Howdy All, Time to Decide on the Drive Train for the Rambler

[Gambler]

Good to see as winter sets in, the board is back in swing.

So although my 68 Gladiator Truck has been keeping me busy, I've decided its time to commit to an engine choice for the Rambler. For those who dont remember the specifics:

1959 Rambler 6 Custom Wagon.

196.5 six banger, she's mint with low miles but is coming out. Any takers?

10 bolt early 8.2 GM rear end from a 65 Impala. A tad wide, but fits..sorta.  I need to come up with some way to cheaply frame out the rear end of the car.
It's rigged right now so the car is a roller.

60's Saginaw 3sp with OD out of some studebaker, not in car yet.
(i want to keep the column shift and OD capability, so this tranny is hopefully my choice, regardless of engine choice..read on)

Engine Options:

have available for free:
1983 GM 350 with 4bbl out of a van. Still in van, I could use the tranny too, all heavy duty. Previous threads discussed rebuilding this engine, so I'm all good there. But the issues of the Rambler being able to handle this engine, torque and suspension wise, have me thinking its not the best choice.

OR:
Like Farna did, a Jeep 4.0, either the whole engine, or just a 4.0 HO head on an older 258 I believe. But would the Jeep engine work with the Saginaw? Perhaps Advanced Adaptors could help there..I'm leaning torwards this choice because these engines are easy to get out here in the SW with all the 350 conversions going on.  And they get decent mileage, even when beefed up (no 350 will get 20mpg without efi). With gas prices going up every week..and 4.0's can be stroked for not a huge hunk of change..

OR:
A chevy straight six. I know nothing about these, I know more about the jeeps since I've been on the FSJ sites about my truck.


OR:
just let her sit for a few more years and go up in value (Ramblers are the next big wave, I know it). We keep joking about sending pics to Pimp My Ride or Overhauling, lol.


Ideas again, anyone?

[MrMopar64]

196.5 six banger, she's mint with low miles but is coming out. Any takers?

Gambler

Let me know when the six is out I might be interested in taking it off your hands  

MM64  

[Gambler]

196.5 six banger, she's mint with low miles but is coming out. Any takers?

Gambler

Let me know when the six is out I might be interested in taking it off your hands  

MM64  

I'll go rent an engine lift tomorrow, hehe.  Make me an offer, residental pickup though for trucking

It's nowhere as mint as yours, but I'd say yours is one of a kind these days. I'll take some pics, its complete, all I did was take off the carb for a rebuild (carb) that never happend.

[CalifCarl]

http://www.trucktrend.com/roadtests/performance/163_0208_twin/index2.html

[Gambler]

http://www.trucktrend.com/roadtests/performance/163_0208_twin/index2.html

lol, my neighbor just bought one of those I think, I'll wait till they wreck it and buy the engine dirt cheap.

The twin turbo I-6 would be interesting, but I was thinking something a little more simple

[MrMopar64]

196.5 six banger, she's mint with low miles but is coming out. Any takers?

Gambler

Let me know when the six is out I might be interested in taking it off your hands  

MM64  

I'll go rent an engine lift tomorrow, hehe.  Make me an offer, residental pickup though for trucking

It's nowhere as mint as yours, but I'd say yours is one of a kind these days. I'll take some pics, its complete, all I did was take off the carb for a rebuild (carb) that never happend.

Let me know.......... could be a road trip      as long as it's NOT LIKE TOMORROW!! ya know  

MM64  

[1FATGMC]

no 350 will get 20mpg without efi

Actually it is pretty easy to get 20 mpg with a 350 or a 305.  Use a high rear gear or either a 200R4 or 700R4 with a q-jet and you are there.  

I get 20 mpg at 75 with the GMC with the 700R4.  We have a '78 Buick with a sbc 305 and some high rearend and it got 20 mpg.  I now have a 200R4 and it gets a little over 20 mpg.

Acutally I'll bet you can get better mileage with the sbc than either the jeep motor or the chevy 6.  I've had both and can't/didn't get more than about 15 mpg.

c ya, Sum

[Gilles]

My 32 Ford roadster has a stock 350 SBC with a rejetted 600 CFM Edelbrock carburetor. With a 3.42 rear-end ratio and TH350 transmission  the average gas mileage was 17.5 MPG and 15 MPG at 80 MPH (speed limit on motorway in france)

Last winter I put a TH700R4. What a miracle!
Now the average mileage is 21 MPG on two lanes road and the best is 23 MPG on the motorway at 70 MPH. Even at 80 MPh is no less than 19.5 MPG.




Gilles

[Gambler]

no 350 will get 20mpg without efi

Actually it is pretty easy to get 20 mpg with a 350 or a 305.  Use a high rear gear or either a 200R4 or 700R4 with a q-jet and you are there.  

I get 20 mpg at 75 with the GMC with the 700R4.  We have a '78 Buick with a sbc 305 and some high rearend and it got 20 mpg.  I now have a 200R4 and it gets a little over 20 mpg.

Acutally I'll bet you can get better mileage with the sbc than either the jeep motor or the chevy 6.  I've had both and can't/didn't get more than about 15 mpg.

c ya, Sum

Well, the rear end has 3.73 gears in it, which isnt too bad. Planned tires are 235s on 15" (yeah, she runs truck tires, fills up the wells nicely). If I go with the Saginaw with OD, mileage shouldnt be too bad I would think with the OD on trips.  My main concern was weight on the front suspension, cast iron components, etc.

Hey, I was gana stop by your store when I went up to Moab the other day, but forgot to log on and see where it was again. Next trip

oh and here's a pic of the 196, wanted to put it in the thread:

[Gambler]

Last winter I put a TH700R4. What a miracle!
Now the average mileage is 21 MPG on two lanes road and the best is 23 MPG on the motorway at 70 MPH. Even at 80 MPh is no less than 19.5 MPG.

sounds pretty good. If I do go the SBC route, I'll prolly just use the whole drivetrain from the 78 GMC Van we have sitting (I wrote 83 above, but its a 78). That *probally* has the TH350 in it, I dont the 700R4 came till a few years later.

It just has to be a simple setup, no injection, no computers. She isnt going to be a show car, I was thinking Rat Sled at best.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

the V8 and an auto tranny would be fine.  The size of the car I would think there is plenty of strength there...

If you were going with a 572 cid engine... I'd worry

[Gambler]

the V8 and an auto tranny would be fine.  The size of the car I would think there is plenty of strength there...

If you were going a 572 cid engine... I'd worry

how about the new Jeep Hemi? (yes, Jeep. It shuts down 4 cylinders when power isnt needed). hehe..yeah..350.  It's not like it'd be a DD or anything.

The one in the van is column shifted, I'd have to cut a hole in the floor and get the Lokar conversion for a floor mount shifter, correct? The bench seat isnt an issue, its stripped down to the springs anyways, I wanted to put something else in there anyways. Or just hack out a little in the middle if I need clearance for the shifter, if it happens to sit that far back.   The other concern on a 350 would be the cap, the Rambler has that weird air scoop box that is the reason my floorboards are rotted out..I think I'd have to massage that to.  I was gonna ditch the original heater and go with a mohave unit eventually..when I felt I needed heat

[MrMopar64]

the V8 and an auto tranny would be fine.  The size of the car I would think there is plenty of strength there...

If you were going a 572 cid engine... I'd worry

The one in the van is column shifted, I'd have to cut a hole in the floor and get the Lokar conversion for a floor mount shifter, correct? The bench seat isnt an issue, its stripped down to the springs anyways, I wanted to put something else in there anyways. Or just hack out a little in the middle if I need clearance for the shifter, if it happens to sit that far back.   The other concern on a 350 would be the cap, the Rambler has that weird air scoop box that is the reason my floorboards are rotted out..I think I'd have to massage that to.  I was gonna ditch the original heater and go with a mohave unit eventually..when I felt I needed heat

You could always use the column out of the van........ that would make it easy to get a steering wheel adapter if your not going to run the stock wheel.....   Cuz NOBODY makes an adapter for the Rambler   I had to build my own using the center of the stock wheel

Just a thought

MM64  

[GPster]

Why don't you think about a 302 Ford V8 with the distributor in the frony? some times things get tight in a small 6 engine compartment  and it might be a shade narrower than the Chevy. I can't tell from the picture how big the crossmember is as the most common oil pan for the Ford has the sump in the front but there are ways around it. Not knowing about the Studebaker transmission but it may have a Ford bolt pattern. What happened to that Camaro you where going to strip?  It's hard to pass up free but  Maveric or Granada might give you a lot of good parts. GPster

[Gambler]

I don't want to use the GM column..because I think they are buttugly And since I dont have power steering, I think I need the larger wheel just to turn the thing..I steered it once when slingshotting it onto a concrete being towed by my Jeep truck, and even then it was hard to steer.

And I don't have the bux for an Ididit

you still have my email? magikman74@yahoo.com.  If you want that engine this winter, tell me, that'll be all the motivation I need to get started on this things (haha)

Yeah, there's no aftermarket stuff for this car, as you know better than me.  That's why I want to go to a chevy driveline.