2000 cc pinto engine in model a

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jackson32

Member
Is there any interest in putting 2000 cc pinto mustang motor in the Model A aby more I alweays wanted to do it and never got to it. The ones I saw were very nice cars to drive on the hiway and in traffic. What is going on here and now.
 
There used to be several F/B participants that owned Pinto-powered Model-As. I must confess that I have only driven one, ...and quite frankly I was not that impressed. The 122 ci (2000cc) Pinto engine does make more horsepower than the 201 ci Model A/B engine, but not as much torque. Torque is really what makes an old car fun to drive IMHO. I say go for it if that is one of those things you have always wanted to do but I'm not so sure it is a swap that the performance outcome is worth the effort.

.
 
Happy bday brent..........I have one in a '28 Tudor (bought it that way), it's pretty slow from a stop (A/T). I'm hopping it up a little so we'll see, at least it's good on gas :).
 
Brent summed it up nicely! It has been done many times, usually for reliability but the stock engine is quite reliable as-is. Many people drive their A's across country with no problems. Most install an overdrive and make some engine changes to increase power, but are still very reliable.
 
I never questioned the A's reliability but back a ways the A group from Chicago had quite a few with pinto motors and told me the pinto engine allowed them to use the A on the interstate gave them a higher cruseing speed in my mind the A engine with V8 flywheel , transnission and mitchel overdrive might beat that a bunch.
 
Cost for a good touring car is less with a pinto
Just went on a run from Fresno,Ca to Mariposa, Ca Models A with converted engines and none had a problems going up the grades.
 
I put a 181 cubic inch Mercruiser marine (a bigger version of the Chevy II 4 cylinder) into a '32 roadster about 35 years ago. You find yourself an outcast to the restorers and the street rodders don't like you because the engine isn't big enough. The car runs great and I enjoy it. If anything I would recommend this 181 cubic inch engine as a better engine than the Pinto. It is bigger and looks more like a Model A with an overhead. Today there are much better machine shops to build reliable Model A engines and I would go that route. The nice thing (which I planned ahead for) is that you don't make any changes that cannot be reversed. I would not do it again today and there is a stock engine under the bench that is going back someday.

Charlie Stephens
 
30 roadster, B engine HP head all the rest stock crossed USA 8000 miles did not check the air in the tires trouble free and reliable
Gord. B by the bay
 
I always thought I'd like a A with pinto engine or the chevy 2 engine (4 cylinder) with chevy engine you can use t5 ****** make a great driver out of it .
 
John Schlegel said:
Cost for a good touring car is less with a pinto
Just went on a run from Fresno,Ca to Mariposa, Ca Models A with converted engines and none had a problems going up the grades.
Click to expand...

With all due respect, could you elaborate on this thought?

My thoughts are that a core Pinto engine ain't cheap anymore due to the Hobby stock 4 cylinder class at the dirt track using up all the cores. Then someone needs to factor in the $$ of either purchasing a kit (now obsolete) or fabricating the adapters, brackets, and items necessary for the install, plus do the installation. Time is money too.

Now, lets compare apples-to-apples again with the engine itself. The machine work for boring, honing, and decking are nearly the same since both are 4 cylinders. Buying a good quality camshaft for either engine should set you back about the same with either engine. To buy a well constructed bullet-proof 2000 cc engine from a reputable builder will set you back over $4k if it has good parts in it. The same applies for a Model-A engine.

Granted we could banter back and forth all afternoon nitpicking which item is cheaper but like was mentioned above, for the extra amount of work/expense installing the Pinto engine vs. building a nice Model-A engine, I think most will agree the Model-A engine will have the upper hand. This also applies during re-sale time.




jackson32 said:
I always thought I'd like a A with pinto engine or the chevy 2 engine (4 cylinder) with chevy engine you can use t5 ****** make a great driver out of it .
Click to expand...

Sure, then you do what to the driveline to adapt the T-5? Now we are talking open driveline conversion (--or engineer a closed one) which affects brakes, etc. etc. Many can make a great argument that for many years they were great driver's without the need of a Pinto engine or a T-5 transmission. Sometimes re-inventing the wheel is not the most prudent thing to do IMO. Your car though so do as you wish.... ;)

.
 
I can think of a whole bunch of 4 bangers that would be FAR better choices than a
push rod Pinto engine. 100 hp out of a 2300 Pinto is easy and cheap to achieve not to mention all the twin cam 4 valve per cyl engines.
 
jackson32 said:
I always thought I'd like a A with pinto engine or the chevy 2 engine (4 cylinder) with chevy engine you can use t5 ****** make a great driver out of it .
Click to expand...

With the 4 cyl Chevy engine you can also use a standard speed shop adapter (same adapter as used for the Chevy V8) to a '32-'39 V8 trans and keep the original rear end to reduce the overall changes. I would still go with a properly built A or B engine if given the choice.

Charlie Stephens
 
The last year the Pinto was made was 1980. You would have thought that by then all of the bugs would have been worked out. They weren't. My 1980 crapped out with only 59K miles on it due to undersized portals for the oil to flow through. At least that's what my mechanic said was the problem. Give me a stock Model A any day of the week. JMHO.

Jack
 
Jack '29 Sport Coupe said:
The last year the Pinto was made was 1980. You would have thought that by then all of the bugs would have been worked out. They weren't. My 1980 crapped out with only 59K miles on it due to undersized portals for the oil to flow through. At least that's what my mechanic said was the problem. Give me a stock Model A any day of the week. JMHO.

Jack
Click to expand...

The 2.0 was only made for 3 or 4 years and was a german built motor, super strong race motor but a little harder to get parts for now.
 
Jackson, I'm in the "slow" process of building a '31 Woodie pickup with a 2.0 Pinto. I'm mating it to a '36 trans and everything else will be "close" to original looking. If you need to bounce ideas or such, keep me in mind. I haven't figured it all out yet, but have a good start.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top