Engine Swap

[1930 Cabriolet]

Is it possible to put a Ford Pinto Motor in
a Model A Ford and how much trouble
is it?

[Jim Brierley]

It's possible but you won't be happy with it unless you modify the Pinto for more power, they don't have the torque that the A does.

[Charlie Stephens]

I agree with Jim on this. This was a common "solution" back in the seventies, there were kits available to do this. The Pinto engine doesn't look right under the hood of a Model A. Soon people realized the Pinto didn't have enough power and they started coming back out. A few will still show up at large shows.

It is a bad idea to have people email the answers. If they are wrong no one will see the answers and correct them. Also the idea of a forum is that everyone can share their knowledge and benefit from the knowledge of other people.

Another problem with emailing the answer is that people will assume you already have the answer from someone else and not waste their time.

Charlie Stephens

[russcochiolo]

One of our members had Mitchell do up an under drive and now he can keep up with the stockers in the hills. In the "olden days" one of the Sierra Chapter members did up a kit that resulted in 40% of the members going with Pintos. We are sometimes called the "Pinto Club"! I don't think there are any unused kits floating around, but there may be. I'm staying with B power.

[1930 Cabriolet]

Would anyone have any information on The Sierra Club so I
possibly get one of these kits?

[ursus]

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QUOTE: "It is a bad idea to have people email the answers. If they are wrong no one will see the answers and correct them. Also the idea of a forum is that everyone can share their knowledge and benefit from the knowledge of other people.

Another problem with emailing the answer is that people will assume you already have the answer from someone else and not waste their time."

Amen, Charlie Stephens!

[Joe K]

There was someone with a Isuzu diesel in a Model A Ford. And the original rabbit diesel I4 might be a good transplant - I think that's been done successfully too.

Joe K


Edit: Some discussion of diesel swaps here https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...=rabbit+diesel

[CWPASADENA]

With the current technology available to be able to build a good reliable A or B engine with increased power, I think you would be going backwards to convert to a Pinto Engine.


On the first long distance tour I did in my 30 Tudor with a B engine, I liked to run in the back of the group.


I kept running up on some of the same cars in front of me on the hills, After the first few days, someone said that I must be running an A or B engine as I could pull the hills much better than they could. I found out I had been following several of the cars from the Sierra Club that all had Pintos.


You will be very disappointed with a Pinto.


It is important that you use a good engine builder for your A or B. They are out there. If you do not know, just ask the "Barn".


My experience and opinion, and I definitely know some of the Pinto guys will have a different opinion.


Chris W.

[Mulletwagon]

Seen quite a few As with Ford Ranger/Mazda pickup four bangers. Don't know if that is an optimized choice but it seemed to fit like a nice package.

[Hoogah]

[QUOTE=Joe K;1774202]. . . And the original rabbit diesel I4 might be a good transplant - I think that's been done successfully too.

Joe K

So the owner of such a vehicle could rightly claim to have rabbit babbitt?!!

[daren007]

I just wish my "A" ran as sweet as my "T". Perhaps a "T" swap would in order.

[Benson]

... deleted

[Pete]

Originally Posted by 1930 Cabriolet

Is it possible to put a Ford Pinto Motor in
a Model A Ford and how much trouble
is it?

It is possible.
To do it right you will need to rebuild the Pinto engine and put a fair amount of money in modifications. You will also need a T5 or an automatic transmission to take full advantage of the Pinto torque curve.
Total cost probably similar to a QUALITY model A "touring" engine build.

[Synchro909]

Have a friend who has put a Holden starfire motor in his car. With no overdrive and lowish diff ratio, it goes well - on revs.

[Charlie Stephens]

What do you have in there now? Why do you want to change it?

Charlie Stephens

[kenparker]

Got a Ranger pickup engine (Ford 2.3 liter) in what I call my hotrod. It is unfinished -lost interest. It is mounted in a Model A frame. and has a C-3 tranny behind the engine. Sweet running combo. BTW it is for sale - see Swap Meet section.


The hardest part of the insertion was rebuilding the motor mounts to overcome the position of the distributro.

[big job]

We have a Ford CL35 skidd steer loader with a Pinto, I think 140 CID , just to steer the
thing the motor just about dies: Another word, Gutless.............Maybe think about
a Ford 8N tractor that runs so sweet just hear the fan quiet as a cat no vibrations at all...

[updraught]

It puts out 47hp at 2500 revs.