Ford 370 gas to 7.3 IDI conversion

[Rx7man]

Well, I guess I'll give you guys a full picture of what I'm working on.. one of those back burner projects..

We bought an old F600 truck with a bad 370 gas engine... Water got into the cylinders and cracked them when it froze.. so that engine is garbage. However, the truck only has 5,000 original miles on it, so everything about it is in perfect condition, and we would really like to keep the tranny as it is, it is a Clark 5 speed.. 1.375" input shaft, tried reading the tag but there was too much crud on it to get off without a wire brush.. The tranny has a brake drum on the back of it for the park brake.. more work to try converting to anything else. Truck has a 2 speed axle as well

From what I gathered looking on the internet, the gas 370, 429, and 460 (the '385 series' engines) had bell housing patterns that were *close* to the 6.9 and 7.3IDI, but not quite, especially for the dowel pins.

I have a line on a good running 7.3 with all accessories for pretty cheap, and it would be the ideal engine for this truck (it's not going to be used much) Is there a bell housing/adapter plate setup out there that'll make it possible to keep this tranny?

I also have a Cummins 5.9 and an SAE 3(I think) bell housing.. the problem with it is it's going to be darned long and I don't think I'll be able to run an intercooler... I'd much rather go with the 7.3.

 

[FarmerFrank]

S1600 internationals came with IDI's so it is very possible. I know of one in a local junk yard that uses the bell for the motor mounts like a big truck. Can't remember what SAE bell it is.

With some tinkering and a welder you ought be be able to get it in there fairly cheap. Might be able to drill the bell if its a BBF bell and not an SAE.

It put another 385 series in it if your in a hurry.

 

[Rx7man]

We are in no hurry with this thing at all... it's been sitting 5 years and it'll sit another if it needs to.

Perhaps using the bell housing from a S1600 would bolt to the Clark tranny?? I guess I'd need to get the engine side adapter as well and change the pickup one to the IH one.. don't know if they're SAE or not, but as long as they're the same.

 

[Rx7man]

Called up a truck wrecker, he says the trannies and bellhousings would be pretty application specific, he could get me the IH engine plate, but I'd still be SOL for the bell housing... I'll go look up the tranny numbers now

 

[Rx7man]

OK, here's the serial plate info
285V81
EOHT
SN 1521411R
7004NA
Casting number 230790