REPOWER a Tractor

I have always been interested in finding a tractor that needed an engine and put a V-8 in it.
Want it to be useable sp. with the PTO working etc.
Thinking about an Oliver 1600 or an IHC 756 type of machine.
I know some will hate this thinking ,but it something I want to do.
The Oliver has the chain coupler.
What kind of tractor would make the best donor??

I think one of the easiest would be like a massey harris 44.it has a short drive shaft that connects the engine to trans.any tractor like it would be an easy swap

You want the PTO to work? Are you going to govern the RPM of the V-8 so it turns as slow as the tractor engine? Dave

Most any tractor with a seperate "bath tub" frame, so the auto engine does not have to be used as the frame.
When I started farming on my own 30+ years ago, money was tight as all had to go for paying off land. I found two good size Olivers (1950T and 2150) with under 3000 hours and blown up diesel engines. The tractors were cheap, as they had a reputation for engine problems.
$5000 bought both tractors which I repowered with Chevrolet 454 V8 engines fitted with high compression 366 heads, 8 qt truck pans and special low rpm, high torque cams custom ground for me by Crower cams.
We fitted them with belt driven Huff governors and IMPCO propane fuel systems(Summer fill propane was 30 cents per gallon or less back then) The Oliver chassis was reliable and the propane burning Chevys made 150 HP at 2500 rpm, which gave the correct PTO speed.

We farmed with those tractors for another 15 years and added a Versatile model 125 4WD (originally fitted with a Ford industrial 391 V8 gas engine) that we repowered with a DD 6-71 diesel.
I still use both Olivers for loader /snow blower and stationary PTO work. The engines have been dead reliable with only needing to replace the rocker arms and pushrods every 5000 hours.Cant wear them out running on propane.
The versatile was replaced by a new Steiger 20 years ago for big loads and most field work done with a couple of modern 2 WD tractors with quiet air conditioned cabs.
Take your time, do it right and it can be better than original.

I have an Avery A repowered with a 60 HP Datsun engine. It also has the 4 speed datsun tranny in front of the Avery Tranny.

About 23 forward speeds. 4 reverse speeds and the sucker will go about 60 MPH if you have the guts to drive it that fast.

Thanks guys very interesting info.
Would a 706-756 IHC be considered a TUB TYPE TRACTOR. Tub like the oliver has.

Here is one done, though not "usable" like lenray wants.

http://mansfield.craigslist.org/grd/1122763451.html

no IH guy but i don't think IH ever had a tub frame some early one might have but not a 706 or 756

Yea you could do a 706 or 56 as it has been done before BUT it is not going to be a bolt in deal and the machine shop bill plus the engine would buy you a good 1086 before you were done with it .And from what i have seen of the V 8 gas tractors that have been done some are well thought out jobs and others they were a hand grenade with the pin ready to fall out . As for putting one to work today in the field sure hope you can afford the gas. As the one 706 that was done had a 549 I H gasser in it and it would suck down just shy of 12 gallon and hour working. Now it was i nice job but it did not last long and threw a rod out the side and it was changed back to stock . Many years ago my uncle had a Oil All Over 88 with a 390 Ford with a 4 BBL. now it would pull 4 bottoms BUT you spent a lot of time running back to the fuel pump and this was when gas was 15.9 cents a gallon . As for me i will stick with what they come from the factory with just don't get my jolly's off on make work anymore.

This guy did one heck of nice job sticking a GM/Chevy 6.2 diesel into his Massey Ferguson.

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Forget about making the tractor usable and put the V-8 in a an old Ford tractor. Naturally you will want chrome swept back and up exhausts from each cylinder for effect.

Don't forget to add the giant flotation tires from a spray rig. What a parade head turner that would be.

Around 1980 there was a Ford tractor at a tire dealership in Salina, KS that had the big flotation tires on it, standard engine.

They said it was extremely hard to use for parade duty because the extra tire diameter created too much speed and that the small engine could hardly pull it without being revved up.