Chevy 151ci in M-37?

[nivek]

Gents,

Friend was over looking at Old Blue and the general lack of progress I am making on the project, AHEM, err, ahhh, slow, dedicated, painstaking work done...

He suggested that the Chevy/GM Iron Duke 151ci straight four might be a good repower.

I have a 350/TH400/NP205 that is transplantable, but all that is going to require a LOT of work that despite haveing the facilities for, I don't have the *poop* to do that much.

I've worked on the Iron-4's that put out an appreciable amount of torque and horsepressure to move things quickly.. They use a lot of Chevy's Small Block tech and some of the racy-ier hotrod equipment.

Seriously considering something more modern than the overhauled civvy/industrial 230 I've got at this point.

Old Blue is still bare to frame, waiting for me to decide on what to do..
Problem is? SOooooOOOooo many decent possibilities to work with!

Ideas and thoughts appreciated.

kL

[spainex]

Nivek, I would agree with your friend that the iron duke would make a decent repower as they are very reliable but I guess I don't see how it would be much less work than fitting the smallblock, fabbed motor mounts, rad hoses, minor wiring adjustments etc. If I had the 350/400/205 lying around thats what I'd be stuffing in there. Just as reliable and more than enough power, as a matter of fact I think someone a few years ago was making or had made an adapter plate to bolt the original dodge trans to a chevy engine pattern. For some reason I'm thinking it was an ad in the back of Mil-Veh Magazine some years ago. Anyone remember something about that or am I just dreaming?

[Lifer]

I'd love to get my hands on an Iron Duke...but not for repowering my M37. I have another idea in mind for it if I can find one.

[gwalker]

Actually the 'iron duke' 151 is a pontiac divison engine(1977-1993), the chevy 4 cyl is the 153 used in the early nova II. it was a chevy 6 cyl engine w/ 2 less cyls.(1962-1971)

[Lifer]

The Chevy II version is the one I'd like to have...set up for a Powerglide trans.

[nivek]

Actually the 'iron duke' 151 is a pontiac divison engine(1977-1993), the chevy 4 cyl is the 153 used in the early nova II. it was a chevy 6 cyl engine w/ 2 less cyls.(1962-1971)

Duh on my part..

Was thinking of the Chevy motor, and you are corrrect in the CID.
Dunno why, think my Pontiac Fiero driving buddy was over and had my mind full of figures and factoids that I couldn't dump..

What I'm thinking on the 4 cylinder is that is is less wide than the V engine, and that gives me a ton more room for using the original pedals, which I really dig for *looks*.

My -37 when on road is pretty much going to be a driver, won't worry about this first truck being fast or all original.

Do have second truck, if repowered I'll try and stay all Mopar as Rusty Red gets worked over.

What I'd like is a dependable hydraulic liftered engine I don't have to be fiddling with to keep running well.

kL

[Lifer]

Have you considered using a more modern Dodge slant-6? They're not the most powerful engine in the world, but they do have more "cojones" than the Chevy 4-banger and they're indestructible to boot. I doubt that you'd gain much in the way of top-end performance, but it would be extremely reliable and you'd not have to "fiddle with it."

[greencom]

Isn't the 151 engine way way too small for the M37? 230 cubes is bad enough without losing 80 more? Enlighten me, I must be missing sumthin. I too am looking for an alternative engine for my beater.
Respectfully,
Greencom

[jbxx]

Has anyone ever done a repower with a slant 6?
That was one amazing engine.
I had one in an old Valliant. Had 250K
on it didn't burn a drop of oil, never did any large maint on it.
Started on the first quarter crank.
The car fell apart around the engine.
That engine may be still running somewhere.
J.B.

[Lifer]

I remember reading several threads on the old Big Electric forum by guys who had repowered their M37s with slant-sixes. I don't remember who they were, and i don't know if any of them have found their way to the new site, but it has been done.