Hey folks, Well I have finally purchased my dream truck! But I am having some problems thinking about the restoration needs. I want to keep it as original as possible, it has the inline 6, 235 engine in it and 8 lug rims. I am new to restoring a vehicle and don't really know where to start. Now here are the issues i'm facing.. Would it be easier to upgrade the brake system and bolt pattern making a smoother ride using either an s10 frame swap, replace both the front and rear axles with 6 lug bolt pattern, or is only the rear end need to be switch out? Changing the bolt pattern to 6 lug is peferable so it will be easier to find rims and tires. I also have the stock 456 gear ratio (I think) and would like to upgrade that to either the 390 or 410 to obtain highway speeds. Which is easier for a first timer, replacing the whole rear end axle or just the ring and pinion? Also would I need to replace the transmission to drive safely at 55-60mph? Another thing is that the truck was converting to a 4 speed back in the '80s and I would like to change it back to the 3 on the column. All the parts are there I think, would this be do able or would a 4 speed perform better in the long run? Thanks!
Welcome aboard, enjoy the ride while here. Got any photos of it, yet? You may even have the nasty 514 as I had in mine. I changed to a 410 then had a 342/1 built for it. 410/1 will do as a starter for the 3/4 you have. Again Welcome aboard, Charles
My opinion....so take it for what it is worth. The truck looks way to good to put on a S-10 chassis. You have a great start....really just depends on your budget. I went with a stock 1/2 ton axle and updates to a 5 bolt disc brake set up. The rear end got swapped for a 3:43 axle out of a Blazer.
That sounds like a pretty good idea. Is a 5 bolt better than a 6 bolt? I am working on cleaning up the engine this week and then starting on updating to disc brakes. Is there a way that I can use the original front axle for the conversion or do I need to obtain a 1/2 ton axle? Also I am curious if the transmission can handle the new gear ratio of 410/1 or so, with the highway speeds, or if I should update that as well?
First you have to decide exactly what you want as a finished project. If you want a resto, that limits other parts. If you want a cool old truck for a driver, possibilities open up. If you want a hot rod, the sky is the limit. A 1/2 ton axle swap up front with disc brake conversion to 5 lug opens up lots of rim possibilities. Swap out the rear axle to a modern axle with disc brakes and a good highway gear. An S10 5 speed conversion adds to the drivability. A master cylinder upgrade to a dual reservoir will also be reccommended. Another option is an independant front suspension swap, like Fatman, Hiedt's, etc. Check out my build thread on "How to assemble an AD" at the top of the main page.
WELCOME!!! That is a nice truck to start with! I like the color combination. (and you already have the much coveted sun visor!) Thanks for the pictures, and whatever way you decide to go, this site will help get you there!
Nice Rig ! 3600 series never had the column shifter . yes , the current Muncie SM420 tranny can handle any engine and final drive you choose to use ~ a 500 Caddy engine or LT1 won't break it , not to worry . BTW " Restoration " means : AS ORIGINAL and nothing else so figure out what you want but never call it ' restored ' if you update anything .
resto mod?? What a great foundation to start with. I used a 1972 k-5 blazer rearend 3.73 gears my stock backing plates fit so have stock 1952 brakes and e- brake the drive shaft came out of a 1990s impala cop car did not have to cut put new u-joints i just put a new transmission 3 speed column shift with overdrive and did not break the bank the whole set up if i rember right cost under $600.00 FORGOT KEPT IT SIX LUG STOCK RIMS ON IT
Its nice to see another Minnesotan on here! Thats a nice looking truck. I have to agree that your truck came with that 4 speed. My 1950 3100 came with one as well. The trans will hold up to the speed. Its more that your rear end gearing is the limiting factor. For example, my 1950 with the same trans as you ( i have the 4.10 rear end gearing) will go 55-60 but the motor is screaming. Once I change to my newly aquired 3.73 I will be able to go the same speed but the engine will be spinning at a lower RPM and not tearing its self apart. It sounds like you want to modify the truck for safety and drivability. There are many ways to go about this. In your first post you asked if an s10 swap is easyer than working with what you have. It may be cheaper but its definately not easyer. To do an s10 swap will have to dissasemble the whole truck, then fabricate body mounts, then relocate your motor, and then deal with a whole mess of stuff. Guys that do that normally plan to run a newer engine and trans. I'm going to be modifying mine for drivability and safety as well so I chose to opt for an ifs up front and a modern rear axle out back. The options are endless. Don't worry about 5 or 6 lug. Its just nice if its the same pattern on all 4 wheels. If you want original looking wheels in a 5 bolt there are a few aftermarket companies that make them for you. The older original rims tend to wreak havok on tubes anyways so newer rims might be nice.
Thanks everyone for all the information on what can work for my truck, I really appreciate it! I am only updating my truck for safety and drivability, the rest I plan to keep as stock as possible. The Truck looks as nice as it does since it had an older, rough restoration back in the early 80's. There a few rough areas that the paint has covered up but nothing too serious as far as I know at the moment. I will work on getting more pictures up on the forum this weekend. I'm sure there will be more questions to ask when I get more work underway!
Here is a picture of the engine and what I thought was the original 3-speed column shifter. You can see where it was cut off on the base of the column and the free floating box. So this wasn't original?
To refresh my memory... a 3600 is a 3/4 ton, right? If that is the case, a 3 speed column shift was standard, with the 4 speed as a factory option. As far as I remember, it was the 3800 (1 ton) that came only with the 4 speed. The state of your truck is the same as mine. A year ago, I switched out the 3 speed in favor of the 4 speed. Everything associated with the 3 speed is gone, except for the box mounted on the steering column. At this point, I'm not sure why I haven't removed it...
not cut off its not cut off theres a sleeve that conects shift lever check to see if russ has any pics of it easy part to find to.
Thanks for the clarification! I am just going to keep it the 4-speed since it is already installed. I took the gas tank to get relined yesterday and am working on the bench seat this week during spring break. I was thinking about using the old vinyl as a base for the springs, then horse hair, then some cotton and finally either vinyl or a saddle blanket cover. Does anyone know what is the best material to use to re-upholstering the seat, vinyl or a saddle blanket? And what kind of material is used as a base for the cushion, foam, horse hair or cotton? Thanks everyone for all the help answering my questions!
The Comfy Chair Burlap over the springs , then a horse hair pad , topped by some cotton batting Then the final outer cover , be it vinyl , saddle blanket or leather . This will give you a solid seat that won't beat you up after a long drive like those crappy foam rubber seats do . Folks always ask why my seats are so comfy ~ it's because I don't use foam .
Thanks!! As I am in the middle graduating college and finding a full time job, it's taking me a lot longer then I thought to put all this stuff together. I have decided on what I am going to do with it though, since it is in running and in working order right now, I plan on re-upholstering the seat, replacing the gas tank and run signaling lights to drive it this way for awhile. Eventually as the budget allows I will replace the drums to disc brakes, install a different engine and update to a 12v system. Then work on the body. I do have another question, I bought a signaling switch and have dual light bulbs and running tail light lines, but how to I hook the lights up to the signaling switch on the steering column? Can I tap into the existing wire or do I have to run a seperate wire?
Adding Turn Signals You'll have to add one wire to the back of the truck and two to the front paking lamps .
