will a v8 work?

[omega]

my mate has a ford cargo truck that is used as a car transporter for his own use.while the truck is in very good condition the engine isnt.now as the lump is big and heavey and diesel isnt cheap anymore and neither are truck engines,
so while kicking ideas around we started thinking about petrol engines.
so a quick look on the internet and theres quite a few yank v8s in budget and theres lots of room to stick a big lpg tank down the side of the truck.
we will have more bhp but is it the right bhp to power a truck?
i can also see gearing being a proplem.
so is this a viable idea?or we overlooking something major,

[welshpug]

I doubt you ill get a powerful enough (or rather torquey enough) V8 between the chassis rails, the cargo isn't that big and was only designed to take straight engines.

I think you would be best off sticking with the truck engines, something like an Iveco sourced engine from the Eurocargo which is what replaced the Ford Cargo, earlier ones were Fiat straight sixes which wouldn't be hard to make work, I'm not sure how much electronic trickery there is on the Tector 4 cylinder engines found in the later trucks, I only went as far as general servicing and drivetrain stuff with them not engine work.

There's the old Cummins lump which would do the job admirably...

[tubbs]

Now then, i gas converted a ford cargo with a lexus v8 lump and box in. Bags of power, I'm not joking, you could light up the rear wheels in 1,2 and 3 rd. Nice idea ! Tubbs likes this !

[dodgerover]

Its a regular occurance in Aus, usually a holden/ Ford/ chev v8 with lots of big LPG tanks, got behind an petrol international filling up once - he put in just under 800 litres

[notsoswift]

As above, popular enough that CRS sell a kit

[waveman1500]

Mar 18, 2013 19:30:47 GMT welshpug said:

I doubt you ill get a powerful enough (or rather torquey enough) V8 between the chassis rails, the cargo isn't that big and was only designed to take straight engines.

This is a load of rubbish, if you can get an American small-block V8 into anything ranging from a Ford Capri to a Mazda MX5 to an Austin Healey then it will definitely fit in a truck!

As notsoswift says, Castlemaine Rod Shop in Australia make bellhousings and adapter kits to suit either Chev or Ford small block V8s into a Ford Trader/Mazda T-series or Nissan Cabstar.

[mdh]

Big block Chevy FTW!

[georgeb]

Will a V8 work? There's only ever one answer to this question!!

[omega]

with refrence to the lexus is there a wireing guide anywhere? as we are rubbish with keeping the smoke in the wires, and can you get a manual box?
one of the reasons for the yank was easy to wire up and lots of choice of gearbox

[froggy]

no straight fit for the gearbox but i can supply you with an adaptor for either the w58 or r154 supra box . flywheel from the mr2 turbo fits with a little mod to the bolt holes . budget at least £600 for the bits using a w58 or nearer a grand if you want an r154 .