Putting a modern drivetrain in old PU truck:

[speeder]

ANyone know a good source, (BBS/website/etc.), for info or kits to put a newer drivetrain in an old ('50s), Chevy truck?

It's not for me. One of my neighbors has a '56 Chevy PU that he wants to put it in for the auto trans, A/C, etc... I've seen a million of these and it seems like the obvious thing is to get a newer GM donor vehicle and just switch everything over. Most I've seen have the newer steering column.

When I say, "newer", I mean '70s/'80s. I can't imagine that he wants the cost and complexity of transferring computers and FI related components. Just a SBC and TH350 w/ floor shift seems easy enough. If there are decent pre-fab kits with the mounts or some kind of easy recipe for this swap, I might get involved for the right price.

TIA as always.

[pwd72s]

You might check out the advertisers in HOT ROD. There are many such swaps that have pre-made "kits" available.

It would be pretty simple to pop a pushrod 5.0 Ford into a Ranger, for example...

Many times it's as simple as modifying a frame a bit, assuming the donor vehicle has a straight frame...just shorten or lengthen to match the '56 wheelbase...

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by speeder

ANyone know a good source, (BBS/website/etc.), for info or kits to put a newer drivetrain in an old ('50s), Chevy truck?

Denis,

A good friend of mine, John Milliman, runs a site called Stovebolt, dedicated to old Chevy/GMC trucks. The server seems to be down or I would have pasted a link.

Huge site and they really know what they are doing.

[VINMAN]

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[RANDY P]

The oldest you want to try a modern swap would be a TPI unit out of an 80's vette or camaro. Painless makes harnesses that allow you to install that into anything and the transmissions are not controlled by the ECU.

Don't try anything older like the old TB units. They are junk and are not supported. Early 80's GM is junk.

I'd say go carbs but if this is a driver on pump gas who knows what will happen with oxygenated fuel. it's a PITA.

rjp

[johnco]

you might check into the S10 frame swap. I picked up a long wheel base S10 ($100) to put the body of a 39 Dodge and the wheel base was within 1" I believe. modern drivetrain and suspension, brakes,etc of the S10 and probably a 350/350turbo for power. a friend of mine did his 48 chevy last year. I wish I had considered this swap for my 37 chevy sedan before doing the mustang II front suspension thing. easy swap for trucks.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by RANDY P

The oldest you want to try a modern swap would be a TPI unit out of an 80's vette or camaro. Painless makes harnesses that allow you to install that into anything and the transmissions are not controlled by the ECU.

Don't try anything older like the old TB units. They are junk and are not supported. Early 80's GM is junk.

I'd say go carbs but if this is a driver on pump gas who knows what will happen with oxygenated fuel. it's a PITA.

rjp

Alcohol no problem for Carbs...you just need larger jets than used for gas.

[Scott R]

You want to do TBI if you can. It's as easy as dropping in a carbed engine and you get FI. Go advanced adapters for the pieces you need. I've done this a bunch on Toyotas and it's very, very easy.

AdvanceAdapters.com | Engine & Transmission Conversion Adapters - Advance Adapters

Get the motor mounts and stuff from them, they also have some conversion guides. On a 50's pickup you can do this in a weekend if you handy with a welder.

Oh and you don't need any wiring with the TBI engines, you keep the computer from the donor vehicle it's all one harness. After that you have four connections to deal with that are all either switched or not for 12v. Everything on the TBI engine is encapsulated, nothing is external except for the fuel pump, and that's an off the shelf item.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Easiest way to do it is to use a 80's camaro front clip. You get power steering and brakes.

Avoid the 305 V8

[Laneco]

If he wants a VERY simple system, then a carbureted small black backed with a 700R4 or a 2004R is dang near idiot proof. The earlier versions of these transmission have no computer controls on them. Don't let someone talk you out of the 2004R because it's "weak." Entirely untrue, especially with a basic rebuild. If he is going to tow, the 700R4 is probably a better idea. But the 2004R does great up to about 450 horses or so (talk to your transmission overhaul dude for a truly accurate 2nd opinion). Seeing alot of these 2004Rs out there running 350 or so horse with zero long term issues, even a little drag racing. I'm mentioning this because these are cheaper to get into than the 700R4.

50's pickup trucks like torque. They are heavy. Figure that in and look for about 350 pounds of torque in your engine build. I'd stay with the stock column or go with a flaming river column. I like floor shifters in pickup trucks, but if you want a column shift, well, then Flaming River sells exquisite quality bits. Also IDIDIT is another good maker.

The transmission will require a different crossmember than the factory transmission. There are companies who make them so that the four speed auto is a bolt-on thing. It's a really common conversion that lets these old trucks pick up some fuel economy. With this transmission, try to go 3.73 or so on the rear. It's an absolutely sweet combination. First gear is a little short, which works well to get that big body moving, plus you get the nice highway gear.

Among all vehicles to do this with, the pickup trucks are so easy it's almost scary. The engine bay is cavernous. Everyone makes parts, headers, you name it, to make this an easy project. I would give a look into the fuel injected engines however, just because many of them are so well supported aftermarket. The LS series engines are getting pretty common and every year, the wiring harness gets easier (due to aftermarket commitment).

By the way - you REALLY want to upgrade the brakes and front suspension on these before you dig too deep into them... Lots of bolt on stuff including full a-arm and rack and pinion steering, or you can do a "clip" from a newer vehicle.

angela

[Zeke]

I like the idea of a frame swap. Friend of mine has a '57 Vette on a new front and rear clip from a C5 with all the accouterments of the later model. Sits well, drives well and has a ton of performance right down to good A/C.

I have thought of putting my series Chevy PU on a 2000> frame. I don't know the adaptability though. Using a much older and iconic body style makes a hell of a lot more sense.

Yeah, get an issue of Drive magazine and check out the 100's of ads. Or go to the Father's Day deal at Pomona. Every vendor in the world is there.

LA Roadsters, Hot Rods of Southern California

[fred cook]

One thing that could complicate this project is if the truck has a torque tube type drive shaft and rear end. If that is the case, then you will get into fabing rear suspension pivot points, etc. There is a 50's Ford truck here where I live that is on a Corvette chassis! Now that was an "upgrade"!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Painless Wiring makes kits to swap a newer EFI SBC and transmission into anything, it essentially makes the powertrain a standalone unit. No need to wire the engine and transmission computers into the vehicle, just add 12V. You can easily find a newer 5.3 or 6.0 powertrain for about $1000, that gives you 300+ HP/TQ in a reliable package. It's also a truck engine, which gives you a truck friendly flat torque curve.

Personally I lusted to install a SBC into my FJ80 Land Cruiser, hence the research on my part.

[speeder]

Lots of good info. This board is so much better than google for stuff like this. Hell, for almost anything.

This truck belongs to one of my neighbors, actually the guy who owns the supermarket on the next corner. I met him because he wanted to buy Paul's 356, (I meet a lot of people that way).

I tell them, "make an offer!" For the right amount of $$$$, I'm sure that I could break the news to him.

He's a Korean guy, limited english but a nice guy who is very smart and absolutely loaded. He loves old cars but doesn't know a lot about them, probably grew-up his entire life in Korea without ever getting to see any. He owns this HUGE Korean supermarket that looks like it takes in about a million dollars a day gauging from the size of the lot and the traffic.

He has this truck + a few other cool older cars including a clean '66 Mustang FB. (Mandatory Mustang content for this bbs). He asked me about converting the truck and I thought, hmmmmm....maybe. I know that it's not rocket science but I would need a clean install w/ all parts, otherwise it turns into a monkey trying to fk a football. (Me).

FWIW, I like my old trucks Ford and as stock as possible. A 100% stock '53 F-100 w/ flathead+ 3-on-the-tree and OD would be my choice. I don't care if only goes 60mph, that's what I want. I have plenty of modern cars to drive.

[GWN7]

A buddy is in the process of doing a 59 Chev PU. He has a 78 Suburan frame and drive train under it. The problem with the older frames is they rust, get weak and can bend too easy. He stripped the sub, cut the frame to fit and moved the engine/trans mounts with the body off. Should be on the road this summer.

[911boost]

Find a wrecked Chevrolet or GMC 2500HD pickup with the Duramx and the Allison Transmission. Strip parts from one, and add them to the other. It has been done pretty often and there is information out there on it.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by BSiple

Find a wrecked Chevrolet or GMC 2500HD pickup with the Duramx and the Allison Transmission. Strip parts from one, and add them to the other. It has been done pretty often and there is information out there on it.

If I find one of those, I'm building a Suburban. And not some POS body-lift to clear the trans like the guy in Colo.(?) does for big $$. I'll swap the trans tunnel sheet metal from the truck into the Suburban.

I don't know why Chevy doesn't build this. They'd sell a million of them and it would have no competition.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Denis,

A good friend of mine, John Milliman, runs a site called Stovebolt, dedicated to old Chevy/GMC trucks. The server seems to be down or I would have pasted a link.

Huge site and they really know what they are doing.

You know John and Peggy? Small world.

The most successful conversions I've seen strips the donor truck down to the frame and adapts the early body to it. I'm not a fan of conversions that stick in a newer engine & trans, a disc brake conversion for the 56's straight axle, and a custom ratio Ford 9 incher in the rear. It's been done to death, so it must work on some level, but the later suspension is a lot better than the old beam axle.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by speeder

FWIW, I like my old trucks Ford and as stock as possible. A 100% stock '53 F-100 w/ flathead+ 3-on-the-tree and OD would be my choice. I don't care if only goes 60mph, that's what I want. I have plenty of modern cars to drive.

Ever heard of Vintage Truck magazine?

Vintage Truck Magazine