer: now i just gotta get a rear end & drive shaft-& my rear end in gear :woohoo:
    i never did find out how use the roster..oh well!:blush:
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • MikeWAMikeWA
    Posts: 1,441Platinum Member
    The Roster they're speaking of is a printed book put out by the HET club, its not a feature of this site. You get one when you join the club, and each time its updated. I think its automatic- at least I don't recall ordering it, and I've got several laying around from past years.
  • segajeepsegajeep
    Posts: 68Senior Contributor
    Anyone ever consider a diesel (12 valve Cummins or a Mercedes 3.0T)
    They have crossed my mind.My car came with a 318 poly in it.

    Isn't a 262 700 ish lbs while a 6bt is 950 ish.
  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    segajeep wrote:
    Anyone ever consider a diesel (12 valve Cummins or a Mercedes 3.0T)
    They have crossed my mind.My car came with a 318 poly in it.

    Isn't a 262 700 ish lbs while a 6bt is 950 ish.

    [strike]
    your's had a poly in it? got any pix[/strike]?what rear end is in it?
    i'm gonna do a rear swap in mine 'cause they're gear so low....:sick:

    never mind found them [the motor]
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • segajeepsegajeep
    Posts: 68Senior Contributor
    The swap looks ok, it has a trans and the driveline is hooked up.,but the front motor mounts are lame. Just some L channel steel bolted to the front crossmember. I'm gonna try to fire the 318 up and see whats going on.It would be a huge advantage if i don't need to change out the drivetrain right off the bat.
  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    [/quote] I'm gonna try to fire the 318 up and see whats going on.It would be a huge advantage if i don't need to change out the drivetrain right off the bat.[/quote]

    thats for sure!B) good luck!
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    i'm bring this back from the dead since there is another guy doing a engine swap in a 51 Comm. :whistle: he's looking to make it a daily driver & is open to any engine.
    anybody got pictures of any engine swaps?? how to's? any & all help will be passed on.
    Thanks Chuck
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado

  • RamblinHornetRamblinHornet
    Posts: 10Hitchhiker
    I put a 4.0 Jeep engine in a 1969 Rambler along with all the fuel injection. That would fit easily in the Hudson. If you look for a 2wd Jeep, you can use the trans, too. I used a 904 torqueflite, but the crank sensor and mating the torque converter to the Jeep flywheel was some work. I had to weld studs to the front of the converter and use nuts on the front of the flex plate like a ford. And the 4.0 will take a distributor and a carburator for an easy swap. Lots of them around right now. 258 AMC sixes are around, too, and would fit well. But the 308 would be my first choice anyday!!!!
  • stepdownstepdown
    Posts: 46Hitchhiker
    My 54 stepdown has a chevy in-line 250 with a two speed auto trans. Its been in the Hornet for some time and Im amazed how will it runs down the road.

    It looks to me the cross member was removed and a custom one build .

    The big dream is some day to lay my hands on one of those 308 i keep hereing about , but for now im just tooling down the road with my little chevy in- line

    Matt
  • lsfirthlsfirth
    Posts: 273Gold Member
    Here's a swap I'm in the middle of. 429 into a '49 brougham. As you'll notice, I've also welded in a mustang II front end which is detailed in this post:
    http://www.classiccar.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=24&id=114985&Itemid=152

    I'd KILL to see someone put a Hal-Scott Hudson Invader into a stepdown....in my opinion, that would be the end-all-be-all "hudson in a hudson" combination!!!
    IMG_6225.JPG
    800 x 533 - 55K
    IMG_6259.JPG
    800 x 533 - 42K
    This Hudson project is starting to scare the crud out of me!!!
  • chopperchuck
    Posts: 276Gold Member
    my 1st phone conversion with Press was:
    the 225 dodge swap is pretty straight forward,use a truck oil pan,a mid 70's 360 dodge van radiator run the exhaust between motor & tranny,i guess you have to find a later hudson 52-54 hudson & use the floor/ tranny cover to clear the 904 hump,& use a dodge U joint that compatible with the hudson drive shaft,he used a ford rear end with highway gears,he also used the dodge air conditioner,he said he cruises all day with no effects,


    After another brief conversation last night here's some more,i really hate bugging this really great man about his car,if anybody every get the chance to swap stories with this fountain of information i say DO IT!
    Hudson mount on the left side, Mopar mount on the right, w/fabbed bridge. He also swapped in a '64 Ford 8.8" rear from a '64 Fairlane 500.the Ujoint is the chevy to dodge, He has over 375K miles on the swap!
    Have you kissed a PIT BULL lately?

    Greeley Colorado