Making a custom car

Maintenance/Repairs
21

@ok4450, the 390 big block is the engine Ford put in the Thunderbirds from the sixties. This 390 I have came from a rusted out sister car with severe damage that I stripped for parts before letting it go. According to my research, the '61 to '63 “bullet birds” had options for a 2-bbl 390, a 4-bbl 390, and the tri-power (3 X 2-bbl) 390. I have the 2-bbl and 4-bbl cast iron manifolds for this engine.

But, a 70 Chevelle with 1100 ft-lbs of torque and 38 MPG?!? Reason enough to look at a Diesel conversion!

P.S. @ok4450, sorry for the response, I mis-read your comment. I’m building a driver’s car, not a trailer queen. I can rebuild a 4.6L for the same cost as restoring the 390, but get better reliability and triple the gas mileage with very little difference in performance. Just like the spirit in the rest of this thread. Besides, the '62 is a classic, but not all that rare. There are plenty of surviving ‘thoroughbreds’ out there for the purists to enjoy.

22

That Chevelle diesel was no ‘drop in’ job. Sounds like LOTS of time, money, and expertise used on it. And I’ll believe the 38 mpg when I see it…

23

These are all great thanks guys. I have to say that I did not realize that so many other people had considered the idea as much as they have, though on hindsight I should not be surprised. The funny thing is, I am not thinking about taking it to car shows or racing it. I just want it to be a fun expression of myself that is comfortable and awesome and I could drive everywhere with it. My only philosophy about a car is that if you are not using it, you are wasting it.