Hot-Rod 1976 Chrysler Slant-Six Now Fuels an Entire Home

      SmallEngineMechanic via YouTube

      The most significant car news and reviews, no nonsense.

      Our daily newsletter, free of charge, delivers the important stories right to you every weekday.

      For car enthusiasts, dreaming up engine swaps for their project vehicles is a favored pastime. However, there are certain constraints to consider. Engine size is perhaps the most significant factor; for instance, fitting a V12 into a Miata is quite a challenge, not to mention the need to account for cylinder arrangement, electronics compatibility, and more. Yet, there exists a domain for horsepower and torque that is nearly limitless—a true blank canvas—and that area is gensets. This makes the choice of a 225-cubic-inch Chrysler slant-six by one enthusiast particularly intriguing.

      There’s much to say about this unit, but first and foremost, we must highlight its aesthetic appeal. This unconventional generator engine, which powered a variety of work vehicles from 1959 to 1991, is neatly housed in its wheeled cart. SmallEngineMechanic on YouTube constructed this whole-home backup power device, painting it blue to complement the other equipment and wiring it with great attention to detail. Just take a look inside that cabinet.

      And then there’s the hardware. On one side of the genset, the engine’s defining feature is evident: the block is tilted 30 degrees off-center. Move to the other side, and you discover it has been modified to utilize throttle-body injection with Holley Sniper EFI. While many generators typically use propane or natural gas, this one runs on gasoline, presumably for convenience.

      The cylinders have been bored out to .060 over, accompanied by new pistons, rings, bearings, and a rebuilt head. It also boasts a newly installed oil pump and water pump—essential parts for a stationary power source.

      The exact output of this slant-six is unclear, but factory stock versions produced between 145 and 180 horsepower. Regardless, it can provide up to 30 kilowatts of backup power—significantly more than a Ford F-150 Lightning’s 9.6 kilowatts—while operating relatively quietly. You can hardly hear the exhaust since the radiator fan is the loudest component. This may not be ideal for a hot rod, but if the engine is running your air conditioner while you’re asleep, a quieter operation is preferable.

      In the video below, you can see SmallEngineMechanic make a house call to investigate why the genset isn’t functioning properly. It turned out that a defective ignition coil was causing it to misfire after about 20 minutes of operation. Replacing that coil and adjusting the governor gain was all it took to get the unit back in shape, which was verified with a mobile military load bank.

      Slant 6 Chrysler Generator with Holley Sniper Revisit

      I won’t claim to know everything about gensets—this one features a single-phase Stamford alternator and a Basler DGC 2020 digital controller, for those who are interested—but I’m just excited to see the Chrysler slant-six still in operation. Certainly, engines like these deserve a break sometimes, but they were built to perform.

      Have a tip or question for the author? Reach out directly: caleb@thedrive.com