The master build thread for K.I.T.T But aplicable to all others.

[spookum]

It lives!!!! But I need the belt out of the 550 Polaris.... It is not shifting well.

http://youtu.be/DfpzLN10X7Q

[spookum]

Good luck on the build. Love the bronco to.

I love old blue (the bronco) I have had him since I was seventeen (dad got his when I was eight). I cut my teeth working on the old truck. 460... Ballenced and blue printed.... 4.56 gears.... Chrome Molly axles Detroit in the rear ARB in the front..... And it will pass anything on the highway but a gas station!

Sadly, old blue is a PERFECT truck for the pacific north west. How ever, Alaska is too much swamp and no roads. Hince the Argo. Which I hope to hear run today.

[marshgunner]

Good luck on the build. Love the bronco to.

[spookum]

That picture of the engine in the van took me back a bit. All the debris and kids toys, a truly wonderful part of life, wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Oh yah. Their no longer allowed around the work bench when motors or anything else is open.



See the bolt head ( Allen socket screw) on the left?



Wasted! It munched a bolt. All I can think is the air cleaner was off and it was added to the carb.... I learned my lesson. Keep rags in there at all times !!!!

Here she is telling the neighbor boy how to dismantle a snow mobile skid:





I have to potty train liv, the two year old girl this week (wife is on my hiny)

Engine is back in, and yes, I TRIPLE CHECKED THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST FOR BOLTS. It really scared me when the 12 mm socket went missing. I looked everywhere and even jammed a magnetic snake down the intake.... I was about to take the engine back apart when i found it on the the valve stem of the Argo wheel.....

[rodp]

That picture of the engine in the van took me back a bit. All the debris and kids toys, a truly wonderful part of life, wouldn't have missed it for the world.

[spookum]

Mr Mark, a top notch friend took lead on the build today... And even fed the kidlets corn dogs after they molested his wives flowers.... Many many thanks to him.


Many many thanks. Again.














Loaded in the minivan

[spookum]

Pretty easy. When you recover a seat, just make the top layer a cheap massager/heater from wall mart.

http://youtu.be/1VLxBnfFJpM

[spookum]

The snow is finally gone. I left the project last fall when the engine developed a "death rattle". Now I get the fun job of pulling the motor and rebuilding g it I guess.







The head


The block


Metal shavings in the oil pan



And my thread at geo forums..., good read there.

1993 geo metro bottom end...

[spookum]

So if you scroll through the microsoft excell sheet, there are two springs that could work. The 7041168 and the 7041132. I went with the 7041132. It is the "white" spring with a 34 Lb engagement spring rate. IT WORKS AWSOME no more herkery jerkey!!! It is interesting because it also works for ATVs (it was discontinued use in snow mobiles back in the early 80s) ONly cost 25 bucks delivered too!! WOO HOO. It is soo cool! after ingagement, in low range, it is impossibly slow!!!! i love it!

[spookum]

Part of the problem for most with any repower project, whether a 6x6, car or any vehicle is making the new power plant and support accessories fit in the available space. Most would prefer a clean factory look along with easy access for maintenance and service. Weight in a 6x6 or 8x8 would also be a concern. Even 15lbs over the nose of an already nose heavy machine could be a concern especially when you compare that weight to the overall weight of the machine as a percentage then look at weight bias.

Looks like you got the easy part done. Fitting all that under a stock upper body, being able to just open the hood and get to everything for service and matching the driveline to the available power now available and keeping it from looking like some sort of Frankenstien machine....that would seem to be the hard part to me.

Cool project. Keep us up to date with pictures as you put the rest back together.

Keith.

Good points. You may want to take a look at this thread, it all fits under the upper body of a conquest. (or a magnume too i imagine)

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/argo-atvs/16016-99-conquest-chevy-sprint-engine-swap.html

Also, this argo cut the radiator down to fit over the tires. Mine will stick up and out the front. Ill try to dig up my notes on the acutal computations. But food for thought. If you put more weight above and infront of an argo axle, that cause s a "moment" or "torque" in a circle with the axle being the circles center. AkA, it tries to make the entire argo fip over nose forward. I think that it is less noticable than hanging a winch on the front with a metal fair lead, as it is on a bigger "circle" and has a greater radius and therefor more force. Also, i mounted the optima battery behind the first axle (it was originaly mounted over the front axel. This conceptaly should counter ballance any "nose heavy" feeling it has.

let me know your thoughts keith.

[kghills]

The thing is, that if your going to spend the time to fabricate motor mounts, run new wiring, figure out a new CVT system why not go this route?

Part of the problem for most with any repower project, whether a 6x6, car or any vehicle is making the new power plant and support accessories fit in the available space. Most would prefer a clean factory look along with easy access for maintenance and service. Weight in a 6x6 or 8x8 would also be a concern. Even 15lbs over the nose of an already nose heavy machine could be a concern especially when you compare that weight to the overall weight of the machine as a percentage then look at weight bias.

Looks like you got the easy part done. Fitting all that under a stock upper body, being able to just open the hood and get to everything for service and matching the driveline to the available power now available and keeping it from looking like some sort of Frankenstien machine....that would seem to be the hard part to me.

Cool project. Keep us up to date with pictures as you put the rest back together.

Keith.

[monoped]

Yikes! Pair of wings you,d be gone. Excellent work.

[gimmegreens336]

that thing sounds SICK! good job

[spookum]

I agree. This is a nice powerplant for an amphib sized machine. I didn't feel the same when the 1.0Liter was in a Chevy Sprint I owned back in 1986 but thats another story.

There are three ways to get performance out of an Argo with the differential steering. 1) lower the gearing, The 3.3 gears even with an 18hp give performance comparable to a Hustler 980 / Max4 with 18 horses. 2) Raise the power. Argos perform really well with even the 23hp motor when turning, Adair Argo has transplanted larger engines in and they feel like a t20 when turning. 3)Adair tracks: even older machines with 16-18hp steer very well with the tracks.

My Argo Frontier has 2.6 gears, 23hp, and Adair tracks. It compares very favorably with any other amphib I've driven. The newer Argos with the Admiral steering transmission feel even better.

Its all relative. Spookum I think you have done a fantastic job on the transplant. This should raise the bar on engine conversions and I think the documentation thread you gave us will be a step by step tool that others will use. Keep the vids coming man.

YOu should see it in low range!!!!!!!! Dont forget, i think i could have left that 16 HP tecumse in there and put the polaris primary and secondary on THAT. all of my research pointed to the BEST stock argo or max or comet clutch ratio as being a 2:1. Polaris is a 4:1.... that doubles the low end right there! IT takes some shimming on the trans to get keep it from hitting the breaks, but a more modern machine with hydralic breaks will not have quite the clearnce issues i had! Also, there is somone on this site who should be setting up his machine shop to BUILD adapters. He said it he may be moved into his shop by this fall.

The thing is, that if your going to spend the time to fabricate motor mounts, run new wiring, figure out a new CVT system why not go this route? For dependability and price, i dont think you can beat it. For the cost of upgrading a modern argo to a remote mount altinator (300 bucks) i bought a complete geo metro.... granted the engine was seized but it ran when it was parked!

[Noel Woods]

Spookum, you've created a monster! I LOVE it! Very nice work. It sounds amazing and unlike most Argos that I've seen and driven there is no hesitation when this one turns. That engine sounds great.....I'll certainly be replaying those videos over and over.

I agree. This is a nice powerplant for an amphib sized machine. I didn't feel the same when the 1.0Liter was in a Chevy Sprint I owned back in 1986 but thats another story.

There are three ways to get performance out of an Argo with the differential steering. 1) lower the gearing, The 3.3 gears even with an 18hp give performance comparable to a Hustler 980 / Max4 with 18 horses. 2) Raise the power. Argos perform really well with even the 23hp motor when turning, Adair Argo has transplanted larger engines in and they feel like a t20 when turning. 3)Adair tracks: even older machines with 16-18hp steer very well with the tracks.

My Argo Frontier has 2.6 gears, 23hp, and Adair tracks. It compares very favorably with any other amphib I've driven. The newer Argos with the Admiral steering transmission feel even better.

Its all relative. Spookum I think you have done a fantastic job on the transplant. This should raise the bar on engine conversions and I think the documentation thread you gave us will be a step by step tool that others will use. Keep the vids coming man.