Hey All First time posting. Just got a 50 chev pickup and i was to make it more of a every day driver. Just to make it easier on myself in the future. People tell me i should change the tourque tube out to a newer style trany and diff. I was also thinking of making it 12 volt. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
RE: Daily Driver '50 Well ; For what it's worth , I have a 1949 3100 series with 235 and Torque Tube, it's my shop truck so it gets driven and worked in Los Angeles traffic , loaded and sometimes flat towing old cars , it does just fine . I've driven it fully loaded up to Death Valley , twice , one seriously overloaded and with three adults jammed in the cab , in a serious hurry (75 MPH) , no problems , ever . Many folks do not understand the Torque Tube and so will tell you to junk it but consider this ? how many open drivelines are still working , NEVER overhauled , after 55 years ? . it's a sturdy unit and will give you stellar service if you but take care of it . TALL tires is the key to highway speeds . This -is- and old tech vehicle so this means you gotta crawl underneath it every two months or so and grease it , pull the tranny and rear end filler plugs & top up as needed . check the brake fluid & adjust the brakes , HOT change the oil & filter every 3,000 miles or three months regardless of milage , check the steering box oil (NOT grease !) and so on ~ if this is too much , sell it and buy a newer , 1970's vintage or newer truck and use that . It's just different is all , those who take the time for this basic maintenance will tell you it's 100 % reliable and is great for daily driver use ~ those who skip it will tell you it's an old POS that left them walking , broke down alot etc. . I bet you'll NEVER meet anyone who tells you the Torque Tube broke . 12 volt conversion is wise (I guess) and easy too , use an internally regulated Delcotron SI typ alternator , you'll need to buy a new mounting bracket or re-drill the mounting holes in the old generator bracket and then shim the alt.'s pulley alignment with a stack of flat washers , easy to do . '92 Camaro W/ V-ate engine is the application you need , price around and buy the cheapest rebuilt alt. you can find , no need for fancy schmancy ones . You'll only need to get a voltage regulator for the (6 volt) fuel gauge , the ammeter works just fine on 12 volts , change all the bulbs and turn signal flasher if so equipped . The old 6 volt starter works just fine on 12 volts and will last for years unless you don't keep it in tune and so spend 5 minutes cranking each time you start it up . No need the replace any wiring , the generator harness will need slght modification , not anything special else you have a crappy mechanic . I hope this helps , should be lots of info in older posts about this so read up . -Nate
RE: Daily Driver '50 Holy cow! Thanks for the info Nate. That helps a ton. So i need a alt from a 92 camaro? Im picking up the truck today, its been in a garage for about 18 years. Its was restored to original and then parked. Is there any info you can give me about getting it road worthy? It has a 56 engine(i think the first year with a oil pump). Other than that everything is stock. What do you think about adding front disks? I live in vancouver b.c and im going to be driving up to whistler the odd time and there are lots of long hils. thanks again. jeff
RE: Daily Driver '50 O.K. , what you need is : a DelcoTron alternator with _internal_ voltage regulator . there are two basic types , one requires two wires and the other , newer one (" SI " typ) doesn't . I have the earlier typ on my truck , it's only a 35 amp. unit but it works just fine (Halogen Headlights , stereo W/ BIG amp. etc.) . The Camaro unit is cool as it's cheap and plentiful , Pick-A-Part yards only get $25.00 for them . Several vendors (Chevy Duty ?) sell the great , simple to use alternator bracket , it bolts right onto your '56 235 engine and needs NO shims . As far as getting it up & running again . look up posts by Deve and visit his site , print out the tech info as you'll need to : Valve adjust , oil & filter change , points & spark plugs , grease _everything_ (there's a LOT of Zerk fitting on this truck) drain & refill tranny and rear end , run the engine and adjust the timing to ball & pointer , HOT change the oil again , re-check the valve adjustent when the engine is _HOT_ , adjust the brakes and so on , it all must be done in the correct order too . I'd say all new Huck brakes (hydraulics & shoes , DO NOT turn the drums !) should be O.K. , a Bendix conversion is faster & cheaper than discs but discs will stop you faster & safer ~ me , I just shift down before descending a hill . it's like being in 1965 for me again , every time I climb in my truck . I hope this helped... -Nate
RE: Daily Driver '50 For what it's worth, I swapped the original single circuit master cylinder on my 55 1st with one of the dual masters from Chevy Duty. This was a remote brake reservoir kit and a master cylinder adapter bracket - basically a dual circuit master with enough bits to make it an easy replacement for the original single cylinder. You'll need to make up some new lines of course. The effect for me is I get a much shorter stopping distance for a lot less pedal push, still with the original drums. And I feel safer too. Spend some time adjusting the brakes and it'll pull up good and straight every time. Mel
RE: Daily Driver '50 >Hi there, mr english chappie here, its so good to hear talk like yours, over here we brits ship in a truck, trailer it into a workshop, then rip out the drive train and front clip it with either jag or chev, s/b engine and 10bolt rear. why? might as well go an get a mid 80s c10. Im so looking forward to driving mine for the second time with all its character (first time was just limping into the back yard)if i had wanted power everything i would haave bought something else, good on yer fella, neil > >O.K. , what you need is : a DelcoTron alternator with >_internal_ voltage regulator . there are two basic types , >one requires two wires and the other , newer one (" SI " >typ) doesn't . > >I have the earlier typ on my truck , it's only a 35 amp. >unit but it works just fine (Halogen Headlights , stereo W/ >BIG amp. etc.) . > >The Camaro unit is cool as it's cheap and plentiful , >Pick-A-Part yards only get $25.00 for them . > >Several vendors (Chevy Duty ?) sell the great , simple to >use alternator bracket , it bolts right onto your '56 235 >engine and needs NO shims . > >As far as getting it up & running again . look up posts by >Deve and visit his site , print out the tech info as you'll >need to : > >Valve adjust , oil & filter change , points & spark plugs , >grease _everything_ (there's a LOT of Zerk fitting on this >truck) drain & refill tranny and rear end , run the engine >and adjust the timing to ball & pointer , HOT change the oil >again , re-check the valve adjustent when the engine is >_HOT_ , adjust the brakes and so on , it all must be done in >the correct order too . > >I'd say all new Huck brakes (hydraulics & shoes , DO NOT >turn the drums !) should be O.K. , a Bendix conversion is >faster & cheaper than discs but discs will stop you faster & >safer ~ me , I just shift down before descending a hill . >it's like being in 1965 for me again , every time I climb in >my truck . > >I hope this helped... > > >-Nate he may have made the earth and heavens in 7 days but it must have taken a little longer to make my truck! ________ Gang Bang Vids
RE: Daily Driver WARNING! One last bit of advice : Resist the temptation to take it all apart as therin lies madness and you junking the truck after a couple years of looking at piles of parts . If it runs , do the major tune up stuff & rebuild the brakes then go DRIVE the darned thing ! you'll find that even when beat to sh*te , these trucks are good drivers and you can use and enjoy it whilst working on it bit by bit . -Nate
RE: Daily Driver WARNING! Darn it! wish you had told me that earlier, its just a bare chassis in my back yard now, mind you i managed to get the front suspension assembled and on at the weekend. Mad dog and englishman! ________ Tigerblood
RE: Daily Driver WARNING! Nate, I beg to differ. After driving my '50 for 27 years and doing lots of patch work repairs, I tore mine down to the frame August of '04. I am in within a month or two of completion. Items completed: Frame painted and all new suspension; All New Bendix brakes, SS lines, New Master Cylinder, and Parking Brake components; '60 3.90 rear axle with new seals and bearings; Front Sway Bar; Rebuilt steering box; Rebuilt SM420; Rebuilt '62 261; All rust repaired; Truck in in Primer. Items to finish: 3 pt seat belts; alternator; bed wood; wiring harness and finish paint. It will be completed and it will ROCK! I will be driving a virtually brand new truck with some needed upgrades. We all don't give up on our torn down trucks. Steve O
RE: Daily Driver WARNING! Hey Nate Thanks a million for all the info. I got my truck from my uncles house where its been sitting for 18 years. He gave me all the spare and extra parts he has sitting around also. Ie, starter, fuel pump, bunch of door handles and levers. I decided to keep with the 6 volt cus he got a brand new 6 volt battery for me from a friend, also has a bunch of extra bulbs to go with. I went around today looking for a new rr end with him. I can get a newer used rr end for about 400 canadian, or a fully rebuit 50 rr end for 600. I decided to go with the torgue tube rr end. I just got to keep up with the maintainence. I got new wheel cylinders and flexible brake lines for it. I have to get a new master cylinder cus the old one is siezed. The drums are good. i have a week till the rr end is ready so im going to pull the engine and replace the gaskets and seals. Your advice on getting it running and go from there is the best way. A lot of people have told me the same. Im doing all the cheap and preventative maintenance now while i am back home at my parents place. They live on a farm and have a bug garage with a crane and good lightitng. My uncles who are both into cars live close by so i can call on them anytime. thanks again nate jeff
RE: Old Trucks I hear you Steve but I also buy stalled projects and scrap 'em out all the time as I don't have the time nor energy to finish . few do . Jeff , sounds like a plan , you needn't pull the engine to replace ALL the seals... -Nate
RE: Old Trucks hey nate How come you say i dont have to replace the seals? Im mostly doing it cus my parents place where i have the truck now has a crane. There is also a tone of oil and gunk build up by the timing gear cover. It thought it would be time for some seals in it for sure. i like figuring it out for sure. You know of any online sights that would have info on my inline 6 enging. A manuel would be wicked. thanks again jeff ps where are you from? How would i find out about shows or drive and shows in vancouver canada?
RE: Seal Replacement Good morning Jeff ; What I said was : you needn't pull the engine to replace the seals . Removing the engine means removing the hood and raditor core support etc. , about 2/3 of the trucks that go this route never see the road again . Factory shop manuals are only $29.95 and well wortht he $ , I don;t know the link to the OnL:ine Manual Project , it's ful of oldChevy manuals . If you go to TheStoveboltPage you'll find several old truckers in Vancouver . -Nate
