A friend of mine has a couple of experimental diesel engines, based on the slant six. Apparently, Chrysler was considering this design before settling on the Cummins for pickup use.
Not quite as drastic installing a diesel boat engine, but the original owner of my GTX parked it and started driving a Valiant Signet convertible with a slant six after the oil embargo. Ironic that the fuel crisis is probably the main reason the GTX survived in it's current state. At least the Signet was the same color.
The '70s Oil Crisis Was So Bad Dealerships Put Boat Diesel Engines In Dodge Darts - The Autopian
The 1973 Oil Crisis brought high fuel prices and gas shortages. Dodge dealers found a crazy solution by putting diesel boat engines in cars.www.theautopian.com
