170 for 225 SWAP - '62 VALIANT

(I did get that "free-to-a-good-home" Valiant and brought it home last month.)

I'm taking another leap of faith today. I've found a 225 stationary engine that spent its life connected to a fire pump. For fire code purposes, it was started regularly and run under load for at least an hour, once a year. It was taken out of service recently when the pump was replaced with a more sophisticated unit. There is probably less than 50 hours running time on this engine.

Looking it over, the castings and mounting holes look the same as the engine that's missing from my '62 Valiant Signet. Most of the accessories are mounted differently - alternator, starter, etc. The bell housing and flex plate are completely different and the carburetor is set up for natural gas. I have most of this stuff left over from my car's original 170 slant six, which the previous owner scrapped.

I'm getting this lump for $500, less than what parts would cost me to refresh a used engine. Recent test results show compression is right up to spec, except one cylinder that's down about 6 psi. All it seems to need is a fresh coat of red paint. I hope this stationary-spec engine is internally set up the same as road-going slant sixes, with similar horsepower and torque.

Fire pump engines have an honourable history - Duesenberg and Coventry-Climax were big suppliers to the industry - so my Valiant ought to be proud to have one under its shapely hood.