M43 engine swap

[2/502ndINF-KB]

I have a 1959 M43B1 ambulance.. these are the same as the M37 from the driver passenger compartment all the way to the front bumper same engines and powertrain same everything.

But I'm looking to do it sassy is it possible to put a 6.2 Detroit out of a military Humvee and install into this M43? I would like to see if I can use a T4 or a T5 manual transmission and if so what transfer case did people use.

Any help would be great thank you so much

 

[nattieleather]

The Gm 6.2 and 6.5 diesels will fit in the M47/M43 engine compartment. You will have to make motor mounts of some type to put the motor in the truck. You will have to hunt down a manual transmission flywheel as HMMWV have automatics and therefor have a pressure plate and torque converter. Then you will need to find an adaptor or make one that will hook the T-4/5 transmission to the GM block/bell housing. And you'll need to get a throw out bearing, pressure plate and clutch that will work. It might be easier to find a civilian chevy truck that had a 6.2/5 and standard transmission and take the whole kit out of that truck to use in yours. It can be done, just time and money and a little head scratchin.

 

[GopherHill]

Unless you change differential ratios, you might think about a gas motor just for road speed.

 

[G744]

The stock 5.83:1 gearsets in the G744 series rear ends don't like much more HP/speed in the long run.

I repowered an M37 many years ago with a Detroit Diesel 3-53 engine. About 105 HP, would move it along at 68 mph with 44" tires.

250K miles later, it ate up 13 sets of ring & pinion gears. The transfer case was bulletproof.

DDG

 

[2/502ndINF-KB]

Unless you change differential ratios, you might think about a gas motor just for road speed.

I'm definitely going to be upgrading the rear end gears to what I need from vintage Power Wagons that will allow me to go 60 65 when they wish you was trained

 

[2/502ndINF-KB]

The stock 5.83:1 gearsets in the G744 series rear ends don't like much more HP/speed in the long run.

I repowered an M37 many years ago with a Detroit Diesel 3-53 engine. About 105 HP, would move it along at 68 mph with 44" tires.

250K miles later, it ate up 13 sets of ring & pinion gears. The transfer case was bulletproof.

DDG

Yeah I'm definitely going to be upgrading the rear end gears so I can get better top-end you know going 6 or 65 with no stress will be great my military Humvee does the same I can get those gears from vintage Power wagon.

 

[glcaines]

Years ago I drove a 1967 M37 that had the engine swapped for a Ford tractor diesel. The truck was used underground in a marble mine. It ran good at low speed and I only drove it underground in the mine, not on the highway. I have no idea about the transmission, but the truck used the same controls as a standard M37. I suspect the truck still utilized the original transmission.

 

[nattieleather]

Something to think about with your axles. M37s can break axles shafts on wet grass...Yes I've seen one do that. The grass was wet and when the driver gave it some gas and the tire spun the shaft snapped. Also, if you're going to repower to go 60-65 then you might want to convert to disk brakes. For what you will pay for the ring and pinion conversion and the disk brake kit you would be a whole lot ahead in the dollars and cents to convert to a dana 60 front and rear or dana 60 front and 14 bolt GM rear. You would then get different gear set like 4.56 or 4.10 and disks up front and you can get rear conversion kits for just a few hundred instead of what they go for now. You will have a little work getting the front axle to fit, but to me the money saved and a better stronger axle is worth it. Just something for you to chew on.

 

[2/502ndINF-KB]

Something to think about with your axles. M37s can break axles shafts on wet grass...Yes I've seen one do that. The grass was wet and when the driver gave it some gas and the tire spun the shaft snapped. Also, if you're going to repower to go 60-65 then you might want to convert to disk brakes. For what you will pay for the ring and pinion conversion and the disk brake kit you would be a whole lot ahead in the dollars and cents to convert to a dana 60 front and rear or dana 60 front and 14 bolt GM rear. You would then get different gear set like 4.56 or 4.10 and disks up front and you can get rear conversion kits for just a few hundred instead of what they go for now. You will have a little work getting the front axle to fit, but to me the money saved and a better stronger axle is worth it. Just something for you to chew on.

A lot of good information right there I really appreciate that in a lot of stuff I didn't know. As of yesterday it didn't work out for me to get the 6.2 so instead I'm going to stay with the original 2:30 and just have it Ford out rebuilt and then put back in that will give me a chance to clean out engine compartment and get it repainted and the belly of the ambulance