My opinion would be don't modify any of the existing parts if possible. Instead pull them and replace them with whatever you like and SAVE the originals. Try not to make any changes that can't be relatively easily reversed. The next owner might want to restore the mechanicals to as close to original as possible and having those old parts available could increase the value to that buyer.
“…drop a sbc however we want something really cool and period correct for that time to top it. Maybe a tri power, stack etc. What’s a reliable set up that can maintain the cool factor?” Hello, One of the first hot rod trucks was painted a Tahitian Red/Maroon color. I would have kept all of my original photos, but I gave them to the owner as a means of thanking him for the time and effort in our photo shoot. I took some great photos, got a great build story and I could see the magazine spread in my mind. No one had submitted cool custom truck photos as the trend was roadsters and specifically, 32 roadsters. So, being a different kind of person, I wanted to see how far I could take this cool Tahitian Red Chevy Truck photo presentation. Several magazines liked the great photos and story, but, for them, no one had featured an old hot rod truck in recent months and they did not want to be the first. But, in our teenage adventures and builds, we had all sorts of installs and exchanges with carbs and manifolds. A stock 4 barrel on a 57 Chevy Bel Air 283 transferred to a Corvette with dual carbs, a three carb set up with progressive linkage, a two barrel carb to a 4 barrel carb and finally, a 6 Stromberg carb set up for our 292 671 supercharged SBC motor for our C/Gas 1940 Willys Coupe. Then after the drag race days, two sets of 4 barrel carbs on another SBC motor. Which one was the easiest and most pleasant to drive? There were two choices: The 283 with a triple carb unit using progressive linkage. Two barrel center carb did 80 % of the work and two other two barrels came charging to the rescue when more power was needed. They all worked well with the extra Duntov Cam Kit. The other triple carb kit was on my 348 C.I. 1958 Impala. I did not like the progressive linkage, so I used the stock vacuum set up to kick in the outside two barrel carbs when I needed more power. It was the easiest to drive daily, going up a steep mountain road and very smooth running on the normal So Cal streets. The adjustment of the vacuum was perfect and it only faltered when the hose dropped off during a high speed race. A stainless clamp prevented that move for the rest of the time I owned the Impala. As far as gas mileage in this day and age of the cost of gas, you are running a v8 with 3 twos, a two barrel carbis the workhorse, 90% of the time. So, there is that important fact. If you have a lead foot, then of course the outside 4 barrels will definitely use more gas. On our 327, there was a 4 barrel carb. It was two barrel for 90 % of the time and only the other 2 barrel came on when more power was needed. A good thing that I am not a lead foot driver and we got great gas mileage during our long road trips all over So Cal and up into the Northern coastal areas for photo shoots. We even ran Pemex Gas through the 327 4 barrel El Camino on our Baja Mexico trips. No problem with stuttering or misfires. Two barrels and only a few times the other two barrel was necessary to pass up an old chunky truck going up the dark highway. Jnaki An SBC motor is considered simple to use and there are plenty of parts floating around in speed shops and online restoration dealers. The SBC v8 will give you the power you will need if you put anything in the back bed. The 6 cylinder guys will always say stay with the 6 and add this and that. But, compared to a stock v8, not much is needed for the extra horsepower and smooth ride, let alone a much better sound with the v8 vs. the 6 with dual pipes. YRMV Similar looks and stance
Lots of good opinions here. Why don't you go to: https://inlinersinternational.org/ https://www.stovebolt.com/ join them, poke around, and view member vehicles. Maybe that will help with a perspective and your decision. don
SBC always requires mods to the steering meaning either moving the steering box out from the frame 1-1/2 inches or swapping steering boxe for something that gets it away from the left exhaust manifold/header and it doesn't matter what you try nothing clears the box in it's stock location. I first put a V8 in one of these in 1975 and have never ran across any exhaust that clears. This GMC six belongs to a rodder who almost every hot rodder in the PNW knows and is street driven daily or almost daily. That's a bit much but if it were me cool old school would be building that GMC engine up a bit and dressing it up a lot and calling it good rather than a V8 swap. Plus anything is better than fighting with 3 carbs on a small block in the name of being one of the cool guys on a rig you actually want to drive.
I love inline 6s. A ford guy at heart, but, nothing is cooler to me than the sound of a 6 cyl. early Vette. I'd keep the six; there's much to be said for those engines.
Whatever you do with it, I hope you also picked up those cool and desirable patio chairs as seen in the before photo.
Well maybe the OP will come back and let us know what he went with. I remembered this thread when I saw the pics of the truck. Unfortunately seem he hasn’t been back since a few days after he started the thread.
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