85 into 62?

[Woodie UK]

Greetings from the UK,
I'm just about to acquire a French Matford V8 to keep my '36 Ford woodie company. If all goes to plan I'll be heading over to France to inspect (and probably buy the Matford) early in the New Year.

If you've never heard of the Matford it was a marraige of convenience between Ford and French-based Mathis, which allowed Henry to break into the French market. They produced cars (basically re-designed) Model 62 V8s between 1935 and 1939, and then again after WWII until approx 1950.

The car I'm after is a 1950 Matford produced by Ford SAF and it currently has the small 62hp flathead V8, which the seller describes as tired. Knowing that parts for the small flatheads are hard to come by on this side of The Pond, I was interested in the rumour I'd heard about owners 'back in the day' popping the 3.6 litre 85 hp flathead in as a replacment. It would certrainly give the car a bit more ooomph!

Has anybody out there in Fordbarndland ever done this swap or know whether it is a straightforward job ie) is the gearbox the same on both models, etc, etc??

Colin Peck

[hotcoupe]

i have a `37 1/2 ton that had a" V-8 60" in it. the radiator, transmission and ring & pinion had to be changed when i went to a later 90 horsepower motor. hope this helps.
tom

[Bruce Lancaster]

Well, the factory did the swap during WWII, can't think of the model numbers for the army sedans and wagons, then polished the result up a lot as the Pilot.
There were two passenger car use gearboxes for the 60's and I don't know whick the 62 got. The common one here is tiny and weak and not really a choice for this; the bigger box, used here in light commercials and taxis, was the big v8 box with minor mods to fit the 60 and could easily be adapted. A normal v8 85 box and universal should fit into same space and match up with clutch linkage if you have the small trans.
USA 60 cars had the mount area in place for the 85 with extra bars bolted into those and against the side members to provide the 60 mounts a little farther aft. Quite possibly there are no 85 hp mounts in a 62 since I don't think it was ever meant to be used with 85 until it was drafted for WWII. If no place for mounts, this would be a matter of setting engine in place bolted to transmission to determine location and come up with a plan.

[Woodie UK]

Thanks Guys, that sort of sets me in the right direction.

Was hoping that the same transmission was used on both the 60 and the 85, but I guess I won't know what's involved until I get the car back home and start poking around.

I know that Matford did install both the 60 and 85 motors in the same body shell so maybe I'll get lucky. At least the '50 has hydraulic brakes and anti-roll bars so it should go around corners better than the '36.

Colin

[sawzall]

so colin.. is this matford WOOD??

[Woodie UK]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

You got that right. Don't know who built the body as it seems Ford SAF sold cars with the just the front end sheet metal to various coachbuillders to build vans, ambulances, convertibles and of, course, WOODIES! However, there's a coachbuilders plaque on the body which can be seen in photos.

We have a new club member in France who has found a whole heap of French woodies and my jaw cropped when he sent me details of the Matford or 13CV as the French call them.

He has spoken to the seller at length and I've received about 20 good images so I know what to expect. Seems the seller has has the car for the past 30 years and used it virtually every day and has maintained it in working condition, although he says the engine is a bit tired now.

Plan to head across the Channel in the New Year with a small flatbead truck and load it up. Not 100% sure if I'll keep it yet, depends a number of issues, such as can I live with the steering wheel and gear lever on the wrong side!!(LHD).

Might just have to go back to France and get some more woodies, ha

Colin

[Mart]

Having a lhd car in the UK is part of the experience, not a problem.

Sounds like an interesting project.

I don't know the exact details of the 62 but someone here in the UK does have a 62 with an 85hp engine in it.

I'm sure an 85hp motor would go in, but you would need the matching trans. The 60hp trans does not bolt on easily, I did adapt one once, but it was not easy.

Ideally you would want a top shifty tranny. The rear axle probably has a very low ratio - 4.44 or something like that. You would do better with taller gears. A Pilot axle may bolt in and give what you want.

It's an early ford at the end of the day, you can mix and match till the cows come home.

Or it might be easier to just fix what needs fixing on the 60hp motor. Or find a better running one discarded by someone else.

Mart.

[juke joint johnny]

Woodie UK Here's one for the small world ;

If you would like to have a 4"crank French Flathead to drop into your new Matford .I have one for sale less than 5 miles from your house

John Cochran

[Woodie UK]

Hi John,
Tell me more about the French flathead motor you have. Just might be something for the '36 Ford woodie I already have.

If you want to take it off line you can email me: [email protected]

Colin