The engine & 5-peed transmission from something like this...



...into something like this!



What do you guys think? Would something like this fit in the car? I've been mulling something like this in my head for quite a while, after I first noticed that the Country Squire and F-series share a motor... someone has a Diesel Ford on Craigslist in my area for $950 (a lot of rust).

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Why?

You're putting a motor capable of towing into a chassis that can't tow what the motor can.

A 7.3 is a hell of a lot bigger than small block for anyway, I'd venture to say it wouldn't fit. And if you got a turbo 7.3 (the CL ad is a non-turbo) the turbo sits on top of the motor in the intake valley so the 7.3 is considerably taller than the 351 or whatever the wagon came with.

Buy an F250 for a tow truck, buy a 300TD for a wagon.

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

You need to use a 90's caprice wagon. Now that's big

I dont know if the far will support that heavy of a engine ..
a 7.3 is almost 950 lbs . and tranny is ~150 more

__________________
current fleet
Ford f350 dully 7.3L 1990 . ats turbo , zf5
Mazda 4x4 b2600 with 617 20-26 mpg
Past fleet
1983 240D w123 232k 25-30 MPG
1984 Ford f250,1979 ford 150 300-6 (sold@ 251K )
81 300D, 79 240D , 2x 76 300D ,74 240D , 2x 89 grand prix , 85 grand fury , and several other fords

Custom machine shop work ..

There's been a few interesting 7.3 conversions around, there's a guy putting one in a Land Cruiser in South Africa for example HELP - 99-03, 7.3 POWERSTROKE / LANDCRUISER - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

Pretty sure a 7.3 in that Ford wagon would drop the front end to the ground, they weigh around 1,000 lbs dry.

__________________
Brian
87 300Dturbo 180K #14 head still running R-12 SOLD 12/2017
02 F350 Powerstroke 180K
05 Chevy Express 1 ton w/Royal Utility box 120K
08 Infiniti FX-35 40K
15 Golf Sportwagen TDI 35K
10 Sprinter 3500 chassis with a Class A Winnebago on it. 56K

they already made that

1982 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Wagon - DIESEL! (Rare) - Mint, All original Shape! - YouTube

__________________
1981 NA 300D 310k miles

the old 5.7s didnt weigh much more than the gas model ... (same block IIRC)

__________________
current fleet
Ford f350 dully 7.3L 1990 . ats turbo , zf5
Mazda 4x4 b2600 with 617 20-26 mpg
Past fleet
1983 240D w123 232k 25-30 MPG
1984 Ford f250,1979 ford 150 300-6 (sold@ 251K )
81 300D, 79 240D , 2x 76 300D ,74 240D , 2x 89 grand prix , 85 grand fury , and several other fords

Custom machine shop work ..

I love that, thats awesome

__________________
hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Yes, it was the same block. If I recall that was the reason it was so failure prone, couldn't hold up to the compression.

__________________
Brian
87 300Dturbo 180K #14 head still running R-12 SOLD 12/2017
02 F350 Powerstroke 180K
05 Chevy Express 1 ton w/Royal Utility box 120K
08 Infiniti FX-35 40K
15 Golf Sportwagen TDI 35K
10 Sprinter 3500 chassis with a Class A Winnebago on it. 56K

ARRRGGGHHHH!!!

nope. not same block.
totally new casting. only similarities are the bellhousing, and head bolts (STUPIDLY) , and motor mount locations. the block is SUBSTANTIALLY stronger than the olds gasser... not strong enough for diesel compression/combustion, but much stronger than a gasser. the blocks NEVER failed on those engines... the head bolts, did, and the idiotic oil pump drive shafts...

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I know of a 7.3 IDI into an F150. awesome fuel mileage.
I also know of a 7.3 IDI into a full sized Bronco.

Both of these were basically bolt-in jobs as the F series and Broncos are the same platform. Putting that 7.3 in a Panther platform may well be more trouble than its worth.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

I owned two Chevy Caprice wagons, and an olds Delta 88 powered by that motor... VERY economical, that heavy wagon got 28-33MPG combined! (until the transmission went out... very weak Reverse/OD clutches... I'd likely still be driving my second one if it hadn't gotten rearended...

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

those olds are probably the cars that made americans think that diesels are loud and smokey. Pretty boss tho!

__________________
Current fleet
2006 E320 CDI
1992 300D - 5speed manual swapped

former members
1984 300D "Blues Mobile"

1978 300CD "El Toro"

Joosepi- If it's too tall, cut the hood & install a Pro-stock hood scoop!! B-)

Install some coil over shocks & go...easy peasy.

I saw a 7.3 in an early 90s lincoln towncar once, and there's that guy who crammed one in a mustang, so assuming lots of work, I bet you could get it done.

However, if I were thinking domestic diesel in big comfy domestic wagon, id probably do a 6.5 chevy turbo diesel in a caprice wagon. I figure that would be an easier swap, with a simpler lighter motor that isn't known for towing or strength really, so you aren't wasting the drivetrain in a wagon platform.

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.