Author Topic: 1949 Kaiser Projects Engine/transmission Swap  (Read 661 times)

JoeKeys2010

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1949 Kaiser Projects Engine/transmission Swap
« on: April 15, 2020, 07:46:41 PM »
When I bought my car it ran and shifted with a little work. Fuel issues gave me the most problems. Ended up running all new medal lines from the tank to the carburetor being careful to bend them to match the old ones. It had a habit of jumping out of second gear and I also had to put a clutch in it.

Then I put the car in a parade in South Georgia in the summer. Mistake. The car ran hot and every time we got up enough speed to start cooling it off we had to stop. The radiator split. I had a spare radiator and I put it on and replaced the water pump. The car never ran smooth again. One day on a Sunday drive it began to knock. I made it back to the house and weighed my options.

Most machine shops I found didn’t want to touch it and the one that did wanted $5,000 to build it. I found a club member in Alabama who said he had a built motor and transmission he’d sell reasonable. We made the trip from Texas to Alabama and bought the motor.

I took the valve cover to a Sherwin Williams auto paint store and had it color matched and mixed and painted the motor before putting it in the car. About the time I got it in and sitting on the motor mounts I changed jobs and we came back to South Georgia. I didn't have time or space to work on it so I left it with a local mechanic and he got her running again.

I drive it to church on Sundays and back and forth to work sometimes. It drives and shifts just great and I love driving it. Here's some photos, pulling the old, picking up the new, engine compartment and the new ready to drop in.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2020, 07:49:48 PM by JoeKeys2010 »
1949 Kaiser Deluxe
1964 Ford Custom (Galaxie)
1960 Metropolitan

Cortes121

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Re: 1949 Kaiser Projects Engine/transmission Swap
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2020, 11:14:44 PM »
Joe,

I know this post is awfully late but I just want to say, thanks for sharing! I’m noticing my ‘51 engine may be heading down the path for rebuild/ replacement. These engines, while fairly robust seem to be a gamble on wether you get a solid one or one prone to problems. Glad to see you stuck with one for originalities sake, It looks great.
- Anthony

1951 Kaiser Deluxe
1955 Packard Clipper Custom