Detroit in a Pickup.

[Tommy Stojanov]

Hello folks-

Does anyone here have a Detroit under the hood of their pickup, or for that matter any other medium or heavy duty diesel engine- Perkins, IH, JD, Deutz, Cat, Cummins? I would be happy if someone could share some information, pictures, or stories of their conversions. I have been thinking of building a new service/ engine hauling truck. Thanks!

[Kevin O. Pulver]

I think our local Billy Overturf built several before they were commercially available. Maybe Bill W. or someone will chime in. I don't know a lot about it except I think I saw under the hood of one and he had to cut the firewall for length of the engine. Kevin

[Tanner Remillard]

I've seen a few guys put Cummins engine in older pickups. Think they had to do a little front end trimming since there so long, but they did it.

[John Hanson]

The Cummins 4BT is a really popular swap engine for a pickup. They're small enough that you have plenty of room and they'll still throw out 200+ hp for lots of miles! You can go on Google and find quite a bit of info, or on Fordification and there's a good long thread on there about them in 67-72 Fords.
John

[Ken Majeski]

Well.... Last summer I seen a Guy that put a DT 466 IHC in a older Chevy that had a 6.5 last summer... He had to move the radiator as far forward as he could and it's good thing he didn't have AC or he would have needed an Extenda Grill... It didn't fit in there very good but it was in there... He even retained the original auto trans... He had put about 60,000 miles on it with No Problems.

To me a 5.9 Cummins would have made a lot more sense... And you could have took engine tranny and all...

I was considering putting a 5.9 Cummins in my Pristeen 96 Ford but I don't think that Aluminum Tranny would have stood it so I ended up buying a southern salt free 96 Dodge off of Ebay and have never been sorry.... And I sold the 460 Gas Ford for 500 $ more than I paid for the Dodge... That was about 4 years ago... Now it's hard to find a really Good 12 valve for a decent price....

[Ed Allandar]

Tommy, if you want to contact me off line I have a good friend that has done multiple Detrioit conversions and loves to talk about them. He also belongs to a group called the "road oliers" which meets at least annually to show off their conversions. Detroits, CAt's Nissians, Perkins even a John Deere combine engines in cars that were originally powered with gas engines. Even had a diesel powered Harley show up a few years. They used to get together at the back of the field at Coolsprings in the fall, but have been moving around. they had there gathering at the Mifflinburg PA show last fall. Great bunch of guys and a lot of good how to info and support. Ed

[Mike Monnier]

Last summer at a local custom truck show I saw a twin turbo Cummins 4BT transplanted into a Jeep Wrangler. That HAD to be one fun ride! Assuming you're talking about a full-size pickup, the 4BT and 6BT Cummins are common transplant options. The International VT365 and DT466 are also good choices for minimal cutting to fit. You just can't get too hog wild and think a 9.0 liter JD will fit under the hood.

[Elden DuRand]

I've seen late'70's Chevy 3/4 ton trucks repowered with Perkins 6-354's and they said they worked very well. I remember them saying they found that a Perkins to Chevy stick tranny bellhousing was made for some big Toro commercial mowers that used that engine and tranny combination. I bet Toro wondered why so many bellhousings were going out the door!

I successfully repowered a '50 Chevy fastback with a Perkins 4-154. Here's the story.

http://www.oldengine.org/members/dur...uff/chevy.html

Take care - Elden
http://www.oldengine.org/members/durand/

[ListerDiesel]

[quote=Elden DuRand;277162]I've seen late'70's Chevy 3/4 ton trucks repowered with Perkins 6-354's and they said they worked very well. I remember them saying they found that a Perkins to Chevy stick tranny bellhousing was made for some big Toro commercial mowers that used that engine and tranny combination. I bet Toro wondered why so many bellhousings were going out the door!

Probably an SAE bellhousing then.

The T6-354 would have been even better....

Peter

[Rick McKay]

A couple of creative brothers that I know put an aluminum 3-53 into a'79 3/4 Chev back in the '80's. They said it had decent power and got 20 mpg, when the 350 that had been in there got 8-10 mpg. Another guy that I know put a school bus 8.2 V8 Detroit engine and transmission into a '78 or '79 ford 3/4 ton. "Plenty of Power" he told me. Never did comment on the mileage, though.

Rick

[PFT]

Rick, did that 3-53 come out of a Gamma Goat? Is it still going and holding up ok? I wondered about the durability of the aluminum version. I have one stashed away in the barn waiting for the right canidate truck to put it in.
PT

[Tommy Stojanov]

Hi Folks-

Thanks for all the responses. I've seen a number of 6BT and 4BT swaps. Everyone tries to tell me Cummins- but a Detroit in a truck is much more unique- I guess that's what I'm trying to accomplish. I have a '95 2500 Dodge now with the 6BTA and P pump. I like the engine, but am looking for something different for this next project.

Now I'll share some of the info I've found and stories.

I have seen a Ford F350 with a DTA360 and the AFC slightly adjusted, he claimed that he regularly pulled around 30K. Last I heard from him he killed his 14 bolt corporate and swapped in a Dana 80. He also had to make his own rims since the road speed on the truck wasn't very impressive. His next project was a DT466 in another F350- but I doubt the 60 front would take it. I bet that a DT466 will last a heck of a lot longer than a 6.5 . And probably better fuel economy too!

I was thinking of using a 6-404T Deere since it took a standard bell, however the deal ended up falling through. I have only heard mention of this engine in a pickup.

As Perkins go- I was considering purchasing a 70's C30 that someone had adapted a 6.354 into. They added an HX35 turbo (likely off a 6B.) I also beleive it had an electro/ mechanical over/under. It ended up on eBay about a year ago, didn't go for very much. The biggest problem was getting it home- it was in WI and I was busy with school. The T6.354.4 or Phaser engine would have been cool. I beleive the engine came out of a worn Massey combine and the owner decided to place it in his pickup.

I looked at a '79 C30 3+3 that the frame had been extended on to fit a 14' utility box. The wheelbase was ridiculous. The only marginally decent thing about it in my opinion was the 8.2T and the MT647 Allison. If it were a little shorter I would have had it. The original power to the truck was a 454, then a 4-53N with added turbo, and finally the 8.2. The fellow said he had so much trouble with the natural block being turbocharged that he went right to the Detroit dealer and said he wanted a new engine capable for pickup use and an automatic transmisson. A 3 spd auxillary was also added. I wish he would have added a Silver 4-53T, but if that were the case it would be long sold by now. The fellow used to tow his skidder and logs back from the Adirondacks with this truck. There was an interesting hydraulic brake arrangement for the trailer. He claimed it worked well.

A fellow who I met at Canadaigua a few years back had a 3-53T in a '78 F-100. It had a T404 turbo, N70 bodies with DDEC tips off an 8v92, NP435 tranny, NP205 transfer case, a heavy 44 front and 14 bolt corporate rear. He claimed it did about 24mpg. It was pretty quick too for what it was.

Just the other day I heard of a 3208T in an F250 not too far from my house. I guess its for sale too and I'll be checking into that. Someone told me that some serious changes to the cab and tunnel were made, enough so one has to place their foot at an angle to depress the accelerator.

BTW as far as I know all aluminum 3-53's were for the U.S. Military and any I've found were out of a gama goat. The nice thing about the aluminum motor is the weight and the fact that you can turbo this engine without blowing out the airbox gasket. I beleive they had a standard bell on them as well.

[bill chasser]

The 3208 in the f anything ford is a bad ugly swap. When you see it you'll know why. There wa a couple gm pu here in sacramento in the 70 and 80s with detriot two 4x4s with mudders that ran around Citrus heights but haven't seen them for years both ran what sounded to be 6v53TT, with alot of boost and at minimum110 nozzles. The smoke boiled out the pipes. My auto shop teacher in the 70s was putting a 4-53t in a early 70, f supercab and it fizzled. I have a friend in the auburn areas built a 1ton chassis with a 6v53TT and construted a 1945 lo mount peterbuilt cab and fenders over it. looked pretty nice when I saw it 20+ yrs ago. But I can't tell you who has one here any more with the Cal EPA Emmissions ;crap we have to deal with. Everything got scrapped or parked..

[Ray Freeman]

Ford fitted the little 4.1 litre Perkins/Mazda in F100's here in the late 70's (Australia) It was the most gutless thing I ever drove. There were a few around with 3 cylinder GM's. I don't know how they went but they sounded nice. I imagine the easiest and most practical would be the 5.9 Cummins or even a mechanically injected 7,3 Navistar if you don't want to fool with electronics. I pull a heavy trailer with my line boring gear which runs about 71/2 ton all up with a 97 F350 7.3. Its been reliable,cheap on fuel and heaps of power with a mild chip.

[ELIDAS]

A fewb years back we had a customer that put a (I believe) 3-71 in a Jeep Wagoneer. It wasn't pretty but ran it everywhere. He worked for the bus company so parts didn't seem to be a problem.

[greysteam24hp]

I have seen a older Chevy truck used a combine diesel engine. He got it from the combine junk yard and paid 500.00 for it then installed it. It does fit into transmission bolt pattern. He travel all over USA. Runs and sounds like turbo diesel tractor. I don't know which combine diesel

[Mikey4026]

I worked for a Detroit Diesel dealer in the late 70's. They had transplanted 453 and 453T's into all of the Chevrolet service trucks and PU's. The 453's were ok around town, but severly lacking in the mountains, 4th gear too tall, 3rd gear low. The 453t's were fine, if you could keep them running. Did one with an 8V53 T with an Allison, had trouble keeping it cool when fully loaded, not enough frontal area on the pickup. The 453's were getting over 20 mpg. Noisy as hell unless turbocharged!
Mikey

[Fred Van Hook]

This is not a Detroit and it's only a F150. It's a Allis Chalmers diesel. The owner says it works great.

[magicmikey]

F350 with a V6 Cummins.
mike

[Tom Sampson]

Tommy,
A friend of mine put a 4-53T in a 60's Gmc pickup His name is Dan Renavits. He drives all over the country. If you PM me I'll send you his number. I also saw a fellow last year at the Columbia Station Ohio engine show that put a 6V53 with a 13 speed trans in a 70's Chevy pickup. He had Jake brakes and even put a air brake chamber under the back of the truck that was operated with a micro switch to the brake peddle because his son loved to hear the Air sound when he stepped on the brakes. He did one of the best installs I had seen. I believe Dan Renavits also knows him.
Tom