New member, strange project...

[46stude]

My name's Jeff, & I'm near Corpus Christi, Texas.

I found the site recently while researching the 6.2 diesels. The reason I'm here is to have a good resource of info for my Studebaker project.

1946 Studebaker M5 pick up truck (M5 was the 1/2 ton designation).
1969 F350 dually chassis has been swapped in under the Stude sheetmetal.

I was going to run a 300 six cyl Ford motor, but after cutting the firewall & placing the 6 in, I decided that it was just too long for this project. The firewall was going to be recessed 8" into the cab.

The search for another potential powerplant then ensued. Research showed that gasoline V8 motors just sucked too much fuel for my 1 ton application. Sure an OD trans behind a 351W would work, but I was looking at 12 mpg tops.

So I began looking to the 6.9/7.3 Ford diesels. I found pics of one swapped into a similar Ford chassis- way to big for my application, in my opinion. I need fairly compact size, cheap (relatively speaking), & fuel mileage.

So here I am- the GM 6.2 seems to fit the bill. I do not currently have a motor, but I'm on the lookout for one. I'm thinking an N/A 6.2 backed by an NV4500 OD manual.

Questions, comments, or amusing insults are welcome......

[46stude]

A pic of the project:



I do have an F600 powered by the GM 8.2 diesel:

[Robyn]

Welcome to TDP

Sweet little project you have going. The 6.2 would be a nice swap too.
Just plan on plenty of radiator to cool it.

The 6.2 can be bolted up to a TH 350, 400 or 700R4

The only real good use for an 8.2 diesel is to use it as a boat anchor.
They had some serious issues that we shall not go into here.

Good luck with your cute little Studie

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

Very cool project. First time I have heard of a 6.2 Studebaker project, but it should be very unique! To bad you live way the heck down there, as I have a few 6.2's up here.

[rustyk]

Takes me back to the days when we had a '55 Stude PU - three-speed with overdrive, and the Silver Hawk engine @ a rompin'-stompin' 150 HP. I loved that truck, but then when I went away to college, the Old Man went GMC...

[46stude]

I guess its my fault for inviting "amusing insults".....

My F600's "boat anchor" 8.2 has never given me a lick of trouble. It gets great mileage & runs good. Its slow as molasses in the winter time, but otherwise its been a reliable powerplant. I've read all the stuff about how bad they are supposed to be- seems to be a line of BS as far as mines concerned.

Actually, for about 7-8 yrs I've felt that way (boat anchor material) about the 6.2s! I had a horrible one in an '82 Suburban that left such a bad taste in my mouth that I swore I'd never own another. But I realize now that it was just an old one that needed a ton more work than what I thought it did. And I also learned too late that a 700R4 needs to be specifically built for the diesel applications. It did give me a LOT of hands-on exp w/ the 6.2s, though, so thats one reason I've decided to try & swap one into my Studebaker.

No offense there, 6.5 DD, but considering the high in your neighborhood shows to have been around 5 degrees F & my neighborhoods was about 70 degrees F, I'm kind of glad I'm way the heck down here!

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

Totally agree with you man, love the heat more. Actually I live in in Kelowna where the summer time heat is 40+C in the shade

[Mark Rinker]

peardown@comcast.net

Contact this guy about reman 6.2 diesels out of military vehicles. Last I heard he had purchased ~800 in metal shipping cases. Tell him Mark from Minneapolis sent you.

[46stude]

Hey Mark, where is this guy located? I've seen a few 6.2 pullouts advertised on Craigslist & eBay from someone in the Houston area. They seem to be a good deal, but I get conflicting reports on how good a deal the military 6.2s really are.

[gmctd]

OEM equipment in that '46 was a flat-head 6-cylinder - the Ford six wouldn't fit without hacking the firewall, or you were bolting it to the oem Ford mounts, which caused the space\interference problem in the Stude engine bay?

[46stude]

The stock flathead 6 isn't but maybe as long as a SBC.

The 300-6 is near 3 feet long. I could have made it work, by moving the engine forward a couple inches & putting the radiator way ahead of the stock location, ditching the mech fan, etc- but it just does not seem worth it to me & still have the engine in the cab ~6".

Besides, I brought home a 6.2 today.

[gmctd]

That cab was used up to 5ton with 6-cyl Diesel - they had a recessed section for the firewall, with the body perched on top of the frame - I was thinking a Cummins 6BT would go really well with it, twin stacks and all.

So far it's lookin' good as a dooley - Ford and Studebaker used frames from the same company (AOSmith), and they used the same bed, fenders and taillites into the '60's, tho Ford's said Ford and Stude did not - go figger..........