Old Vehicles.

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

In case 1968 classifies as old; I drive a Volvo L3314 from this year.
In the US you probably don't see them come by very often but here in Norway we have quite a few.

It's pretty old school with no power steering, no power brakes, no noise insulation, 4 speed manual and a 2L carburated petrol engine

View attachment 111112

So awesome !

 

[Dilldog]

Don't forget the old Chrysler Slant 6. While not as common in the trucks, it was used. Mostly 1/2 tons and fleet stuff. Those engine were bullet proof. It was a very popular engine for Taxi companies due to the reliability of it. Not big on power, but they sure could go the distance.

I have seen a few of the old slanties. Cool engines for sure. Honestly for me if its old and not a small block I will automatically love it, lol. I keep going back and forth on what I want to do with my Corvette. I think figuring out how to get a straight six in there, fuel inject it and turbo charge it would be cool (to be different and I also like pissing people off, wich that would do, I would probably try to find one of the newer 4.2L and mate it to a 4l60E). I have seen a few guys do this with Mustangs and they spank 302 powered 'stangs on the strip and road course. The other thing I have thought about is a Caddy big block swap. That is probably more doable as performance parts are easier to come by. Also the weight of the caddy big blocks is amazingly little. The 500s weigh less than a 454, and the 425s weigh about the same as a 350...

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

well my apologies, I have never heard of these engines and guarantee they were never sold in Oilberta.
At least NOT in light trucks. In heavy trucks yes but I doubt they ever made it into 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton light trucks.

GMC V6 engine - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

NO Suburban in Western Canada came with a V6.

Don't worry about it Billybob, the best engine ever made IMO was the Ford 351 Cleveland that was produced in Canada. It had 4 bolt mains and the best heads ever produced by Ford Canadian engineers. I believe it was also manufactured in Australia as well. The best I-6 ever built is Fords 300 ci inline with 7 main bearings (taxi cabs and trucks) with forged steel crank shaft. Some smart California racers learned to cut the 351 heads apart and weld them back together to produce a super head for the I-6 300 engine. 292 gimmy engines are the second best I-6 engine ever built, their biggest fault was only 3 main bearings. Ford also built a forged steel crank 262 I-6 engine that was an equal to the 292 gimmy engine but found only in large work trucks, not pickups.

 

[Dilldog]

The 351 Cleveland, like its name implies was built in Cleveland Ohio, the 351 Windsor was build in Windsor Ontario.
For the straight sixes, thats what I remember hearing, that the GM sixes had few mains (I thought it was 4), thus making the 240 and 300 Ford sixes stronger as both of them have 7 mains. Also the 300 when used in industrial applications had a steel crank.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

The 351 Cleveland, like its name implies was built in Cleveland Ohio, the 351 Windsor was build in Windsor Ontario.
For the straight sixes, thats what I remember hearing, that the GM sixes had few mains (I thought it was 4), thus making the 240 and 300 Ford sixes stronger as both of them have 7 mains. Also the 300 when used in industrial applications had a steel crank.

Your right on several things. It's been almost 50 years since I built and raced my Fords. I can verify their ability to produce a lot of horses and both very durable and dependable.

Yup, the 292 chevy did have 4 mains, one on each end of the crank and between every two cylinders just like most inline sixes dating back to their beginning.

For off roading I prefer an inline six because you need huge amounts of torque, and they give it. Also so easy to work on and easily modified to double factory HP with simple engine mods like headers, better fuel delivery, better ignition, upping the compression ratio to 10:1, off road cam w/ steel timing gears, mild head port clean up with 2.02 chevy valves and roller rockers.

 

[Billiebob]

The best I-6 ever built is Fords 300 ci inline with 7 main bearings (taxi cabs and trucks) with forged steel crank shaft.

Yes, I've had 3 300s... plus a 200 in a Falcon... plus a 170 in an Econoline pickup.


Smoothest ride ever. It would make a wonderful 4x4 candidate and overlander.

Never thought about it but I seem to be a straight six fan,
now driving a TJ and a YJ before that, plus a couple of CJs way back.... all with I6s.

Not to mention all the semis I drove had straight sixes.... mostly 14L versions.

 

[BritKLR]

Our summer toy is our 1976 Triumph TR6. Expo toy is our 1987 FJ60. Our mountain runabout is a 1994 Suzuki Samurai and our working truck is our 1975 FJ55. All still running and working or playing.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Yes, I've had 3 300s... plus a 200 in a Falcon... plus a 170 in an Econoline pickup.
View attachment 132627

Smoothest ride ever. It would make a wonderful 4x4 candidate and overlander.

Never thought about it but I seem to be a straight six fan,
now driving a TJ and a YJ before that, plus a couple of CJs way back.... all with I6s.

Not to mention all the semis I drove had straight sixes.... mostly 14L versions.

Yes, I've had 3 300s... plus a 200 in a Falcon... plus a 170 in an Econoline pickup.
View attachment 132627

Smoothest ride ever. It would make a wonderful 4x4 candidate and overlander.

Never thought about it but I seem to be a straight six fan,
now driving a TJ and a YJ before that, plus a couple of CJs way back.... all with I6s.

Not to mention all the semis I drove had straight sixes.... mostly 14L versions.

Your little truck is a favorite of mine. Jeep also made something similar that I liked. All under powered but economy was the goal. Heck I even loved the first 3 years of Pinto and that great little I-4's that Ford built. THOSE were better days IMO !

 

[Dilldog]

Your right on several things. It's been almost 50 years since I built and raced my Fords. I can verify their ability to produce a lot of horses and both very durable and dependable.

Yup, the 292 chevy did have 4 mains, one on each end of the crank and between every two cylinders just like most inline sixes dating back to their beginning.

For off roading I prefer an inline six because you need huge amounts of torque, and they give it. Also so easy to work on and easily modified to double factory HP with simple engine mods like headers, better fuel delivery, better ignition, upping the compression ratio to 10:1, off road cam w/ steel timing gears, mild head port clean up with 2.02 chevy valves and roller rockers.

Ya know I double checked and the 250 and 292 had 7 mains, it was the previous generations that had 4. I was thinking that the 250s I had pulled down and rebuilt had 7.
As far as hopping them up, do you know if Clifford Performance is still around? I know that a big part of why the sixes dont perform as well as they could is those stupid log manifolds that dont flow for anything. The Clifford stuff I had on my old 300 was really high quality and boy did it wake up that engine...
But ya know what, possibly the best pickup I ever had was a 1964 F250. It had the 223 six, a T18A (thats the model with the 6.5:1 first gear) and 4.88s in the rear axle with the factory Spicer Power-Lok. I ran 33x12.50x15s on it, about 60MPH it was running 2800rpm-ish. Thing would get 19mpg no matter what.

 

[Ob1]

I like some of these vehicles. Here is my 1970 Land Cruiser FJ55. It has a EFI small block, AC, power windows and remote entry. Other goodies like a heated shower and a decent stereo. I have an LS 5.3 that I am starting an install next month.View attachment 132559View attachment 132560

love it!!! How did you set the hot shower?
Manual transmission?

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Ya know I double checked and the 250 and 292 had 7 mains, it was the previous generations that had 4. I was thinking that the 250s I had pulled down and rebuilt had 7.
As far as hopping them up, do you know if Clifford Performance is still around? I know that a big part of why the sixes dont perform as well as they could is those stupid log manifolds that dont flow for anything. The Clifford stuff I had on my old 300 was really high quality and boy did it wake up that engine...
But ya know what, possibly the best pickup I ever had was a 1964 F250. It had the 223 six, a T18A (thats the model with the 6.5:1 first gear) and 4.88s in the rear axle with the factory Spicer Power-Lok. I ran 33x12.50x15s on it, about 60MPH it was running 2800rpm-ish. Thing would get 19mpg no matter what.

Again I dont know much about GM Engines because I always owned and built Ford's. I have built and raced the 223's with a 262 crank in them and 292 ford pistons with a specially prepared 223 block to accept them.
There was an earlier version of the 223 with a better block called 218. When I couldn't find the good early model 223 block castings I would use the 218 block. It came out to be 255 ci.
Later I moved up to the 240 ci and finally the 300 ci straight six when the rules changed. Yes, I know Clifford equipment well. I had his manifold on my 300 engine with 3 side draft webbers and tuned long tube headers along with other mods I picked up from Ak Miller when he set world speed and endurance records at Salt Flats in the early 70's with a Mustang fast back. I too had a 63 Ford half ton step side with the built engine from the 223 block. I loved that truck and it was my race car hauler and DD for years. Funny but I don't remember getting rid of that truck for the life of me. It had to be around 1972 when I quit racing and only built cars for my friends.

 

[MidOH]

300 I6 is one of my least favorite engines. Weird that so many people love it?

My experience:
Sideways thermostat is a pita to change and seal up.
Distributor roll pin.
Plastic gears, seriously?
Tend to blow up in NG applications.
World record freeze plug toss. An Olympic 30 yards! Too bad that engine was indoors, and I had to mop up the mess.

The simple fact that it's the choice for cheap budget tractors, tow motors, and generators. Not the engines fault, but it was never spec'd into a premium quality anything.

I never saw anything special in the 300. Maybe I shouldn't complain, that engine fed me and paid the rent plenty of times.

 

[Megadoomer]

love it!!! How did you set the hot shower?
Manual transmission?

I divert the heater core hoses thru a heat exchanger and use an rv pump to suck bathing water from a bucket or stream. Was about $250 worth of stuff to make.

I have a 700r4 now, but a 4L60e will go in with the LS.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

300 I6 is one of my least favorite engines. Weird that so many people love it?

My experience:
Sideways thermostat is a pita to change and seal up.
Distributor roll pin.
Plastic gears, seriously?
Tend to blow up in NG applications.
World record freeze plug toss. An Olympic 30 yards! Too bad that engine was indoors, and I had to mop up the mess.

The simple fact that it's the choice for cheap budget tractors, tow motors, and generators. Not the engines fault, but it was never spec'd into a premium quality anything.

I never saw anything special in the 300. Maybe I shouldn't complain, that engine fed me and paid the rent plenty of times.

None of the things you mentioned above ever happened to me and I'm sure I worked my engines harder than you being they were race engines all except one that was in my 70 Ford half ton short bed.

I built my engines from scratch. The things you mentioned are the things race engine builders eliminate anyway. Billet steel timing gears were the first thing changed to replace the fiber gears on any race or heavy duty overhaul. The stock freeze plugs were replaced with threaded freeze plugs. The distributor was modified or exchanged for high performance ignition. Compression is always upped for racing, head bolt sizes are enlarged to 1/2". Top performance comes from building performance into the engine regardless of which engine you build.

On the other hand I didn't make any of those changes to my little work truck. Stock engines have a different chore. I had that little truck 6 years. It came off an Arizona Indian reservation and had never seen a paved road I doubt. The interior was shot, I reupholstered the seats, picked up a good dash and door panels from the junk yard, overhauled the front end including new king pins, replaced the drive shaft and upgraded the u- joints. I replaced all the brakes with new drums and cylinders. The paint was almost completely faded away and trashed from mesquite bush damage and a hundred little dents and boo boos. In other words almost everything was shot except the engine, granny tranny and 9"- 350:1 geared differential, the reason I bought it for $600. During the 6 years I owned the truck the only thing I ever did to the engine was change the alternator and dry rotted belts. I turned the speedo over once and the previous Indian owner turned it at least once. I have no complaints about the Ford 300 ci inline six at all. If I could put one in my Land Rover Discovery I would.

 

[Dilldog]

300 I6 is one of my least favorite engines. Weird that so many people love it?

My experience:
Sideways thermostat is a pita to change and seal up.
Distributor roll pin.
Plastic gears, seriously?
Tend to blow up in NG applications.
World record freeze plug toss. An Olympic 30 yards! Too bad that engine was indoors, and I had to mop up the mess.

The simple fact that it's the choice for cheap budget tractors, tow motors, and generators. Not the engines fault, but it was never spec'd into a premium quality anything.

I never saw anything special in the 300. Maybe I shouldn't complain, that engine fed me and paid the rent plenty of times.

Every engine has its short comings. Yeah the plastic coated timing gears is kinda BS but I never had a problem with them. For the natural gas comment, what failed and at how many hours? I have seen a few gen-sets that are NG and powered by 300s with TONS of hours on them. I wont dispute your poor experience but I dont think that is the norm. And like I have said before, everything is balancing act between durability, and cost effectiveness. Sometimes the balance is off and things fail that really shouldnt.

 

[MidOH]

Rod and cam. Possibly rod then cam. Usually just a rod. They are prone to overspeeds on startup. When they rattle that bad, I get to walk away. No point in rebuilding or putting a longblock into a 30 year old generator.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Rod and cam. Possibly rod then cam. Usually just a rod. They are prone to overspeeds on startup. When they rattle that bad, I get to walk away. No point in rebuilding or putting a longblock into a 30 year old generator.

I raced my 300 ci inline engines at 7000 rpm (stock engines at 5000 rpm) and never burned a bearing or threw a rod. The speeds at start up are adjustable on all the carbs I ever had. Should not over rev at start up but even if it did it wouldn't be enough to throw a rod. Sounds like you had a really bad engine for some reason.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Rod and cam. Possibly rod then cam. Usually just a rod. They are prone to overspeeds on startup. When they rattle that bad, I get to walk away. No point in rebuilding or putting a longblock into a 30 year old generator.

Check this utube site.

 

[Ob1]

I divert the heater core hoses thru a heat exchanger and use an rv pump to suck bathing water from a bucket or stream. Was about $250 worth of stuff to make.

I have a 700r4 now, but a 4L60e will go in with the LS.

That is cool. I did the same in an 80 series LC. Used the rear heater hoses with a pump and a thermostat. It has 9 gallons under the car and heat to 150 F in 20 min. Compressor pumps air to push the water out. It is in the blog...

Building a home in a 80 series Landcruiser

About 25 years ago we bought a family car. A 1993 Toyota FZJ80 Landcruiser. It served us for 20 years for family camping, and car pooling around town. Now that the 4 kids have left the house, we have no use for it. Looking at the low resale value, we decided instead to invest and convert it...

www.overlandbound.com

who needs a gas heater when you have a warm heat source in the front of the car? :)

 

[Offroadnutz]

My old overlanding truck.

I put an inline 6 out of a supra in it.

I retired it to be my daily driver so I could build my 4runner.