Dauntless in CJ2A

I am getting ready to put a 225 v6 into a CJ2a, I would like to leave the t90 and dana 18 (and crossmember) where they are. Everywhere I look people seem to say you need to use the longer 2 5/8" adapter as the 3/4" will be too short and put the engine into the firewall. How is this so, the 225 and bell housing seem to be about an inch longer than the L head and bell? I am afraid the extra 2" will get me a little too close to the radiator. Is there something I am missing?

 

In my humble opinion:
It's a big mistake trying to keep the trans and t/case in the same position. Most folks do so in an attempt to not have to modify the driveshafts; driveshaft mods ad about $200 to the conversion at the most. It's money well spent versus the frustration of trying to make it work as is; this isn't to say that it can't be done.
I'd also scrounge around and get a set of CJ factory frame V6 motor mounts; it will help to position the 225 properly in the compartment. You can control forward/rearward placement with these mounts before welding them in.
Moving the crossmember back and re-drilling the frame is so simple.

As for the rest of the mods needed, I assume you have researched what is needed.

 

Vintage Jeeper, I can send you some pictures of how my conversion is configured and where my engine mounts are. My conversion was done with a T86 Bearing Retainer (mounted on t90) and homemade adpater plate. Everthing clears the firewall and I have sufficient room for the stock rad location. I have yet to figure out how posts pictures on this site so send me your email.


Chris

 

To post pictures open a photo bucket account, upload pictures to there. Then just copy and past the bottom address thingy under the picture to the thread on here!

When I did my conversion I had the fortune of talking to old man Novak before he died. I am over and over again glad for what he said. I to wanted to keep my tranny in the stock location and reuse my transmission. I'm glad I didn't He said to bite the bullet and do it right the first time. Put a stout 4 speed in there and put the engine in the correct spot and you'll spend less money in the long run and be way happier. I am running 225 v6, T18 4 speed from a Ford truck, novak 1" adapter and the stock dana 18 transmission. I'm also using stock v6 motor mounts from a v6 cj5 (66-71). I used my stock cross member but moved it over about 1" if I remember, by cutting off a bit on one side and adding it to the other, (info was all on Novaks site). I actually Did end up leaving my cross member in the stock location front to back and reused my stock drive shafts!! It's not free to adapt a t90 to a v6, spend the money and get an adapter for a T18. Oh and you don't need to by an adapter for between your stock v6 bell housing and your Ford transmission, you can get your v6 bell housing adapted. Good luck what ever you do but remember this is a swap that's been done tons of times so don't try to "reinvent the wheel" Learn from everyone else's mistakes !

 

I agree with all. Pick up a 4 speed. redrill the frame. I got an np435 out of ford 1 ton. picked it up for a couple hundred bucks, parted out the truck and made a couple hundred.

 

Thanks Windyhill for the photo tip it seems to have worked out. Here is a link to some photos of my swap. Still working on the steering conversion !!!!! http://s1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa463/chrisbcit/ I read good things and bad things about using the T90. My 1943 GPW was converted about 30 years with the v6 and t90 and has lived a rough life (see avatar photo. That being said when I took the transmission and transfercase in for a rebuild all they did was clean the parts and put it back together. So in my case it seems to have been alright. Good luck

Chris

 

No problem, and if you just want to put an individual picture and not the whole album copy the last imiage code under the picture and past it in like this.