1955 Buick Special sedan - diesel conversion
 

So I am starting my thread on the 6.2 install on the 55 buick. I will run biodiesel when done....http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/...n/100_0887.jpg
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Ambitious project - I'm impressed.

The last pic is your "new" engine that will go in the Buick? What was the donor vehicle before it was stripped to the frame? Cust curious.

thanks! i like ambitious! the engine donor is an 84 Chevy 1500 :-)

I was going to say it looks like that frame, cross member, double wish bone and motor to frame mount looks just like whats on my suburban.

Oh that block is likely cracked.

Subscribed. Will be following with interest.

I like the flavour of ecomodded old iron. Niel Young would approve too.

I second what Oil Pan 4 said about the block. Remove the pan and look closely at the webs around the outer bolt holes. Also look closely around the cylinder bottoms. I have one of these blocks that has a small crack at the cylinder bottom due to core shift when the casting was made. This is/was a known problem with these motors. The best blocks are the ones from 82 83 as they have a high Nickle content.

I've had an 87 and 84 6.2 and never had a problem. I've already had the oil pan off.... looks good. Ran good when I pulled it too.

Hmmm did a little more research on this and seems that I may in fact have an 82. The block numbers are def 6.2 but I'm told the red painted engine block is 82 only.... any truth. I never had the body or title, i bought the rolling frame with the intent of setting a 52 International truck on, at the time i was told it was an 84. and now wanting to move the motor to the buick.... hhhmmm

To Determine if you got really lucky. Check the date code on the back of the block, driver side, behind the head, there should be a casting date like this.

Hope this helps.

Thank you. Even if not, I'll run this one til it drops, then swap for a better one... a 6.5 will mount on the same mounts too....

Yeah if its a 660 block, you want to try and stay away from them. Unless they have been rebuilt and are known to be good.
At least 2/3 of them have webbing cracks bad.

Is there any orange/red pant on your engine?
If you have an orange/red 82 block so you likely have a high Ni alloy block and those are highly saught after by 6.2L builders.
I'd say rebuild it, thats a good engine, or at least a good block.

82 6.2 C-code is better (for fuel) and for reliability of the block

Looks like it is an older one...

http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMAG0360.jpg

Very good block. :thumbup: The '81 date code means high Ni content to those who know these. There is actually a lot that can be done with the 6.2. SCAT made a run of STEEL cranks for the 6.2 a few years back, I wonder who they were for?:confused:

Motor mounts in, cutting the cross member for the transmission. Going to pull-a-part this weekend to find a rear axle. photos soon!

http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/...1395184739.jpg

Motor in...


http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/...1395164615.jpg
Close view of the mount, there is a rubber mount you can't see between the engine and the perch

sweeeet

subscribed.
This is Very COOL!!!

i will pull the motor back out for cleaning...

That's a nice project.

I have started the rear end work. I have fabbed up trailing arms and brackets. I am just using the original springs, S-10 rear, and metal from the scrap bin at work (recycling?).

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Nice to see this coming along. I've added it to the list of projects that show up on the home page.

Thanks Metro MPG..... Can't wait to get her going. Already sourcing out veg oil/biodiesel resources. She was about 12-15mpg on gas. Should get 20-25 on diesel/bio. IF (big if) I can keep a steady flow of used veg oil and dont have to buy my biodiesel, I should be on the road at about 60-70 cents per gallon!

*side note, traded my gas mustang in for an E85 chrysler and found 4 E85 stations in my area!!!

Nice project its definitely going to be a cool, efficient, and original ride once it is done

also the f100 in the background of the last Buick pic is getting a cummins diesel conversion.... will also be biodiesel.... "Hi, I'm Matt and I'm an addict" HA HA HA

Awesome. Is it getting a 4cyl or 6cyl Cummins?

Interesting project! Forgive me, my impression of cars from that era is that they are very heavy and not best for efficiency. No?

Anyways, I love old cars and am very interested to see how this is turns out. Good luck!

What a silly Subaru commercial...

True, but I suspect the efficiency bracket that this vehicle will fit into will be a different one from, say, a Prius. For what it is, it will be extremely efficient.

Also, removing the default equipment (engine, axle, etc. etc.) and replacing with modern components might save some weight, due to alloys and the fat-trimming that modern pieces have undergone.

That said, I don't think a modern diesel will necessarily be lighter than the cast-iron gasser it's replacing.

EDIT: It's also important to remember that a modern diesel engine will return much more torque-per-gallon of fuel than the old tech.

:rolleyes:

Extremely efficient
 

Think about how much material and energy investment this project avoids by keeping already-made stuff in use.

That's my strongest argument against buying a Prius: "...but the truck still runs." Drive it until it evaporates around you, I say.

I'd be curious to know what it weighs. Drive it to the dump's convenience station and roll across the scales, see what they say.

Bonkers cool project. I love it.

Cool project! I will be following this one as well. I am hooked on diesel as well, esp when you mentioned biodiesel!

Good luck,
Dave

cool project. It won't be a 40 mpg vehicle but it has the potential to get better fuel economy than the truck the diesel came with if the rear end gear is chosen for economy (I'd recommend a 308 to 330 or so rear end).

I am building a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup now and plan a 671 mercedes turbodiesel with a ford f150 five speed manual transmission. I will use if for casual use and some light towing. I'll be hoping for around 23 to 25 mph highway with it.

Great news, that's what's missing around my area, all these Flex Fuel cars running around & no place to Buy E-85. No local BioD station either!

Dave

Is there a kit for making the 671 & the 5speed match up? I don't think I've ever seen a 39 Stude Express. How cool is that, going to have to google that one!

I have a homemade adapter for the ford tranny to mb diesel. it is a little crude looking so I am going to check it out carefully before installing. The coupe express is simply the nicest looking best engineered car/pickup (for its day) ever built, imho.

It is built on the rugged commander frame which is about the same size as a short bed ford 150 of around 1985 or so. The studey also has fully independent front suspension using a transverse leaf like the 289 cobras and rotary shocks. I plan to install a ford 9" out back and am hoping for low to mid twenties fuel economy. I'll also plan to install ac and modern brakes and a full frame mount hitch so I can tow moderately large trailers with it.

I'll include pics of a restored one and mine.

Mine is shown ten years ago before the po disassembled it. It is not so nice now but it is a solid truck with minimal rust to repair.

What's the history on this 4dr Buick?:D

In many cases, replacing an old 3-on-the-tree with a floor-shifted 5-speed increases the efficiency without significative weight differences, altough often they can be even lighter...


Modern is a relative concept, i.e. regarding an old gasser from the 50's to the 70's and a light high-speed Diesel from the 80's. I've already seen many old American cars retrofitted with 4-banger high-speed Diesels under 3-litre, lighter than their stock V8 gassers usually above 5-litre and actually not feeling so underpowered at all :thumbup:

I'm curious about that too. Back story please!

Although a 3.08 would be very drivable in this setup, if this is actually as light as I think it might be I would recommend a 5sp NV3500 granny gear xmsn (make sure you have the granny gear or it is irritating like my suburban)
Then couple to a 2.5-2.83 rearend.

The 6.2 drives just fine near idle assuming your aero and weight put you into the sweet spot, there is a nice chart for the 6.2s max HP from 1000-5000rpms somewhere around here, if you could get a rolling chassis setup and figure out your goal speed and how much power it takes to push it you can determine your ideal overgearing setup so the 6.2 puts out just a tad more power than you need or you can put it spot on and just let the thing speed and slow and downshift to take off.

Just make sure if you do this (which I did in my heavier suburban) that you detune the 6.2 so it has a low enough IP pressure so it doesn't smoke near wot at low RPM. You may also want to adjust the static timing because contrary to popular belief it isn't ideal near the extreme RPM ranges of the motor.

My suburban is rather odd in when I can shift with the 2.73 rearend, in town I can drive in 5th gear idling just fine, on the highway I need to stay in 3rd or 4th up to about 65+ before I can enter 5th reliably depending on a variety of factors (terrain being one), I think I could solve this issue though if I fixed my IP pressure and the persistant fuel leak and the messed up throttle.

Good Luck