Post-War Other Herald Engine Swap

[Herald63nut]

Gents,
Will a 1965 1200 cc Herald engine and 4 speed trans fit into a 1963 Herald? If so, are there any issues that will need to be addressed? Thanks

 

[70herald]

Yes. I think that you have a MK1 frame, so anything larger while it would fit would also way overstress the frame. The 1200 will drop in with out any problems. (well there will always be problems but not inherent to the engine type....)

 

[Andrew Mace]

Presumably the "1963" Herald is commission number GA80001 or higher, or possibly GB1 or higher. Either will have the "Mk2" or "Star" chassis frame, with engine mounts on the suspension turrets. This being the case, the swap is direct.

Of course, your "1963" could have been a slow car to sell when new, and it might just be that "Mk1" chassis. If so, worst case scenario is that you'd have to swap front engine plates to get the proper mounting for that chassis.

I'm also going to guess that the "1965" engine is a GD series and that the "1963" engine is a GA series. The GD series engines had somewhere between 48-51 hp as opposed to the 40 hp of the GA series. That's not enough to overly strain the early chassis!

Also, both gearboxes likely are GA series, so they'll be the same.

PM me if you have specific questions about any/all of the numbers I'm referencing.

 

[NickMorgan]

Yes, we really need to know the chassis number to be sure, but both of my 1962 Heralds are 1200s.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Yes, we really need to know the chassis number to be sure, but both of my 1962 Heralds are 1200s.

Exactly, Nick! Case in point: I've two (original) 948 series Heralds, both originally registered as 1962 models. I also have a 1200 Coupé and sedan, both built very late in 1961, registered as 1962 models. All have the early chassis. Apparently, the original 948 series Heralds were slow sellers in some parts of the US, so there was a good bit of overlap between them and the "new" 1200 models!

It wasn't until around June 1962 that the "Star" chassis was introduced for the six-cylinder Vitesse and "commonised" with Heralds from that point forward (GA80001 and future, GB1 and future, etc.).