A New Engine?

[tckcdad72]

I have a 1950 Jeepster. Should I get a crate motor to replace the F that is currently in it? If so, what is the maximum the rear end and driver line can handle and would I also need to change the transmission? Advice or answers welcome

[LarrBeard]

What are you planning on doing with the Jeepster?

They are a rare and endangered critter - there were not that many of them and many have been so "customized" that they really aren't Jeepsters any more. If you intend to keep it fairly original, I'd leave the F-134 in it. With the original transmission and drive line (especially if it has the overdrive) it will be as peppy as you really want with that little short, narrow wheelbase.

I'll admit - I tend toward keeping things almost 70 years old as original as possible - "like me".

The F-134 torque curve matches the gear set along the drive line. A lot of folks who have swapped in different engines end up with a high revving vehicle to move along at 50 - 55 mph and are really not all that satisfied.

Post pictures - let us see the beast!

[tckcdad72]

Thank you. I would love to keep it as original as possible. There's a long story to how I came to own it, but to make a long story short, when it was returned to me the company that had done restoration work put in a terrible interior that is not what I will keep. I haven't had a lot of time to invest in getting it running and even less money. Can't get it to turn over fully. I have some friends willing to help me more this summer, so hopefully I will get it running and be able to save up for a conversion to 12V and a new top. I will send pictures when I get it cleaned up and ready for the next phase.

[gmwillys]

I agree with Mr. LarrBeard. Adding more engine isn't always a good plan. Being that there are not a lot of Jeepsters out roaming the streets, the closer to stock would make it more desirable. The drive line can handle the added power, but the gearing would not allow for much more speed. Even with an overdrive, you would still be spinning the engine at a higher RPM, without gaining much for ground speed.

[LarrBeard]

Thank you. I would love to keep it as original as possible. There's a long story to how I came to own it, but to make a long story short, when it was returned to me the company that had done restoration work put in a terrible interior that is not what I will keep. I haven't had a lot of time to invest in getting it running and even less money. Can't get it to turn over fully. I have some friends willing to help me more this summer, so hopefully I will get it running and be able to save up for a conversion to 12V and a new top. I will send pictures when I get it cleaned up and ready for the next phase.
n

One other thought. If it has the overdrive, the shift solenoids are 6-volt devices. Making a 12- volt upgrade will create issues there, as well with gauges. Gauges can be solved fairly easily with a regulator for the
instrument cluster.

The little L/F-134 engines were designed to work with 6-volt system and a million or so did very well that way. As gmwillys said, closer to stock is better some times.

[gmwillys]

With there being only 19,000 units made in the three year production run, it would be a greater investment to keep it close to original as possible. 12 volt wouldn't be a major value deterrent, but as LarrBeard mentioned, the items listed would have to be taken into consideration. He brought up a very good point about the overdrive unit. Much like the gauges, a regulator could be placed in line to drop the 12 volt down to 6, for proper operation.

[LarrBeard]

The technical aspects of getting 12-volts down to 6-volts for the overdrive solenoid(s ) isn't as hard as it might seem once I thought a minute or two. A big dropping resistor would do it, you would have to do some measuring and figuring using the solenoid's resistance. I would make a rough guess that that about 1-ohm and 50-watts dissipation would get you in the neighborhood.

Gauges are a bit easier - there are 12-to-6 volt regulators for the early 12-volt Fords that make an average 6-volts from 12 that runs the Jeep gauges very well. (The regulator is basically a thermostat, 12 volts when closed, 0 volts when open, 50% on-off, so 6 volts - average). Modern solid-state regulators would work too.