Diesel Swaps into 50s/60s Classics

[lacolocho]

I think the market out here on the west coast is really different than elsewhere. There's more and more folks wanting to drive the diesels in order to switch over to biofuels, but most folks are left with two choices in a passenger car: a VW or a Mercedes. For many, a Volskwagen is too small and too loud on the inside. Most of these people end up buying a Mercedes, which is barely more fuel efficient than a big truck.
So, all these people end up driving a Mercedes because there just aren't other options. I think something that got 35+mpg as opposed to 25mpg, and was also a lot more unique and fun to drive, would have a good deal of appeal to the right person.

[pete c]

the problem is, the old cars you speak of are already worth pretty good money if they are in any sort of decent shape. then you add the price of a decent running diesel and install.

a cool idea?

yeah.

would i like one?

hell yeah.

can you make a buck at it?

not in a bazillion years.

if you could do it and lose less than 5 grand a pop, i'd be impressed.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by lacolocho

My dream car is a diesel '66 or '67 Mercury Comet, but I'm also considering the profit potential of converting these classics and selling them.

What do people think of doing such a swap?

I'd say leave the classics as they are / came off the line.

The diesel conversion is going to cost a lot; diesel is more expensive in the US; and these cars are unlikely to be driven the kind of miles that would make diesel operation economical; swapping in a 6+ L diesel is hardly an economy measure ; diesel is not quite as clean as many Americans think (though it opens the biodiesel option); the older the engine that goes in, the more polluting it'll be.

Those old battleships often have plenty of space, why not add LPG to a petrol engine ?

[lacolocho]

the problem is, the old cars you speak of are already worth pretty good money if they are in any sort of decent shape.

It's actually not too hard to find one out here for $2-3k that's in decent shape (good body and interior, no rust). It wouldn't be a show car, but that's not the point; just good enough to be an interesting daily driver.

I think it could be done for under $5k total.

The diesel conversion is going to cost a lot

If I'm doing the swap myself, where is this cost factor coming in?

[spacer]

I'd love a small diesel in a '49 Chevy pickup. I'd start a garden just so I could use the truck to take the veggies to Trade Days.

[oil pan 4]

I am not sure what year GM switched over to DB4, but it was around 1994.
I stay as far a way as possible from the DB4.
The DB4 is toxic, just don't waste your time with it.
When I built up my chevy diesel I used all the best parts from 1984 to 2002. Just because something is new doesn't mean its better. The 6.2L and 6.5L serries one of the best examples of this.

Any half ton GM truck from about 1956 to 2000 or 2002 offered a SBC or BBC engine. All camaros up to about 1994 offered an SBC and a few other cars offered SBC over they years.

The TH700R4 is the most common economy transmission.
I have towed with my TH700R4 and it seems to do ok.
The TH400 or 4L80E is also popular but its a big some what inefficient tow transmission, its also the popular 4x4 transmission.
There is a guy over on dieselplace.com that was working on putting a 6-speed T56 transmission in a 6.2L.
I don't know if anyone has ever tried towing with a T65, its a high performance car transmission.
The 4-speed and 5-speed manual transmissions that originally came with the 6.2L and 6.5L engines are pretty rare.

Aftermarket turbocharged 2wd chevy blazers with 5 speed manual transmissions have been known to get nearly 30mpg. In a car or small pickup I think a properly setup chevy diesel could get 35mpg.

Originally I wanted to get a diesel blazer but they are pretty rare and I setteled for the suburban.
For a little less MPG I ended up with a much more capable work vehicle. I like the suburban because it can hold 8 foot 2x4's and 4x8 foot sheets of sheet rock or plywood and keep them out of the weather. It can take up to 12 foot lengths of wood no problem, they just hang out the back a few feet.

The 6.2L and 6.5L engies are also very popular for light duty marine build ups, but that is a whole nother world.

[oil pan 4]

The 6.2L and 6.5L diesels don't like to run a whole lot of waste vegetable oil.
They do like bio diesel.

[lacolocho]

The 6.2L and 6.5L diesels don't like to run a whole lot of waste vegetable oil

Why is that?

[oil pan 4]

Rotary injector pumps don't like thick fuel.
It ruins them.
Plus you can't cold start with a lot of vegetable oil.
I have had the same pump since 2006 and always run less than 25% vegetable oil, if you run much more than that when the engine is cold you are asking for trouble.

[SwamiSalami]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

The 6.2L and 6.5L diesels don't like to run a whole lot of waste vegetable oil.
They do like bio diesel.

it's just cold where you are at this time of year.

it can be risky business to not use any mode of treatment in your wvo!