1949 F4 V8 to Mercedes diesel build thread
 

I've been lurking here for a while so, I thought I would join in. I am a self employed Machine Shop owner/operator in north central Arkansas. I have been working on a '49 F4 build for a while to eventually use as my shop truck. My truck was a grain truck from Kansas with about 64000 miles on the odometer. The flathead v8 was seized from water in one cylinder. My original plan was to build a Mercury flathead to replace it but, I've changed course. I installed a '84 Mercedes 300 turbo diesel in its place. I have it mated to the original 4-speed. I've also installed a 3-speed brownie for the overdrive. I hope to get it on the road sometime this winter.
Mark

Let me be the first to welcome you to the forum. Glad to see another F4 being put back on the road. That Mercedes diesel and overdrive transmission should make a nice road friendly package.
Edit: And of course, you know about the widow makers.

How is that Mercedes diesel for power? Which diesel is it? Welcome to the forums.

Brad

Thanks for the welcome. I did buy a set of 19.5" wheels from a local salvage yard. I did have some pre '48 20" split rims I could have used but, I wanted to run radial tires.
Mark

Add my welcome. Glad to have you, and glad to have another big model saved. Stu

Brad, The engine I'm using is a 3.0 liter 5 cylinder turbo diesel. If I remember correctly it has 125HP and about 225ft lbs of torque. It is real similar to the '53 mercury v8 for power but at a higher rpm. I hope it will run good in the truck, it ran real strong in the car I took it out of. The Mercedes car weighs about as much as the truck.
Thanks for the welcome, Mark

Welcome! I admire your mechanical skills. Good luck with the build.

Welcome! Can you post pictures? I'd like to see your aux box installation. Which transmission do you have (Spicer, Watson, other...)? I'm curious about your five cylinder diesel installation too.

Welcome and I too am glad to hear of another F4 being saved and put to good use. As has been already said, we really like pictures!

Welcome to FTE. The larger trucks have a great appeal. Those of you that restore them have a lot of respect in my book.

mechmagcn is also from Arkansas and he has a Mercedes diesel in his truck and took it all over the country. His is a little F100 though.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1151782-how-far.html

Pictures, we love pictures!

Welcome to FTE :-wink from California!

We really want to see some pics of your diesel / brownie / original 4 speed.

Is that a crash box tranny or a synchro? Really interested to see the mating of the diesel to that tranny.

I see lots of F4 owners have already said hello.

Welcome to the best forum in the world for these old trucks! I'm in northeast Arkansas, glad to see another Arkansan on here.

Subscribing in hopes to see some pic's. That sounds a lot like the engine Jeff used in his F1.

Thank you for all the replies and hearty welcomes. I will try to post a few photos.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...b55ee60385.jpg
This is the engine adapted to the truck 4-speed. I used a stamped steel bellhousing for an H flathead 6 so I could cut and modify it. I machined an adapter for the crankshaft to use a 460 neutral balance flywheel. The starter is an FE series starter. I rotated the bellhousing slightly to raise the starter to the Mercedes starter position. The pan is too wide for it to be any lower.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...6da2679b26.jpg
Here is a view of the engine setting in the truck.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...cc0d795362.jpg
This is the crossmember for the Mercedes motor mounts.
Once I get everything connected the way I want it, I will pull the engine back out and clean it up and replace some of the gaskets and seals. I will also send the Mercedes flywheel and the Ford flywheels off and have them match balanced.
Thanks for looking, Mark

To answer a few questions. My auxiliary transmission is a Spicer 5531. I don't have any photos of the mounts for it , I will see if I can take some. I added another transmission crossmember and mount, from another truck frame I had, for the front mount on the Brownie. I made crossmember , that uses the front motor mounts for a flathead, for the rear of the transmission.
I am replacing the original T9 Warner 4-speed with a T98. I don't mind double clutching but as I get older my knee is acting up some so I thought it would be happier.
Thanks, Mark

Nice work! The picture with the firewall makes me want to see more of the truck. :-X22

Here are a couple more photos.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...5901a512d1.jpg
This is the Mercedes engine oil cooler mounted in front of the radiator
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...c17fd4b83f.jpg
This is the Mercedes throttle linkage adapted to the original truck throttle.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...97df42237c.jpg
This is the boost pressure gauge, exhaust temp gauge and glow plug light in a plate I adapted to the speaker grill. I will paint it the same color as the grill.
Thanks again, Mark

looks good. You are breaking new ground here you have our attention. Keep sending the pics.

Beautiful project. :-X22 Keep the detail updates coming. :-X06 And to think this truck could very well show up at a future TS event.:-drink

49fordv8f4.... Glad you finally joined in... Guess I need to start a building thread to show you guys what I've been working on...

This is so cool. Where is Jeff. I have the spec's on his engine somewhere but alas I can't find them. Sure seems like the same setup except Jeff has a slush box in his. I would love to scrap the wizzer in my Bronk and put in an oil burner and 5 speed. If not for the transfer case I would also put in a 3 speed aux box. Ya just can't have to many sticks with 3 peddles I say. I ran an Autocar back in the day with three sticks. That was a blast from the past it was.

I sent Jeff a message to check in here. Hope ya get it bud. My puter is vewy vewy sic. As Elmer would say.

I gave our new member his info several months ago Arctic... Don't know if they ever chatted though...

38 coupe, the spicer transmission is a 5531 without any suffix letter. 2.0 to 1 in 1st, 1 to1 in 2nd and .72 to 1 in 3rd. here are a couple of photos of the mount. I still have to paint it and the transmission.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...182011c624.jpg
Front mount

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...3d628044cb.jpg
rear mount
My rear driveline is assembled to the correct length, I need to weld and paint it. The front driveline will need to be cut again since I changed to the T98 4-speed. It is about 2" longer than the T9 that came in the truck.
Thanks, Mark

Here are a couple of photos of the cold air intake I'm working on.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...ee5c828129.jpg


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...9eb6480cbc.jpg

I'm using 3" stainless mandrel bent exhaust tubing and silicone ells and connectors. I will make flanges for the "U" tube, that goes thru the inner fender, and have them TIG welded on so I can fasten the tube to the inner fender and seal out dirt from the wheel well.
Thanks, Mark

Thank you for the pictures. That is a clean installation.

I have a Spicer 5831 with the same ratios that I dream of installing in my F-2. I am concerned about the height. I looks like you were able to tuck the auxiliary up under the cab very nicely. I hadn't thought about doing a low mount on the front, but it makes sense when I see it. It looks like it gives you a little more clearance for the shift rods.

Absolutely beautiful work! Nice to see completely different approaches to these trucks.

Thanks for all the kind words.
Chris, you do need to show everyone your F1 build. That's going to be a nice ride.
38coupe, The 5831 is a newer version of the 5531 I have. Parts may still available for yours. I have the transmission mounted high enough that I will have to drill two holes in the crossmember under the cab to run the shift rods thru. Your 5831 would work really well in your F2.
Thanks again, Mark

Wow! Thats impressive. Keep those pictures and details coming. I love seeing what you skilled builders are doing.

Chris, Yeah, you need to start a build thread on your F1.

Do you have any updates on your truck? Inquiring minds want to know!

38 coupe, My wife and I just got back home late Saturday night from a trip to Colorado to see our oldest son and daughter in law. Being gone almost 3 weeks I have a lot of catching up to do. I hope to get back on it this week end. Next, I need to make the flanges for the cold air intake tube to bolt it to the inner fender, then I will tack it all together on the truck. I can then remove it so it can be welded.
Thank you for the interest, Mark

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...72e2926920.jpg

This is a photo of the shut off valve that I made for the Mercedes engine. The Mercedes engine shuts off by vacuum. The valve fastened on the side is from the ignition switch in the donor car. The switch on the end is to complete the circuit for the starter button. This unit mounts in the hole in the dash for the choke cable. Turning on the key switch energizes the glow plugs for the diesel. Pulling out this knob closes the vacuum to the injector pump so the engine will run and completes the circuit for the starter button so the engine can be started. To shut off the engine, turn off the key switch and push in this knob.
Thanks, Mark

I have been looking at Mercedes diesels for my project. I was looking for a 4bt turbo Cummings but I have come to the conclusion they are out of my price range. For anyone interested here is a pretty good breakdown of Mercedes Diesels from another forum. http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?17696-A-little-Mercedes-diesel-engine-info-I-found

Brad

Have you had a chance to work on your truck? If I ever make it through your area I'd love to get a ride in it.

Nice to see the great work you are doing. My wife's daily driver/commuter is an '84 mercedes 5 cyl NA diesel station wagon. Bought it from some summerfolk who left it in tall grass for 5 years. I gave them a grand because I wanted it for some kind of conversion, but now I can't pry it away from her. Been bulletproof. As far as power, it gets it in the top end so she's learned to take a run at the long hills. Your turbo and aux trans will be just the ticket. I put a cummins 6at in my '59 f350, mated to a gm sm 465 4 speed. This is also small displacement 220 cu in., 120 hp. I wish I had done the aux trans like you. I will be watching closely to see how you do it, as I'd love to do a retro-fit. Mine just plain doesn't have enough gears as it is. My fab work pales by comparison, but you are a real machinist so I get that. I am really looking forward to another oil burner on the site. What a shame the fuel has gotten so expensive, huh? Ok, off to bed :-blah zzzzzzzzzz

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...b55ee60385.jpg
Is that T98 out of a COE? If so how are you planning to change the shifter angle? Also, are you mounting that Brownie direct to the transmission or putting a short drive shaft between them?

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...49b058b159.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7c0d2a7df5.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...1a1296b82f.jpg

38 coupe, I've worked on the cold air intake some this last week. I finally got it tacked together the way I want it. I will pull it off and take it to a friend of mine to get it welded. I'm not a very good stainless welder. The tubing is 3" stainless steel mandrel bent exhaust tube I bought from Summit.
I'm shooting for having the truck on the road this summer. My youngest son is coming home from Afghanistan the middle of next month, so I will be helping him on his '69 Bronco also. If you make a trip up this way I would be happy to let you take it for a spin. Thanks for you interest.
Mark

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...f9dabd0d5c.jpg

Here is a photo of an original accessory NOS windshield washer nozzle I added. I will use a washer bag and pump from a mid '60s Ford. I'm installing Speedway electric wipers, but I'm using a two-speed wiper switch from a late '70s Ford truck that has a wash position on it.
Thanks, Mark

Gb, Thanks for the kind words. IIRC this engine is 125hp and 200 ft lbs of torque. About identical to the '53 Merc flathead but, hp and torque are rated at about 1000 Rpm higher than the flathead. I have 5.83 gears and I'm using 225R70 19.5 tires to help get the Rpms up where they need to be.
I think that there is a couple of photos of my brownie transmission mount earlier in this thread, if not I can post some for you. I am hoping that with the overdrive I can get some decent fuel mileage. The F4 without the bed actually weighs less than the car that the engine came out of.
Thanks again, Mark

Joe, Thanks for the reply. That is actually the T9 out of my '47 COE that I sold. I'm just using it to mock up my engine mounts. I have a T98 rebuilt to go in when I install everything permanently. I have the Brownie mounted behind the 4-speed where the carrier bearing was. I will have a short driveshaft between it and the 4-speed.
Thanks again, Mark