Soooo I happen to have a 1987 gen I chevy small block sitting in the garage looking for a home.  That'll do!

I've pulled the AC engine out, the clutch housing is still on the tractor.  I'm muddling through what makes the most sense to mate this engine to the rest of the drivetrain.  My initial thought was to get an adapter made to mate the Chevy block to the AC bellhousing, and adapt the stock AC flywheel to the Chevy crank, and use stock gear from the flywheel/clutch on back.  That way I retain the original clutch, starter, and everything from there back to the wheels.  The only trick is building the engine adapter such that the crank stays centered and in line with the clutch shaft.

The other option would be to pull the bellhousing off, pull the torque tube off, and use a separate transmission (which I have access to) and a short driveshaft to mate the chevy engine/tranny directly to the transmission input shaft.  I would lose the mid PTO, rear PTO and hand clutch, but I don't use them anyway.  I'm just not sure if there's a shaft seal on the input shaft where it exits the rear differential housing...it doesn't look like it from the parts book.

Any thoughts on the most sensible way to approach this?

Steve@B&B

I am thinking that if you can get an adapter made and use the original housing would be easier.  Not sure about how the ac flywheel would get along with the chevy for balance but might work. --- On second thought----the 440's have a "extra" flywheel bolted to the stock one in them,---why I don't know, so if that works the tractor flywheel should do fine in your engine!

Hardest part will be getting things lined up/marked/machined out . You might have to modify the frame rails a bit, but no biggie.

Do you have a governor to put on the engine?  I would use a gov. for sure.

Yeah, I got a recommendation through the AC facebook group for that person...he only has one left, is not interested in selling it and not interested in making more, so I'm on my own in that regard.

hmm to make the adapter ...

1) takes 2 small squares of 1/2"  MDF or particle board.

2) attach one to bellhousing, marking out every hole and where the input shaft is

3) attach other to engine, marking out every hole and the end of crankshft.

4) mate them together so that crankshaft and input shaft are alligned.

5) now cutout the unnecessary 'inside stuff' to leave  the 1" thick 'adapter' plate

..heck, this looks good in my mind and I've done similar adapters to things...

Now the EASY way is to trade the SBC for a good running WD engine...

I do wonder about the low RPM torque from the SBC..

I KNOW 'upgrading' from the inline 6 to the 304 V8 in my '73 CJ-5 , I LOST  big time the 'bottom end' torque...needed for snowplowing and discing....

We put a 6 cly chev in a tractor one

time and it was no good for anything.

Because the 6cly would run from 800

to 3200 +rpm and the tractor motor

would run from 400 to 1800rpm.

No good for plowing or in the wood

or mowing  even

would go 35mph in first just something

to get hurt on. just so you know ;

maybe you could put a transfer case and

run it in low range

do what you want make no difference to me

   B:-)         Dnoy

in first gear

I'm not sure how to reconcile some of the earlier posts...some people say the engine is too powerful and is going to blow up the rear end, others say it will be so underpowered it will be useless.  According to tractordata.com, the WD45 226 was rated for around 280ft lbs of torque near 800rpm.  The chevy motor, in this form, is rated for about 265ft lbs, I haven't found the torque curve yet but I think it peaks near 1800rpm.  So, obviously higher than the 226 but not outrageously high like a Honda engine.

As far as "simply" picking up a cheap replacement...that was obviously my first choice.  I'm located in CT and there just isn't a lot of AC content in this area.  Most of what I'm finding is minimum 6 hours away, and a lot of it has been either complete tractors for very high listing price (3k+, not including transport), or engines or engine blocks of questionable origin and condition.  I'm not interested in investing 12-15hrs of driving plus yet another rebuild (time and material) just to find I have another leaker or something else is broken and practically unobtanium for me.  I can always sovle that by getting the block magnafluxed prior to rebuild, but that activity really starts to add up.  While there is a fair amount of up-front work needed to get the chevy engine in there, I have very high confidence in its longevity and parts are super easy to source.  So, that's my logic.  I'm clearly not interested in turning this thing into a toy or a display piece - I bought it to work and need it to continue.

I'm typically of the same mind, but the tractor is already unusable so that ship has sailed, unfortunately.

Steve@B&B

https://ibb.co/2N9YvVv" rel="nofollow">

The only reason I was looking around for someone that made one was because I didn't have the time to fab one myself. I'll be retiring come the middle or end of the summer, so I'll just fab up one myself. I've fabbed a lot hotrod parts over the years, no reason why I can't fab up an flat piece of steel for a plate after I make a cardboard template. I have a couple SBC bellhousings kickin' around. Somethin' down the road...

Steve@B&B

 I envy the work the custom guys do on cars, trucks, and tractors. My old brain has a hard time just getting them back to stock condition. I don't think I have the artsy vision some guys do, or the mechanical skills to machine my own basic parts needed for a custom build. Oh I can cobble some stuff together and slap some paint on it occasionally but that's about my extent. Maybe someday a hot rod custom tractor? I think the lowered B would be really neat, for shows. Good luck in your endeavors. Sounds like you have the skills and most of the things you need. 

Regards,

 Chris

Ahhh, give yourself more credit than that Chris! Heck, you work on your Tractors often, there's no reason in the world why you couldn't build a little custom Tractor yourself. Just gotta' take yer' time, do a little engineering, and before you know it... viola! custom Tractor!!  I'm not gettin' any younger either, with a bad back, bum shoulder, and the usual aches n' pains, but I ain't lettin' that bring me to a standstill. It slows me down a little, but still rollin' with it. Gotta' put yer' mind to it man! 

Steve@B&B

 Thanks for the kick!

Regards,

 Chris

hmm 'minor' snag...

re:.....someone told me the sbc would drop into place without any frame modifications

...well get 'them' to show you how it's done !!!!

I've got a 'low compression' Buda 4BD153 that'd be fun to 'drop right it'...hehehehehe

Find a Chevy 292 inline 6. Better known as the "torque monster".  Takes two men and a boy to carry the crankshaft. LOL!  A buddy of mine as one in his 78-79 Mason Dump with the old "granny" 4 speed Saginaw tranny behind it. Let the clutch out in first gear you can walk along side of that thing. What a pisser that would be. I bet that would work quite well in a Tractor.

Steve@B&B

 Hey Sploke,,,,don't give up, Guy,,,even tho this subject seems to be the BEST KEPT SECRET with A/C tractors,There have been a large number of them already "modified" due to pretty much necessity reasons as yours and even those like Steve in NJ and myself that just cannot or do not want to give up on the Hot Rodding aspect of it.

 When I bought my D14 without a complete engine I also looked far and wide and bothered lots of A/C people for details on an adapter,,,,never mind that there have already been many A/C's with Chevy engines in existance,,,BUT,,,,

."".well get 'them' to show you how it's done !!!!""

 unfortunately Jay's comment is not as easy to accomplish as it sounds because like I said,,,IT IS THE BEST KEPT SECRET in A/C world,,,!!! Those that have already done this modification, seem to just NOT want to share. One would think that some enterprising fellar would engineer an adapter plate(S) and start marketing them and he would not be able to keep with the demand. I know I would buy one just to have it here should I get a line on another A/C.

 I know one fellar up in Nebraska that has a WD that has a Chevy 6 cylinder that I find very interesting but travel circumstances with my wife's health issues prevent me from going up to get it and,,,,and,,,he won't deliver,,,,!!!!! PFFFFtttttt

Just a suggestion,---What I have seen done is to cut the needed slots, then bridge around them with heavy iron and continue on. If you do good welds, this will work on loaders, so it's an option.

Not sure that you will find a vee motor that will fit without frame altering. --- I would cut, reinforce, and weld to make it fit. ---- Just stuff I have done before. I don't go for looks, I go for results, so don't give up on it.

The diaspora of mentions about power:

A V-8 engine, by geometry, is most practical when using larger bore, and shorter stroke.  It's advantage, is to have twice the displacement, in a short, lightweight crankshaft and short rods that will spin nicely over a wide powerband.  Because of low piston speed and low reciprocating mass, they are excellent for accellerating passenger cars and light trucks.

An inline ALWAYS requires a longer crankshaft... and to keep it short, bore must be smaller.  To increase displacement, the result is a longer stroke, thus longer rods, more reciprocating mass.

Longer stroke, with smaller bore creates a vacuum profile totally unlike a large bore/short stroke engine.  They develop very high runner velocities at much lower speeds, so the torque curve is much fatter at the bottom end.

Your Allis inline four is capable of some incredible torque numbers...  If the puller guys are willing to open their chops just a little, I'd bet you'd find 300 ft-lbs not unusual for a WD-45... and it DOESN'T need to spin fast to do it.

That V8 engine, when placed in continuous duty at 1200rpm, will be good for only about 50hp.  When set up for marine duty (freshwater cooling, 140 degree thermostat, 9:1 compression and 92 RON marine fuel) you'll see them around 100hp at 1200rpm.  The power curve comes up substantially around 2200rpm, and torque starts falling off around 4600rpm.  By 4800, they're usually done, as most marine drives will not tolerate running over 5000rpm for very long.

The Allis engine will, from a tractible power perspective, tromp the V8 right and left, because it's well-up in it's torque curve around 100rpm BELOW idle.

The engine that Steve refers to (the 140 Mercruiser) is referred to as a 'chevy', but it's really an inline iron-block GM industrial 181ci... they never put them in cars.  The most volumnous production was sold to MerCruiser division of Mercury Marine, for use in boats.  The 181 was a successor to the 153ci four, commonly found in the Chevy II and a few others, but also in industrial applications like generators, irrigation pumps, forklifts and mobile machinery.  The 153 was related to the Chevy 230 inline six... basically, identical, but shorter by 2 cylinders.  MerCruiser used the 153 in a more-or-less stock form with it's 120hp marinization, but when Chevy bumped up the 230ci six up to 250 by bore enlargement, Mercruiser took the 153 up to 181, and did some redesign of the cylinder head, which GM applied to their 181 industrial as well.  It was a strong motor, but realize... it was NOT in any way limited to 1800rpm, which is one of the reasons why it can be put in a tractor for 'competition purposes'.

Even with the 181's capacity, The WD45 engine will still out-torque it to 1800.  After that, though, the 181 will start taking over the horsepower battle.

I think you'll find that the 350v8 will need gearing down, and you'll have lots of futzing to get a governor on it.

Thanks...love that show!

If you are talking about this one, it is NOT a 4BT Cummins. A 4BT is a 3.9L and this one is a 3.3L.

https://desmoines.craigslist.org/grd/d/pocahontas-cummins-4bt-33-4cy-diesel/7085713492.html" rel="nofollow - https://desmoines.craigslist.org/grd/d/pocahontas-cummins-4bt-33-4cy-diesel/7085713492.html

I actually had that one or another one just like it (from the same guy, he deals in them) at my shop to put in a dozer to replace a blown (hole in block) 4BT and it is a lot smaller then a 3.9L 4BT. 

4BT's seem to have gotten pretty hard to find as of late as the non HPCR engine have not been put in anything for years.