I have a 1939 Classic Clipper Flxible bus that has been parked in a field near Lake Superior in frozen Northen Wisconsin that has not been driven since it was last licensed in 1961. The original motor "a Buick straight eight" is frozen, cracked and broken in various places. I would like to install an Ford 300/C4 automatic trans. YES, a C4, if properly built it is stronger than a C6. (just ask the H P fellows) It will be governed @3400 as was the Buick. What mods can I make to the I6 to enhance its performance in that application? Ron

 

Ron, if your going for a carb engine, there are a couple of options I know of, right now I'm running a stock intake that was set up for a 1 bbl carb, I have an adapter plate on it that allows for a 2 bbl, I'm using a carb I ordered from JC whitney, they were very helpfull, I just told them what I needed, and they came up with a match... I think it was like a 74 granada 302 carb, but anyway it works, elec. choke, nothing fancy. It makes great power low end and I really can't tell any difference in the gas milliage. I also have a 4 bbl intake manifold with a 600 cfm holley on it. I had it on the engine for a while and though it did make good power, I lost a lot of my gas milliage (cause I couldn't keep my foot out of it) and I think the 600 cfm was a bit much really. Check your performance parts catalogs too, there are some cam options and other aftermarket performance mods available also. If you want to keep it simple there are a couple of good solid state elec. ign. mods out there that use your stock points dist. and coil. That's a great upgrade! The kit I bought for my old 72 cost me about $75 dollars, went on in about 20 mins, I set the gap once and haven't touched it since. I think it was called IGNITOR... came out of an ad I saw in the back of a 4X4 magazine. If you wanted to spend a little more $$$$ MSD makes a stand up system for the 300. Totally tunable, it may actually be a better choice since this is a BUS. I would be interested to hear more about your C-4 build, I'm a manual tranny fan myself, but I'm considering a V-8 swap in a BroncoII but there are some space issues for a C-6. I think the tech info I was reading recommended a C-4 but I was thinking of going my own route and trying to find a manual that would work out well. But if there's potential in the C-4 I may re-visit that as an option.

Good Luck

 

Thanks JohnBoy, thats information I'm looking for, but I may go with a full electronic ignition because with the rear engine it's not possible to hear a ping or detonation. As for the C4, if you build it with the shift improver kit it will take anything you can hook it to. I have a friend that is trying for a new flathead Ford speed record. It withstands every horse that it is mechanically possible to wring out of a flattie. The only problem he has is making a coupling tough enough to hold. Thanks again. Ron

 

A friend has a 1957 Flex bus, 4-53 Detroit diesel, and a Wisconsin V-4 gas motor to run the AC. Dr. Dean Edell (the Dr on AM radio) talks about his 57 Flex occasionally