Interchangeability of engines

Binger

Binger

Senior Member
I have a friend who wants me to work on a couple of cars for his museum. He has a '18 speedster and a '23 touring. I have the most experiences with A's and am not sure the differences in T's over the years.He would like me to trade engines so the speedster has a starter. Are the two different engines easily interchangeable? If not what parts need to be changed? Is there a way to put a starter on the earlier motor? It is my understanding that you cannot. Thanks in advance.

John
 
Yes, they will swap over and yes, you CAN "starterize" an earlier engine by adding all the necessary starter components but you'll have to add on a charging system (belt drive is available) as the early blocks have no provision to bolt on the gear driven generator.
 
If the early engine does not have the later ring gear on the flywheel, you will have to pull the engine and change it. If it has been changed already you can just change the transmission cover and add a starter. The early blocks (1918 and earlier) don't allow for a standard Ford generator.
 
Unless you are going to be using the car every day I would not bother with a charging system. I have several early cars with added starters but no generators & find a battery will last a long time between charges. I use my 1911 Buick quite a bit & really only trickle charge the battery 3 or 4 times over the summer.

On the 14 T I use an 8 volt battery that also has never let me down.

The main concern is to never let the battery go completely dead - they never regain full potential after that.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I am moving the cars into my garage later this week and will have to asses the situation. My biggest concern was differences in torque tube length coupling to the transmission and any different mounts and so on. I am glad to here there are no differences there. good point about charging system and batteries. I dont think either of these cars will get driven much but the owner would like to make it easier to start the speedster so his wife can drive it through parades.

Thanks again

John
 
It would be easier to swap a later starter engine in place of an earlier non-starter engine, rather than convert the latter.
 
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