Quad 4 Again

Grandadeo · September 19, 2006, 09:43:44 PM

Was looking at my T Touring project that's waiting its turn to get built. I have a really cool and really heavy '55 Olds engine and 4 speed hydro for it. After this summer's trip to LA and the gas prices encountered (and yes they are coming down at the moment) I'm thinking a 4 banger of some sort might be in order for it. Being built fenderless on an Model A frame.

Found an old tread on Quad-4s and also did a google search. Found one company that sells the necessary adapters and doodads to convert it to rear wheel drive and boy are they EXPENSIVE. Kinda put a wet blanket on any thoughts of building a "low buck Quad 4", that is if both those can be used in the same sentence. Anybody come up with any other ways/parts combos to convert one over to RWD?

Another thought is a Chevy II 4 banger, like the one I about gave away 5 years ago at Daytona. The 180 inch Mercruiser version might be a good alternative and as far as I know it would be the same car transmission boltup as the Chevy II.

Your thoughts please.

Lee

EMSjunkie · September 19, 2006, 09:47:51 PM

maybe a V-6 :?

something fuel injected, like a Buick or Chevy?

you asked for thoughts, ya didn't say they had to be good thoughts

Vance

kb426 · September 19, 2006, 09:55:18 PM

One of my friends says he works on quad 4's alot. Has nothing good to say about them. The iron duke or the ford 2.3 is my choice. I'm leaning towards the same direction with a 5 speed and 4.1 gears. The next option is a late modle f.i. v8 with all the gear to let it make 30 mpg. I don't know anything about the ramjets but there's a guy 30 miles from me with a 39 Ford cabrolet with a ls1 vette engine and a 6 speed. If he can keep his foot out of it, it gets close to 30 mpg. The down side is most late model engines are pretty ugly put in the open.

Rex Schimmer · September 19, 2006, 11:21:13 PM

I am putting a 2 liter Ford Zetec motor in my A lakes roadster, I bought it with 20,000 miles on it from the local yard for $750 and a Borg Warner T5 trans for $375, the engine came from a stick shift car so I am using the stock flywheel and pressure plate. I bought a bell housing to mate the engine to the T5 from Quad 4 in Denver, it was $375, clutch plate to match the T5 spline and fit the stock pressure plate from Center Force for $50. So I've got $1400 in the lump before I start to add the extra stuff like Hilborn injection and cams and alum pulleys. It weights around 375 pounds and will probably make around 165 hp but then my car will probaby only weigh around 1500 so it should be quick.

Another option that I have looked into also is the Merc Cruser 1/2 of a Ford 460. It has the Ford bellhousing pattern and takes things like 460 aluminum heads etc. Probably a bit heavy but it should make some serious HPs and torque.

1FATGMC · September 19, 2006, 11:22:05 PM

Quote from: "kb426"One of my friends says he works on quad 4's alot. Has nothing good to say about them. The iron duke or the ford 2.3 is my choice. I'm leaning towards the same direction with a 5 speed and 4.1 gears. The next option is a late modle f.i. v8 with all the gear to let it make 30 mpg. I don't know anything about the ramjets but there's a guy 30 miles from me with a 39 Ford cabrolet with a ls1 vette engine and a 6 speed. If he can keep his foot out of it, it gets close to 30 mpg. The down side is most late model engines are pretty ugly put in the open.

Even the old sbc's can get good mileage. I get 20 with mine with a q-jet and hope when I go fuel injection to get it to 22 or so. For some reason the first sbc I was using got 24-25, but that might have been the fact I was doing a lot more driving at 65 and not 75-85. Still my truck is heavy at 4100#. I think an older sbc with fuel injection (megasquirt is cheap) in a light car geared right should get 25 on the open road. Not that far off of 30 and with a double overdrive 6 speed like the vette instead of the OD 700R4 close to 30 should be doable. For mileage I would take one of these over most of the 4's and 6's you guys are talking about and you still have some good power when you do get your foot into it.

Saying that I have a friend that has a 2.3 ford with the turbo in a small "A" sedan and it is impressive.

c ya, Sum

Rex Schimmer · September 19, 2006, 11:37:16 PM

This is the 2 liter Zetec, I did the headers but don't have the alum pulleys on yet. Also included a pic of the ULTIMATE 4 banger! It's a 270 Offy just off the dyno at Van Dyne Engineering, 430 hp at 7000.

Rex

32 Chevy · September 20, 2006, 12:08:17 AM

You might look into the 4.3 chevy V6. It is a gerat, tough little motor that can turn out 300 hp carbureted. I know a guy who has one in a 31 ford and gets 22 mpg...that is in a full bodied car with the aerodynamics of a barn.

Dave

GPster · September 20, 2006, 08:04:55 AM

I like the idea of the Iron Duke Mercruiser. There is a guy on her that just re-registered that put one in a restored Model A and he seemed happy although he has trouble steering it (medical problem). The Mercruiser has a nice cross-flo head that puts the intake and exhaust on opposite sides and I like the look of not having things jammed into a space. Croslet has some interesting thoughts about torque converters and the weight of the car/size of the engine and that type of fine-tuning might be easier with an engine/transmission that were meant to be together. Or you could use a Toyota HEMI. GPster

sirstude · September 20, 2006, 09:20:42 AM

As long as you are "thinking outside the box" check this out, just step up and go for it. Shouldn't take any more than the national debt.

Doug

http://www.dragracingonline.com/features/featurecar/viii_9-voges-1.html

Uncle Bob · September 20, 2006, 10:24:41 AM

The ol' Chev II/Iron Duke setup could be the cheapest, for now, though supplies of raw material are dwindling. I had a 2.3 Ford in the track roadster pictured in my avatar, and it's much like the GM engine only better because there's about a bazillion of them out there, and lots of known hop up tech. Both have the advantage of not being fwd designs from the get go, so trans adaption is easier, as are fuel induction systems.

Along the lines of Rex's project another contemporary engine to keep in mind is the GM Ecotec banger. Widely available in 2.2 liter, and now 2.4, they have good hp/ci. And they' are CHEAP! Saw a 25k mi wreck takeout go unbought last week for $199, When stripped of some of the factory junk on top they have that same "Offy" style twin cam appearance. The Solstace/Sky cars are rear drive, so front to back trans stuff should be becoming more available in time. These engines do very well in the banger drag classes, and respond like crazy to supercharging. If any of you went to SEMA last year you may have noticed that GM had quite a bit of floor space in their "booth" dedicated to this engine in the form of factory hot parts...............could this be the next sbc for the modern generation?

Normspeed · September 20, 2006, 10:59:23 PM

Lee, how about a built Chrysler/Dodge/Desoto 251 cubic inch big block flathead six. Dare to be different.

Quote from: "Grandadeo"Was looking at my T Touring project that's waiting its turn to get built. I have a really cool and really heavy '55 Olds engine and 4 speed hydro for it. After this summer's trip to LA and the gas prices encountered (and yes they are coming down at the moment) I'm thinking a 4 banger of some sort might be in order for it. Being built fenderless on an Model A frame.

Found an old tread on Quad-4s and also did a google search. Found one company that sells the necessary adapters and doodads to convert it to rear wheel drive and boy are they EXPENSIVE. Kinda put a wet blanket on any thoughts of building a "low buck Quad 4", that is if both those can be used in the same sentence. Anybody come up with any other ways/parts combos to convert one over to RWD?

Another thought is a Chevy II 4 banger, like the one I about gave away 5 years ago at Daytona. The 180 inch Mercruiser version might be a good alternative and as far as I know it would be the same car transmission boltup as the Chevy II.

Your thoughts please.

Lee

Grandadeo · September 20, 2006, 11:37:26 PM

Norm. I could dare to be different. Say....maybe that little Red Ram Hemi you have tucked underneath the work bench. Naw, lets save that for YOUR track roadster project once you get to NM.

Lee

Normspeed · September 22, 2006, 01:11:30 AM

Heck, that Red Ram is yours if you want it. Just pay the postage.

Quote from: "Grandadeo"Norm. I could dare to be different. Say....maybe that little Red Ram Hemi you have tucked underneath the work bench. Naw, lets save that for YOUR track roadster project once you get to NM.

Lee