pinto engine on model A

[mr:wood]

hello everyone ! , , , , looking for info on the idea of a pinto engine for a Model A .

Any possible leads as to who to talk to with past experiences and or where to get general info .


Any info is certainly appreciated . Live in the Houston metro area .

[garyjohn]

I saw one at a car show a few months ago. I asked the guy about it and how it was done. Basically you re-drill a model a fly wheel adapter and bolt it to the engine and drop it in using the stock rear motor mounts and every thing behind is model A. I am not sure about the front mount, probably have to manufacture one. The fan does sit quite low be he said it did seem to be adaqit.

[mr:wood]

Appreciate the reply , thanks for the info on the adapter . I understand they can be hard to get .
Will be going out to Cali. ( Fallbrook )for Christmas and enjoy the good weather .
Thanks again and " Good Numbers " to ya .


Merry Christmas !

[updraught]

It puts out 47hp at 2500 revs.

[David R.]

Why?

[fried okra]

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Or was maybe a Shay Model A?

http://www.shayhistory.com/Bulletinboard.html

[Charlie Stephens]

When the Pinto conversion first became popular people soon realized that there wasn't enough displacement to make it a good choice. There were two versions of the engine and one of them had clearance problems with the starter. My advice, don't do it. I have used 153 cubic inch Chevy II engines and 181 cubic inch Mercruiser marine engines in my '32 roadster and been very happy with them although if I had it to do again I would leave the original engine in the car. You should be able to do a search of the archives here and on AHOOGA.COM and find a lot of information, search on Pinto.

Charlie Stephens

[kenparker]

I have a 2.3 liter engine converted into a model A chassi. This one came out of a Ranger pickup, but similiar to pinto engine.

[thom]

Best solution would be... get a Pinto with a Pinto engine in it. And drive the Pinto.

[updraught]

Originally Posted by thom

Best solution would be... get a Pinto with a Pinto engine in it. And drive the Pinto.

My goodness they are ugly.

Thank goodness they never made it here due to our refined taste.

[77Birdman]

I would think a Model A engine would be easier to find and run just as well !
Pinto is the car I got my dr license in, it was my sisters, my brother in law also had one. He bought 2 brand new cars at one time when he graduated from hs, one was a pinto for daily driver the other was a gran torino for 'date night'.

[Patrick L.]

As was mentioned, Shay.

Wasn't to popular.

[rotorwrench]

The 200 cid Ford 4-cylinder for model A & B production was one of the largest 4-cylinder engines Ford ever made. This gives it a lot of potential. Rodders put various overhead valve conversions on them and got a lot of power out of them.

Ford tried the 9N tractor engine just before the war and at 119 cid it was a weakling for a pickup truck. It only lasted the one model year before they dropped that idea. Even a V8-60 would be hard pressed to equal what has been done with the 200 cid Ford 4.

[old31]

Pinto in a Model A, I don't think so, yuk.

But if you're going to put a Pinto engine in an A then you might as well move the gas tank to the back of the car, and wait to be rear-ended.

[Jordan]

In our family, we have pretty much one of everything. We have my sedan with a modified model A motor (bigger cam, downdraft, hi comp head, OD, Etc), a 2 door phaeton being restored to original, a coupe with a Miller OHV & OD, my other sedan with a 6 cyl mustang II motor in it, and a coupe with a pinto.

While I really like the modified model A motors, the best "deal" is the Pinto. They are cheap and extremely reliable. They are also easy to work on. When I "rebuild" the 6 cyl in one of my sedans, I will possibly replace it with a pinto since they are so cheap.

[1928Mik]

I wouldn't mess with a Pinto engine,but to each his own. They are cheap for sure. The only A I have seen with one is the Shay replica.

Updraught: You do have refined tastes over there, I'll take a Holden Ute or one of those cool V6 AWD Commodore Sportwagons any day!

[veggie]

My fellow Ayers
My thoughts are to put a model A engine into the Pinto.
Easy tune-up!

[David R.]

I remember Ford marketing the Pinto as the new model A. I think they named it after the horse, but I always associated them more with the bean.

[Jim Brierley]

The Pinto has too few cubic inches to make enough torque, it might be OK if you could put a much lower rear end gear in it? A friend put one in a sedan delivery, drove it to Bonneville, came home and put in a V8. I have a Mercruiser engine for sale if interested, pm me.

[1931 flamingo]

The Pinto conversion was popular years ago. I believe there are many still running around in California and Texas. FWIW


Put a 4 cyl Pontiac Tempest w/4 bbl, taxi clutch in my 32 back in 63. Ran almost as good as the Olds V8 it replaced.
Paul in CT

[rotorwrench]

That trophy 194 CID Pontiac engine is pretty close in size to the model A banger. Since it is roughly half of a 389 type block it's got some poop to it. That was one of John Delorean's projects. The Iron Duke 151 was a Pontiac design as well. They shake like a model A too.

[duke36]

Had a coupe with 2000cc pinto and sold it. It would do 60 all day but rev'd too high for the stock A tranny for smooth shifting. The prior owner evidently didn't want to use the pinto tranny possibly due to driveline mods.

[Pete]

Retarding the cam 8 degrees makes them a lot more pleasant to drive.
Good for a full second in the quarter mile.

[Charlie Stephens]

Be sure to check with your insurance agent and see if the change will increase your rates.

Charlie Stephens

[MAG]

Bought a very nice '31 Vicky with a California Pinto and hydraulic brake conversion. Pulled all that junk out of it and made it a Model A again. Nice, nice car now. Sold the engine. Probably some of it still hanging around the shop

[Keith True]

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I served a lot of time in Pintos.There were a lot of things you could do to them to make them easier to drive.When the Pinto scare got big,I think it had to be about 1977 my father bought a two week old Pinto wagon from a woman that was petrified of it.She tried to trade it in,but the dealers wouldn't give them parking space.She bought a new Pontiac Sunbird,and the salesman told my dad about her Pinto,and he bought it for $700.We tied a piece of truck tire over the rear end chuck,as Ford needed to do,and drove it for years.About 15 years ago I put in a new cam and followers,and rolled some bearings in.It is on part time duty now,but the guy that has it drives it twice a week to church and the grocery store.I like the Pinto motors,but think the 2000 version is a better fit for the A than the 2300.

[Mike V. Florida]

I guess my question is, what do you want to gain?


From there you can get good suggestions on how to accomplish that.

[daren007]

Has anyone put a model "A" engine in a Pinto.

[updraught]

Have to admit I did drive a car like Onslow's for a few years, same engine.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Cx1lMBH3g

[David R.]

Non of this really makes any sense to me. Seems like there are plenty of rebuildable A engines still around with parts readily available that fit and function perfectly in an A?

[denis4x4]

Building a high horsepower, reliable Model A engine is equal to the price of at least three SBC crate engines.

[Jim Brierley]

There was a guy that lived in the San Fernando Valley, CA, back in the late 70's that put a warmed-up B engine in a Pinto and auto trans, later changed to a 4-port Riley. It was a nice driver. Looked totally stock on the outside.

[updraught]

In the UK Onlow's car, a Cortina, was only sold with the Pinto engine.

Here, being the 70's horsepower rush, Ford shoehorned in the local Falcon 6 cylynder engine as well. It was known as a burnout car due to the weight in the front in an overall lightweight car.
Owners often fitted V8's as the shorter engine ballanced the car better and improved handling.

[California Travieso]

Originally Posted by updraught

In the UK Onlow's car, a Cortina, was only sold with the Pinto engine.

Here, being the 70's horsepower rush, Ford shoehorned in the local Falcon 6 cylynder engine as well. It was known as a burnout car due to the weight in the front in an overall lightweight car.
Owners often fitted V8's as the shorter engine ballanced the car better and improved handling.

There was a Lotus/Cortina produced in the UK. Unless I am mistaken, it had a Climax head and probably a cam.

A friend of mine had a Formula Ford race car that he ran in amateur races at Riverside Raceway many years ago. Maybe someone can remember if it was a Pinto engine.

David Serrano

[d.j. moordigian]

Originally Posted by California Travieso

There was a Lotus/Cortina produced in the UK. Unless I am mistaken, it had a Climax head and probably a cam.

A friend of mine had a Formula Ford race car that he ran in amateur races at Riverside Raceway many years ago. Maybe someone can remember if it was a Pinto engine.

David Serrano

The Cortina in the US, early and late depending on the head and pistons.
That was a Kent engine..
The Lotus Cortina..had a twin cam, 2 valves per cylinder with side draft Webers. I believe
the heads were done by Frank Costin and Keith Duckworth....Cosworth..

Dudley

[California Travieso]

Originally Posted by d.j. moordigian

The Cortina in the US, early and late depending on the head and pistons.
That was a Kent engine..
The Lotus Cortina..had a twin cam, 2 valves per cylinder with side draft Webers. I believe
the heads were done by Frank Costin and Keith Duckworth....Cosworth..

Dudley

Thanks Dudley. I think that Lotus may have used that same engine in the Super 7 Roadster.

David Serrano

[updraught]

Here's a power graph for the 2 litre used here. Not sure if your Pintos got the 2.3?
https://www.automobile-catalog.com/b..._xl_wagon.html
Note the low power at 2000 revs.
Wagons were apparently assembled by Reno here.

[JollyRoger]

Don't confuse the Pinto 2.0/2.3 with the 2/3's of a Falcon 2.3.... Ford Sierras and Merkurs used the Pinto engine to good effect. Kent motors (Cortina and first year Pinto) have their advantages but hauling a Pinto around is a strain on 1600cc (roughly 48 cu inches?)....

[d.j. moordigian]

Originally Posted by JollyRoger

Don't confuse the Pinto 2.0/2.3 with the 2/3's of a Falcon 2.3.... Ford Sierras and Merkurs used the Pinto engine to good effect. Kent motors (Cortina and first year Pinto) have their advantages but hauling a Pinto around is a strain on 1600cc (roughly 48 cu inches?)....

1 liter (1,000cc) = 61 ci. So 1.6 liter = 97.5 ci.

[JollyRoger]

Maths were never my strong suit

[Chris Haynes]

Originally Posted by daren007

Has anyone put a model "A" engine in a Pinto.

I saw one back in the mid '70's. A Riley OHV A in a Pinto.

[Keith True]

I like little 4 cylinder engines,and kept a few around thinking I would build something with them someday.I had three 120 Mercruisers,a couple of Tempest fours,and one International Scout Comanche.(My favorite)After 30-40 years of storing them I peddled them off,I kept the Comanche engine until just a few days ago.It actually went back in a Scout.There a few variations of the 2300 in the Rangers,I have one that is a completely different engine,and the one I drive everyday is just a Pinto engine with an injected 8 plug head.It has a freeze plug in the hole where the distributer would have been in the Pinto.I pulled the engine to re gasket it,(oil leaks)and while I had it out I rolled new bearings in it.Same old Pinto bearings.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by mr:wood

hello everyone ! , , , , looking for info on the idea of a pinto engine for a Model A .

Any possible leads as to who to talk to with past experiences and or where to get general info .


Any info is certainly appreciated . Live in the Houston metro area .

Many moons ago, Hudson Wagon Works (now defunct huckster body builder) published instructions for putting a Pinto engine in a Model A. If you can scare up a copy of the booklet, it should give everything you need, including templates for motor mounts, etc. IIRC, title is "Pinto Powered Model A" or some such.

[Gil Sissons]

PM sent
Gil. NoCal

[Pete]

I don't remember any of the details but this was about the fastest car in it's class in the UK at one time. I knew one of the people involved. It had a 2 cam head but I am thinking it was 4 valves. Maybe not.

[1oldtimer]

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I have a 2.0L in my '28 now and drove it home with an A/T, ok on the freeway but super slow around town.....really needs a stick. I'm saving the 2.0L for another Hillman project.