question UK and French V8

[The Auck]

Can anyone tell me what is required if anything to fit the French 4.2 litre Postwar V8 into where a UK wartime V8 was? Someone said something about an adaptor plate but have no idea what this is.

 

Thanks

Nigel

[25 pounder]

Hi Nigel ,

to fit another type of engine to the genuine gearbox , you'll need to install an "adapter" plate between replacement engine and gearbox,

standard "plates" used to be common stuff at the 1970's , as people used to change petrol engines to diesel powered jeeps and trucks ,

[ford 369]

I think the french flathead should be a direct swop although I am not sure if it has an integral or seperate bellhousing also the ancillaries are presumably 12 volt rather than 6 and the threads may well be metric,the best place to source info would be one of the hot rod forums,

Nigel

[woa2]

I beleive that the engine is Not a direct replacement and that the French engine has metric instead of UNC threads as well as numerous mods to make a swap difficult. I have not heard of anyone using one of these engines in a US or British Ford vehicle. Can anyone update or correct me on this?

[mcspool]

I have not heard of anyone using one of these engines in a US or British Ford vehicle. Can anyone update or correct me on this?

 

I have heard of Ford Canada owners doing such a swap. As far as I know the French V8 is a post-war update of the wartime V8, so it should be a (fairly) straight swop.

 

But we really need to hear from someone who can talk from first-hand experience.

 

H.

[ford 369]

try calling Billy at the North American Motor Company in Fleet for advice as I am pretty sure he has fitted these into various British and American cars and can probably help with supply as well

[The Auck]

Thanks very much for that I'll let you know what happens!!

 

Nigel

[Maurice]

if you swap the sump , and inlet manifolds , and water pumps from the orriginal block you are there , just one fan belt has to be deleted if you leave the french distributor on , but if you put an adaptor plate in between the wartime distributor and the wartime gear cover you can delete the french distributor (cam shaft is slightly longer) This is possible with the 21 stud engine , and 24 stud engine (heads on french 24 stud engine have radiator hose connection in different place, so 24 stud WW2 head can be swapped as well) . clutch matches straight on to gear box .

[The Auck]

if you swap the sump , and inlet manifolds , and water pumps from the orriginal block you are there , just one fan belt has to be deleted if you leave the french distributor on , but if you put an adaptor plate in between the wartime distributor and the wartime gear cover you can delete the french distributor (cam shaft is slightly longer) This is possible with the 21 stud engine , and 24 stud engine (heads on french 24 stud engine have radiator hose connection in different place, so 24 stud WW2 head can be swapped as well) . clutch matches straight on to gear box .

 

Thanks Maurice, thats a great help.

 

Nigel