To save or not, Inter BD 240?

G'day guys,

To introduce myself, my first name is Peter, I hail from just north of Newcastle, originally from Tamworth. As per my log on I have an 86 XF Falcon, it was a daily hack but over time has become the standing joke in my family, I couldn't sell it if I wanted to.

I'm starting the rebuild/restoration/modification of an AA110, its fitted with a BD240, 4 speed manual about a 4.1 diff (single spinner). I posted pictures last year, but life took an unexpected turn and I ended up overseas for a long period of time. Alas I'm back into it and with the school holidays I've taken some time off work to spend with my teenage boys (16 and 12).

Alas I'm after a reliable old pickup, not to hard on fuel, has a bit of a cool factor and turns and stops when asked to. My father had Dodge AT4s and Inters when I was a kid, contract harvesters, I'm not going to be working my AA110, in fact it will spend most of its life empty. I'm aiming at about a 1 tonne capacity and a 2.5 tonne towing capacity. I expect that with teenage boys I will need to rescue a broken down car or two. I also do a lot of house renos, so having a usable pickup would be great.

I'm under a bit of pressure from my old man to save the old drive train - "sounds great, I remember when...." "but hard on fuel; 7mpg, 7tonne of wheat at 70mph."

The engine is not the original fitted to the truck as such I'm not looking to preserve any original numbers, a plate on the side of the engine indicates that it was replaced in 1962 by Wagga Engine Replacements, it also states that is 40 thou oversized and the crank was 10 thou oversized. I have no doubt that this engine has done a power of work and that it needs a full over haul, probably the gearbox and diff as well. It runs well, starts first turn of the motor, it is a little smoky but that could stale fuel and old oil, it also hasn't had a decent run in to years or more.

In writing this I'll probably answer my own question, but is it worth saving? What sort of fuel consumption did these return? Are there different diff ratios? I cannot imagine the BD240 and 4.1 diff would good for more than 80-90kmh, am I wrong? Mods, I know that there is no after market support for these, parts all come from tractors, I have seen extractors for sale but is there stuff out there that I haven't found? The original holleys were fine in their day, I now have a holley 350 and electric pump on BD240, the 350 I ran on my XF4.1 but went back to the original webber, have others tried different carbies?

Or do I just bite the bullet, offer the 240 for sale (anybody interested) and wedge a late model ford/holden/chev v8/ straight six, auto and diff into it?

I appreciate your input and welcome suggestions.

Cheers

Pete

Speed depends on a few things, but my ASW120 with 4.1 diff and 281 does around 12 - 15mpg and will sit on 100Km/h all day(only 2600 revs) I'm told that the Inter diff was available in a 3.73, later D60's came in a 3.54.

Smaller tyres will add a few revs, but wouldn't think much.

The steering and brakes are more limiting factors, but adequate at highway speeds (just).

As to the smoke, old petrol will definitely do that and an oil change won't hurt, either.

281's are around if you need.

Cheers, Jarrod.

I agree the old 281 282 motors were good on fuel & as you know there's extractors avail for them & if you look hard enough even a twin carby manifold ( some army ? Inters used twin carbs ) I had a 281 in a D1510 with a heavy horse body & I was still getting around 11mpg .... The best I ever got from a inter V8 in a larger truck was 6.5mpg
Cheers ken .... I hope the aircraft noise at Medowie doesn't keep you awake lol

Thanks Gents,

Your comments have confirmed my thoughts, in the day the BD240 would have been a good motor but surpassed by the later model inter motors.

My boys and I made great progress today, cab is off, engine is soaking in degreaser and by lunch time tomorrow it will become "garden art."

We found some interesting cracks and repairs in the chassis, front cross member is cracked straight through between the front engine mounting bolts and as expected it is cracked just rear of the RH front spring hangar.

Interesting the clutch shaft has been extended and pivots in a tie rod end for support.

Kenny, aircraft noise, what noise? I never notice them when at the office. At home, once or twice a year we hear them when they punching holes in the salt ash range but the rest of the time; chainsaws, dirt bikes and ride on mowers are generally more annoying. Are you up this way?

Photos to come tomorrow.

Cheers

Pete