AMT 53 Ford pickup engine swap

[slusher]

I was thinking about putting a different engine in an 53 Ford truck but was wondering what would be a good fit.??       I am not a great scratch builder..

Edited April 2, 2024 by slusher
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[stitchdup]

I'm not familiar with the kit but i would probably start by looking for something with the same mounts for the gearbox. That way theres at least one fixed mount already there and the engine mounts can be made to fit easier than making a gearbox fit the tunnel

[Ace-Garageguy]

As you surely know, the optional engine in that kit is a DeSoto Firedome hemi, which fits just fine as-is.

The engine bay in those trucks is pretty huge, and should be big enough for just about anything.

The front engine mount in the AMT '53 Ford truck is under the lower front pulley, which would make the Cadillac engine in the AMT '49-'50 Ford kits probably the easiest swap from another kit, because it has a similar front mount.

IIRC, most of the other engines in AMT kits of the period were designed to swap around with minimal difficulty, though you'd have to address the front mount with most, if not all...as they typically have engine mounts on the sides of the block you'll probably want to remove. 

There was a fairly famous (at the time) blown-Caddy-powered truck like this (owned by Bill Edwards) that set some records at Bonneville. The blower fits under the hood IIRC.

EDIT: Yup. Sept. '55         151 MPH.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/looking-for-any-info-on-big-bill-edwards.576967/

https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Bill_Edwards'_1953_Ford

Otherwise, the Dodge Red Ram hemi from the AMT '29 Fords would be a good choice, while the Chrysler Firepower hemi from the AMT '32 Ford kits, or the Cadillac from the '59 El Camino, or the Buick V8 or the Oldsmobile V8 from one of the AMT '40 Fords, or the Pontiac V8 from the AMT '36 Fords should be close to drop-ins...but I'm pretty sure all the above would need simple front mounts under the lower pulley.

The Ford Y-blocks from AMT's '56 and '57 Ford kits would be cool too, or the 348/409 from AMT's '57 Chevy...and of course, any smallblock Chevy.

EDIT: Because the engine bay is so big in this Ford truck, you shouldn't have to face much scratch-building. Most of the exhaust manifolds that come with any of those engines should fit easily. Radiator hoses, if you need new ones, can also be done easily by using some of the flexible black tube most craft stores carry for stringing beads.

The trans just kinda sits on the crossmember in most of those, so that's not much of a hassle either.

The only tricky bit is making up a front engine mount that's compatible with the Ford truck frame, and a couple of pieces of scrap shaped to copy the mount on the Ford pickup engine will get you there.

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[slusher]

13 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

As you surely know, the optional engine in that kit is a DeSoto Firedome hemi, which fits just fine as-is.

The engine bay in those trucks is pretty huge, and should be big enough for just about anything.

The front engine mount in the AMT '53 Ford truck is under the lower front pulley, which would make the Cadillac engine in the AMT '49-'50 Ford kits probably the easiest swap from another kit, because it has a similar front mount.

IIRC, most of the other engines in AMT kits of the period were designed to swap around with minimal difficulty, though you'd have to address the front mount with most, if not all...as they typically have engine mounts on the sides of the block you'll probably want to remove. 

There was a fairly famous (at the time) blown-Caddy-powered truck like this (owned by Bill Edwards) that set some records at Bonneville. The blower fits under the hood IIRC.

EDIT: Yup. Sept. '55         151 MPH.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/looking-for-any-info-on-big-bill-edwards.576967/

https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Bill_Edwards'_1953_Ford

Otherwise, the Dodge Red Ram hemi from the AMT '29 Fords would be a good choice, while the Chrysler Firepower hemi from the AMT '32 Ford kits, or the Cadillac from the '59 El Camino, or the Buick V8 or the Oldsmobile V8 from one of the AMT '40 Fords, or the Pontiac V8 from the AMT '36 Fords should be close to drop-ins...but I'm pretty sure all the above would need simple front mounts under the lower pulley.

The Ford Y-blocks from AMT's '56 and '57 Ford kits would be cool too, or the 348/409 from AMT's '57 Chevy...and of course, any smallblock Chevy.

EDIT: Because the engine bay is so big in this Ford truck, you shouldn't have to face much scratch-building. Most of the exhaust manifolds that come with any of those engines should fit easily. Radiator hoses, if you need new ones, can also be done easily by using some of the flexible black tube most craft stores carry for stringing beads.

The trans just kinda sits on the crossmember in most of those, so that's not much of a hassle either.

The only tricky bit is making up a front engine mount that's compatible with the Ford truck frame, and a couple of pieces of scrap shaped to copy the mount on the Ford pickup engine will get you there.

 

 

 

Thank, guys and Ace I want something without to much work. I had Ian idea of trying the Engine  from the Flip nose Ford or Chevy. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

47 minutes ago, slusher said:

 I had Ian idea of trying the Engine  from the Flip nose Ford or Chevy. 

Hmmmmm...those are two kits I've never had...but I'm sure somebody here knows all about 'em.  

[slusher]

Thanks. Ace!

[bobss396]

Some Trophy Series engines will swap back and forth, but maybe only in the '30's Fords? Those had stubby transmissions on them.

I did a recent swap and made up a cradle type crossmember for it, not a Trophy Series kit however.

[Mark]

If you are using one of the Trophy Series engines with the short closed drive transmission, cut it off and substitute the open drive transmission from either of the engines from the '53 pickup kit.  Adapters were available for both (maybe the same one was used?).

[espo]

In addition to the mentioned Cadillac engine consider the Oldsmobile engine from the Revell '50 Oldsmobile. Besides being a well detailed engine, this swap was not uncommon way back when. Nothing wrong with a big block Ford engine in a Ford. 

[slusher]

thanks guys for the ideas!

[bobss396]

I recently put a 312 Ford into a '40 Ford. I had to use the short transmission, anything longer would have required major surgery. I don't recall how long the '53 Ford truck transmission is.

[Dave G.]

The other issue with the swap, not mentioned thus far, is that AMT chose to use a steel axle rod through the backing plates to connect the wheels with. Typical early AMT. I had to do a little filing on even the kit flathead to fully clear that metal axle on a recent 53 build.

FE Fords, I believe, you might have to make into a rear sump oil pan ( which in 1/1 was done on some drag cars). Just flip the pan around backwards. Nobody knows it doesn't have the extended oil pickup tube from the front pump, lol !

[Rbray47]

I used the straight 6 out of the amt 41 Plymouth. I rearranged a few parts to make it look like a Ford engine if you squint. So I'm sure other sixes will fit too. I deleted the metal wire axle by using stubs glued into the brake drums. 

[blizzy63]

For a '53 Ford pickup, instinct would tell me to swap in a Cadillac 365/390, a Ford Y-block or Ford FE 352/390/427.

A real oddball would be a 1962-63 Chrysler Ram Induction/Max Wedge 413/426. The optional engine was supplied in the AMT '49 Mercury Coupe kit back when it was Mopar's latest-greatest Super Stocker mill.

(Both AMT '53 Ford pickup and '49 Mercury kits were originally released in 1963.)

Such an engine swap in either vehicle circa-1963 would have been rare and expensive.

Edited April 4, 2024 by blizzy63

[bobss396]

For the axle through the oil pan thing, I just cut 2 stubs of 1/16" aluminum tubing and CA them into the chassis or straight axle. I patch the oil pan holes too.

[slusher]

Thanks guys!

[Dave G.]

6 hours ago, bobss396 said:

For the axle through the oil pan thing, I just cut 2 stubs of 1/16" aluminum tubing and CA them into the chassis or straight axle. I patch the oil pan holes too.

I suppose the existing metal axle could be snipped off just the same way. Funny, never though of that ! I built two of these back in the 1960's and have one mostly done now, ALL stock. But it's a great kit to hot rod too.

[bobss396]

On 4/4/2024 at 1:58 PM, Dave G. said:

I suppose the existing metal axle could be snipped off just the same way. Funny, never though of that ! I built two of these back in the 1960's and have one mostly done now, ALL stock. But it's a great kit to hot rod too.

I swap engines and do away with the axle thru the oil pan. Aluminum tubing is easy to cut vs a steel axle.

[Dave G.]

22 minutes ago, bobss396 said:

I swap engines and do away with the axle thru the oil pan. Aluminum tubing is easy to cut vs a steel axle.

True, but I have auto mechanic metal/wire cutters. Side cutters, snip snip, done through steel that size.

The 53 pickup flathead has no holes through the oil pan though.

[stavanzer]

Here is the engine from the Ford Truck.

Looks like a long transmission.