Ok, So Here's What I Am Thinking...

As you all know, I have 3 Farmall C's and a Super C.. Well, none of them are really all that powerful, so I am going to "Beef" one of the C's up...

I have decided on a 350 Chevy, with individual straight stacks, and 2 Eldabrocks on it, mo power...

On the C, I will have to make some brackets and stuff, but the issue I see is the lacking of frame rails, SO, here is the solution:

If I was to cut out stock steel (not sure what) and make two frame rails, and then bolt them onto the implement bolt holes that are factory on the tractor, and then extend the front end out a little bit, or what ever it took to comfortably drop that engine in there, would that work?

I would then have a longer tractor, and most importantly, frame rails to hook the engine to.. I could put a bigger radiator and an electric fan in there if needed, etc.

I would bolt the frame rails to the bell housing on the tractor, and then also on the side of the front end, I am sure that both of these spots would be strong enough, but I am not sure about the added reach? What do you guys think?

You sure like work is all I can say.. Not worth the effort but then you are young and like to tinker.. 50 years ago I might have helped you LOL

The framework and the engine are going to be awful heavy on the front end; it will be real hard to steer. The slow response to steering might be the cause of an accident.

What kind of protective gear can you wear to protect yourself if you ever hook to a heavy load? You are likely to have gear parts flying in all directions with that HP on a heavy load.

I don't know haw far back you would have to run the frame rails to protect the torque tube from breaking.

Scale down the HP and weight for an engine swap.

Just be sure your rails can resist the torque as well as supporting the weight. If you bolt the engine up solid to the tractor chassis it probably will not matter. But if the engine is on the new frame coupled by a shaft, the frame would take all the torque. I knew a guy who built a street rod and used solid mounts on the engine but the auto behind it was on rubber mounts. The first time he spanked it all the bell housing bolts sheared.

leave your farmall alone if u want to hop it up biger pistons stroker crank hot igniton reground cam cave your 350 chev for for an old chev tk and hop it up its safer lots more fun and u wont be creating a pile of junk

Frame rails, mounts, sheetmetal, that's all easy. It's adapting the engine to the transmission, clutch, starter, flywheel... That's the hard part! Everything requires precision alignment just to make it work under normal (what ever that is!) conditions. Start bringing up the HP and RPMs, things can get ugly!

If you could find something with frame rails, something commonly repowered, you might find something already engineered, let someone else find all the mistakes. Better yet, find some used parts, someones project they never finished.

Might ask down in the Pulling section, get some advise, parts connections.

I know a fella that put a V-8 in a Farmall M. Need to make a adapter to the bell housing, frame issues, belt driven gov. and placed a 3-speed transmission in the torque tube locked in 3rd gear I think. Don't think your C will handle all that...

Just buy ya an M with a bad engine and use that. I think that would be a neat project.

Gene

I'd work with a F20, H, M, or something with rails. Assuming your tractors are working, why wreck them, go find a busted engine clunker and have at it.

Neighbor put a Chevy with the auto tranny in one of the above, had to extend the rails a bit, he has many gears to pick from now......

Paul

I think you should buy a 504. Then you would have a Super C with more power.

Bryce, don't you have an old Ford? Check this out. Several people have engine adapters for sale on line. Also check out the rest of this guy's web site. I have seen and heard some of his tractors, the Jet Turbine (Tyephoon II) is just WOW!
joe
Untitled URL Link

Here is a kit for conversons to V-8's. joe
Untitled URL Link

I had an Oliver 70 standard with a Ford V6 in it,about killed me a couple times.A tractor with a frame and an automatic bolted to it makes things go a lot easier.

Hi Bryce
Your a smart guy from what I have seen you post, and what you do. Why not find a diesel International or gas if you insist or another brand even. Thats at the smaller end of the range, to suit your needs. That has 3 point hitch, maybe power steering, live pto/hyds and all that good stuff. That needs some work on it.
That way you can come up a few more years newer and boost your business image with custom work when guys see it around, maybe even sell some of the others to fund this .
I think they call it business investment.

Then not have all the headache with the conversion.Also you won't have a thirsty high revving gas, thats more suited to tractor pulling and parades, than practical farming use.
I put a V8 Perkins diesel in a 500 Belarus for tractor pulling. Nothing fitted and a lot had to be scratch built and machined. it took a while and hasn't pulled for 14 years, was fun to run and build but no practical use now, or value other than parts or scrap!.


I have also put several 2700 series ford 4 and 6 cyl diesel motors in fordson majors. The bell housing top and the motor half/ clutch, shafts and flywheel all work from factory. the oil pan and all the frame and tin, some cooling lines and the front all need different work between 4 or 6 cyl motors, so thats not even an easy swap.
I guess what im trying to say is, sometimes hard cash and some work, to get ahead. Is better than building something that takes hours, and is a headache all the time your doing it. Then all you really get at the end is the achievement from doing it, and people seeing it.
Taking a tractor that's cheaper and wrong. Getting it right and going earning money with it, is a greater achievement sometimes.

you'll figure that out as you get older. I did. Thats why I don't do the fancy motor swap projects anymore.
My private collection stuff i buy i get it running and drive able, then park it. 15 years ago it would of been total rebuild and paint. Now I get more satisfaction dragging it home and getting it running, not the paint and stuff.
Regards Robert

Joe, I do not know if Don is still doing any thing with that or not. He hasen't mentioned it for a long time. He liked to find the truck engines that were larger than the car engines for the 8 cylinder conversions. He is getting up heavy in years and after Wanda passed a few years ago he lost interest in every thing for a while. He was at the Christmas party a week ago but did not talk to him about things. Don is the one that made the cutaway 9N. That flyer you linked to was before Wanda passed. Don was not at the bean supper in november but he had it at his place for probably close to 10 years before Wanda passed.

Bryce,you are on the right track....But in my opion,a 350 is too big. Find a small V8. A 265 or 283.How about a 265(IH) or 304?How about a GM 2.8L from a Blazer/S10? I have the F12 with a Ford 2.8(Bronco II). Just about the perfect size.

I don't think the clutch and transmission can handle it.

Bryce........while its true there ain't no substitute fer cubic inches, yer 350 with 2-Eldabrocks is just too MUCH carburetion. Good fer HIGH rpms but NOT plowing...or...even pulling. Will throw dirt everywhere. ......donna doo itt....... respectfully Dell

Waste of time, money and effort. Go find a real farm tractor and have done with it. All you'll end up with is a mis-mash of parts cobbled together that no one wants and that won't work like you think anyway. Be smart and move up to a real tractor with power steering, live PTO, live and more modern hydraulics. Stick with IH if you want or whatever brand that strikes your fancy.

If you're actually planning on using it for field work or tractor pulling... Don't waste your time or money.

For a something cool, a challenge to build, for show, that's driven in parades... Go for it.

Frame rails are the least of your worries, though. You will need a custom-machined plate to adapt the engine to the bell housing, and you've got to figure out the flywheel and clutch.

IMHO, I would integrate the frame rails into the adapter plate for the engine, rather than solely depend on the implement pads on the side of the bell housing for support.