1962 Dodge AT4

Boggy

The Perkins conversion would be an interesting engineering exercise. I have absolutely no doubt the little truck would be much nicer to drive with the current petrol engine.

Also have a think about your gearing. Although the Perkins best torque is below 2,000rpm you are chasing power in the small vehicle to be able to pull out and pass etc. Even in a bigger truck the 6.354 sings best at around 2,700rpm on the highway. If you gear it to 2,000rpm at 100kph when you plant your foot nothing will happen unless you change down every time you pass.

Although we are talking totally different technology and turbos, a diesel is still a diesel. My Navara 550 6 cylinder runs at 1,700rpm at 100kph to take advantage of the huge torque. But, as soon as I plant my foot to pass, the 7 speed auto immediately drops down two gears (and sometimes 3 gears) to leap the revs up to maybe 3,000rpm to reap the benefits of the power available at high engine speed. It does not bother me because some gremlins in the gearbox are throwing the levers but you will have to be pushing the Dodge stick back and forward.

It you have your Perkins cruise rpm in the high 2,000 range you will be changing gear much less often.

Also during your front end rebuild allow for double the weight sitting under the bonnet with the Perkins replacement.

Your truck and you can put a FIAT 500 engine in it if you want but just do your homework to avoid being disappointed after busting a gut. There are probably blokes on the forum who have put Perkins in little trucks and will say I am all doom and gloom and the conversion is better than the original petrol. I still think that may be true for bigger trucks but not for utes and lighties.

Lang

Ive put 354 s in half a dozen small Inters .......but I wouldnt do it again....And trying to put a 354 in a small (or any) Dodge is a complete no no for me........Unless you want a long term project in cab reconstruction............A 354 fits more or less straight into a small (,or any long bonnet) inter ........but not into a Dodge..............if I was going to do a Dodge conversion tomorrow I would fit a 318.

I have taken everything you have said onboard.Thank you
I was thinking that the 2000rpm might help me with fuel economy on country roads where I do most of my driving. I rarely go on the highway but when I do, I don't want it to be a pig to drive, I also don't want to have to change down on every hill I come to. With that said, I don't mind having to drop a gear or two to overtake on double lanes as it probably wont happen very often.
When I have all 3 trucks here I will look at the different spring setups and see what I can make that will hold the 469kg of the Perkins motor. I am also thinking maybe power steer might be needed for tight paddock work etc. As I said earlier, I am just bouncing ideas around ATM.
First priority is to get my tractor running with out leaving oil slicks every time I use the bucket. Priority 2 is to get the AT4 on Qld rego. Priority 3 is to get the Acco home and spend most of next 6 months building roads. The little truck runs ok with the slant 6 and will be used in this configuration until I figure out what I want to do.
I forgot to mention that the Inter that came with the Acco is a V8. I'm not sure what motor is in it as I didn't have the Dodge when I looked at it and had very little interest in it. What ever it is may well end up in the little dodge. It may even end up with the V8 and 5 speed from the Acco.

Having owned a few Inter Scouts I reckon that 345 Inter V8 is a ripper and would make the little Dodge a real flyer. One benefit would be your annual Xmas card from Shell thanking you for being one of their best customers. I think a 360 Dodge V8 would be even worse but as the saying goes:

"The only time you have enough power is when you can leave two continuous black lines all the way from the start of the straight to the braking area at the far end"

Lang

Yes, I would love to leave 4 black strips on the bitumen but doubt that my pension would cover the fuel bill. That's part of the reason I was thinking of diesel conversions.

A blueprint engines 408 cube crate engine would be a good option to stay mopar but an LS is best. What type of disc brakes were you contemplating for the conversion?

Putting another engine in a vehicle to save fuel costs is an oxymoron.

Even if you put the FIAT 500 engine in your Dodge you would have to live to be 100 and drive a million kilometres before you got your money back from the fuel cost difference. A bit like putting solar panels on your roof when you are in your sixties solely to save money.

An engine change has got to be done for more reason than saving fuel money. More power, more noise, better towing ability, more reliability or just the fun and satisfaction of an engineering project.

Just my opinion.

Lang

All of the above and fuel economy

wrote:

A blueprint engines 408 cube crate engine would be a good option to stay mopar but an LS is best. What type of disc brakes were you contemplating for the conversion?

I dont know yet. But it is something I will look into and get sorted before I put more horses under the bonnet. Does anyone have a best solution for disks?

John might be able to tell you if the front disc brake axle off a light Inter of the period will swap over.