International VCO190 re-power options

[teletech]

Has anyone here spent any time with the old cornbinder VCO190?
I found a 1960 near me that is pretty cool, apart from the 478 cubic-inch gas engine.
Said motor makes 230HP@3600RPM and I'm told gets 2-3MPG!
It's an automatic, a very early Allison. It would be cool to at least keep the shifter, might not be feasible to keep the transmission unless I can re-gear the rearend. I'm inclined to leave it an automatic since that is how the truck shipped and I don't like the idea of trying to deal with all the ramifications of a manual gearbox in a cabover truck.
GVWR is currently 34K, GCWR not listed but it's a single-axle road tractor but around 50K.
(yeah, yeah, CDL... it's time for that with my F800 anyway)

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So, options...

I could drop in a turbo 7.3IDI, wouldn't make quite as much power but the motor is small (comparatively) and stupidly cheap up front and for parts down the road. (I also have a 6.9 van, so very familiar)
E4OD might get me the revs, not sure about the load on that transmission though.

I happen to have a gen-1 Cummins 5.9 sitting here, needs some head work but otherwise it's a low-hours engine.
I own it and parts are also easy to come by but I'd have to find a transmission for it and honestly all the other options are likely cheaper since I often see complete trucks I could use a a donor for less than a good Allison and then I have to do the integration.

DT466, keeps the truck all International and would be plenty of power. I might be able to score one for not a ton of cash out of a retired MDT since I'm in California and our diesel regulations basically outlawed any large commercial diesel with an engine more than about 10 years old, result: super cheap MDTs
MD3060 would be the obvious transmission for this, if it isn't too long for this short-wheelbase (111") truck

New-Holland/Ford 6.6L, putting a ford motor in an International is sort of backwards from the norm and the 6.6 doesn't make any more power than a 7.3, it's just more relaxed doing so, but it's often a p-pump motor and is cheap up front and another motor I already support. I think the 7.8 might be just too tall and is scarce anyway.

Going from gas to diesel, even with a slow-revving gas motor means I'll have to re-gear unless, unless I find a fairly tall overdrive automatic.

the cab+chassis is currently 8K. I'd like the ability to haul a trailer that might come to about 27K (It's a little tank, but armor is heavy), the usual towed load would be more like 10K . That seems like a lot to ask of a 7.3. I'm very worried about the total height of the DT466 under the cabover. I'm looking for the lowest cost per-mile and could easily put 100K on a rig like this over my lifetime, so better mileage is worth something up-front.

What am I forgetting?

 

[teletech]

Hmm, I wonder if I should have put this in the big truck section?

 

[IDIoit]

remember, californias laws on engine swaps are merely suggestions when it comes to the gearheaded person and non smog vehicles.
once its registered, weighed and insured, youre in the clear
I vote the DT466. keeping it IH would be my avenue

 

[towcat]

have you checked into the DT360 motor swap?

 

[teletech]

have you checked into the DT360 motor swap?

I did look at it on the list but moved-on pretty quickly.
Feels like the DT360 combines the worst of the Brazilian 6.6 and Cummins 5.9. An uncommon, out of production motor that makes less power than the gas motor it's replacing. Still, I'd consider it if I tripped over one for cheap.
Do they have any magic properties (particularly fuel-efficient, quiet, etc.)?

 

[teletech]

remember, californias laws on engine swaps are merely suggestions when it comes to the gearheaded person and non smog vehicles.
once its registered, weighed and insured, youre in the clear
I vote the DT466. keeping it IH would be my avenue

That's true for smaller vehicles and RVs.
Technically, if you are running a commercial truck with a capacity of over something like 2-tons, you can be stopped and inspected by the CA truck-emissons inspectors and any motor not meeting specs gets you a heavy fine (after the first warning I'm told).
Using it to pull a fifth-wheel camper sort of thing most of the time and toys the rest and running historic plates I'd only be very slightly concerned in this case.
I'll have to measure the chassis and see if a DT466 setup would fit.

 

[no mufflers]

I think power wise the 466 would be better placed.

 

[teletech]

I think power wise the 466 would be better placed.

I know that we keep expecting our medium and heavy trucks to keep up with freeway traffic better than we once did, that argues for the 466. OTOH, I remember when I bought a deuce-and-a-half and bought the gasoline truck because in the technical manual both the diesel and the gasser made about the same power. On the road they were totally different trucks and fully loaded sand trucks would pass me going up hills...
I guess I'd better see if one will fit and then see how new a motor I can actually use in an old truck without learning all sorts of canbus protocol and whatnot.

I'm starting to worry more about total length. With a wheelbase under 10', yikes.