Re: [ihc] Converting a 74-75 to a 69-73..

["Ed Sohm" <idaemes@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Tom,

I've never seen or heard of  a 401 4X4 travelall/pickup. Not that I have
seen or heard of many 401s. I wonder how many 4X4 401s were made.

Have you considered swapping bodies with your '72?  'Course then you would
have to swap axles too.

I would be hesitant to move the motor foreword, especially if I had all the
correct parts to do it stock. ' Course that would give you more room to put
the brownie in if you wanted to.   FWIW, I run my '74 with no shroud and
have had no problems.

The only real problem I can see with your plan is the center dump manifolds.
I had them on my '74 on a 266 and then a 345 and the down pipes just barely
cleared the frame.  Like less than 1/2" from the 2" down pipe to the frame.
This was with the motor in the correct '74 position but a front "yoke"
mount. Seems like the frame gets a little narrower toward the front. It was
ok I guess, though not ideal.  Somebody, maybe Dan Phariss, theorized that I
had an early set of manifolds that were smaller.  That could be since the
266 they were on had come out of a '60s 1500.  They don't look different to
me, but you know how that is. I will sure take pics of them if you would
like or give you IH casting numbers off of them.  Heck I'll even send them
to you if you send me your set of spare rear dumps <g>.

Too bad you got rid of your '74 200 front end.

Dang it, you are getting me scheming.  I've got too many pieces laying
around that could be thrown together to make whole (though ugly) vehicles.
The weather lately has been just right for wrenching.  Do you think a '73
1010 Travelall would be cool with a 266?  Good for bombing around using up a
266 and wearing out some stockish tires I'll bet.  I can just leave the
fishing rods and fencing tools in it all the time.

Edward J Sohm
Battle Creek, IA
'71 800B
'74 200 Travelette Camper Special (converted to 4X4)
+ 10 or 12 more


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tsm1@domain.elided>
To: <ihc@domain.elided>
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 11:41 AM
Subject: [ihc] Converting a 74-75 to a 69-73..


> .. well, sorta.
>
> I'm considering getting another Travelall, a 1974.
>
> >From the pictures, the body appears to be in much better shape than my
> tumor-ridden '72 (no driver's floor, no rear quarter bottoms..).
>
> BUT.. it has an AMC 401/727 combo, and the 401 is said to be stuck from
> sitting.
>
> Now, maybe the 401 is OK and a little work will bring it back to life..
> maybe not.
>
> I'd rather have a 392 anyhow.. and my '72 T'all has an IC392 from a '74 in
> it that could be put to good use.  I also have 2 2wd SV 727s lying around
> taking up space (plus a close and a wide 2wd T19..).
>
> What I don't have is the necessary parts to convert the 74 over to SV
> motor mounts, and I don't want to deal with finding another unobtanium
> shroud or rear dumps (I have 2 sets that are good, for the '74 single-cab,
> while the '74 T'ette will have headers).
>
> It's occurred to me while wrenching on my various IHs, that for ease of
> maintenance, the 69-73 engine location is SO much nicer, and it doesn't
> appear IH modified the transmission tunnel or firewall (other than the
> tranny tunnel cover) to accomodate the engine set-back in '74.  They just
> shoe-horned the 392s back until the valve covers try to contact the
> firewall and called it good.
>
> My '74 T'ette already has the WRONG bellhousing crossmember - the tranny
> mount style from a 69-73.  It has to come out to accomodate my headers, so
> I'll have the "mid" mount needed to convert a 74 to the more-forward
> engine setup.
>
> Fabbing a crossmember to take the dogbone front engine mounts would be a
> snap, and I have extra mounts (I think.. hmm..)
>
> In any case, it seems quite do-able to just swap some parts from a 69-73
> into a 74-75 and move the motor and transmission forward, swap to the
> front sump pan and pump, use an easier-to-get fan shroud, and enjoy plenty
> of room to work on it.
>
> Plus, I could use center-dump exhaust manifolds.
>
> Note that I doubt thise conversion would work too well with an IFS coil
> sprung truck, but I don't see a problem with a 4x4..
>
> -Tom Mandera, Helena MT
> http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
> Too many IHs already.. '72/74/76/77/77/79 Scout IIs, '72 T'all, '74 P'up,
> '74 T'ette, '68 800 (hers)