Slowly and surely is how I have to work these days . I used to have a nifty wooden box that snugly fitted a Chevy i6 engine (I'll leave it to you do guess which series) , the bottom of it was about 4" wider that the sides so it could be used to support and test run old engines.... The main thing is to cobble up a lest enough radiator hoses so the engine water jacket is always full before starting it up . Remember : this is a fun job , very rewarding once you get it done . do not approach it like a chore else you'll never be happy with it .
Picked up a late (open driveshaft) rear and springs that were in an AD truck. Is this the way they were originally mounted -- under the springs? The original rear of my '51 mounted above the springs. I'm wondering if the arch of the 55 springs is different than the older trucks, so that the ride height is reasonable; or if this mounting is non-stock and would put the truck way too high if I just bolted it in as-is? I was hoping to find an open rear that just bolts in, without worrying about setting pinion angle or welding pads. Will this work? And what about shock mounts?
That's interesting... Mine is under the springs as well, but it is the way the 3/4 ton was set up originally. The bolts run the opposite direction of yours. I also notice that the hangers are under the frame, which mine are not. 1/2 ton long bed?
Paulie's truck is as original , the ' new ' rear end there appears to have been taken off an old pickup bed trailer judging by no brakes . In factory installations the U - Bolts are always near flush with the nuts , for reasons I'll never understand the places that make up new ones always make them too long and want to argue that point when I'm having new ones made .
Thanks guys, VERY helpful. Looks like I'm set on mounting the rear, and I just need to figure out the shock mounts.
Hi Everyone, long time no see. Nice to see so many of you are still here. It's been too long, but I'm back at it after another interruption. Have someone lined up to help me with the body work this Spring, will attack the frame, suspension, mechanicals, and wiring myself. Looking forward to sharing progress and swapping lies (and maybe parts?) along the way.
Here's some pics for ya Zig - Wednesday I drove a little over 800 miles round trip to pick up this 302. Story is that the previous owner had it built by Tom Langdon for a 1950 Chevy somewhere around 2010, but the car got sold before the engine was installed; and then the owner died. So it sat as a showpiece in the heated office of their business for a few years. They needed to clear out the space, so I agreed to give it a home. The owner used to run two dirt oval race tracks, from 1958 until sometime in the 80s. I mentioned to the seller that my uncle used to race in a small town a little further north back in the 70s, and it turns out that he was actually the promoter for that very same track for three years in the 80s. He didn't know my uncle, but they both know a lot of the same people associated with the track. Small world, indeed - and now I have a little bit of a connection to the man who had this engine built. An Ellis dual carb intake, mallory distributor, and headers came with it. Two things I will need to figure out - one is the mounts. I hadn't realized that late 302s came with side mounts. But I'm sure mounting it in my '51 Chevy frame is doable. Any tips? Also, how to add heat to the intake. And I have a call in to Tom Langdon for advice or more history on the motor - will let you know what I learn. Looking forward to Spring, when the bodywork starts!
Looks like what I'm missing is a bracket to go from the bolt holes in the sides, down under the front of the oil pan. This picture was lifted from a vendor's website (selling alternator brackets) - I have a call in to them to see if they happen to have a mount bracket available. Oddly enough, the motor came with the alternator bracket, but not the front engine mount bracket. Any of you GMC guys have a spare, or know someone who might?
The stock front mount you are looking for is U shaped with a center bolt in the bottom that attaches to a rubber front motor that sits on a cross member. May not match your '51 frame. I'm not positive, but I think this mount would also work. It should work with any 228/236/248/256/270/302 GMC as well as some 216/235 Chevy engines and mate up to your frame & front motor mount. If this won't do and if you'll guarantee the 302, I'll swap my good running 228 with a stock front mount only charging you my labor costs.
Thanks Bill, I'm really hoping I can scare up one of the U-shaped "saddle" mounts so that I don't have to swap the front plate. I don't want to pull the front of the motor apart and pull the cam unless I *really* need to - Either way, I'll need a hole or two about 1 7/8" further forward than my Chevy mount to accommodate the longer GMC block. Not sure whether I can just drill my existing cross member, or if I'll have to fab up an adapter plate of some kind. I also have a crossmember out of a GMC truck, but not sure swapping that in is the best route. I would need to drill out the existing rivets and replace with bolts - maybe a couple of spot welds for added rigidity.
I found a U-shaped mount on another board, so I'm set there. Thanks for the offer, though, Bill - much appreciated! The mount has a single center bolt to mount to the frame. If it is in the same position relative to the block as the Chevy, it will be 1 7/8" further forward than my two stock mounting holes. So I will need to figure out how to adapt it, without changing the height of the nose of the motor. I'm sure there's a way, just haven't thought about it much yet. Too cold to think, I guess.
Big day. Finally got the cab and fenders loaded up and to the Body Shop. Made the lift for the picker by splitting a 12' 2x6 into 2 6' pieces, and capping the ends with 1' 2x6 scraps I had in the garage. Worked like a charm, and made the cab easy to lift and maneuver solo. Now to get busy getting the frame cleaned up and driveline swapped!
Congratulations all the way around!!! Daaaaaang what a SWEET 302! Lucky U! Thanks for the photos/update! Can’t wait to see progress photos. Hopefully Mother Nature can lay off the sauce and get her act together.
I had been planning to have the frame media blasted and then put in black epoxy primer. I found a local service that offered to come to the house, which would save me packing it up and moving it... Media blasting would be $300-425, depending... And they offer a "two-part epoxy undercoat" that they frequently use on frames, for about another $350. Anyone familiar with such a thing, and would it be a good option? Or should I stick with primer? I asked for the name or details on what they use, so I could research it, but don't have it yet...
Rustoleum Black, by the quart or gallon (7777 is the part number as I recall) Thinned for a first coat, then applied per instruction for the second. Truly, there isn't any reason to spend more.
Updated pics from the body man, May 1 2018 https://talk.classicparts.com/media/albums/51-body-work.858/
