50 chevy straight 6.3spd question

hey guys, im currently building a 38 chevy i just picked up on the cheap
and want to run a straight 6/3 speed combo,

quick run down of the car i got
boxed/X'd frame, mustang II front suspension, 9" rear , body's rough but all the and pretty decent considering its 71 years old..

the car doesnt have a motor or trans , i have a 396 that i need to rebuild, but for the time being ide like to run a 6 cylinder and keep it simple. heres where the question comes from, the kid acrossed the street from me picked up a 50 chevy for parts for a project they are doing, and told me i can have the motor and trans, and what ever else i need as far as drive train.

, can i do away with the closed rear and drive train (torq tube)... reason i ask is becuase ide like to keep the 9" rear thats already in my car, in it , and just run a conventional drive shaft?

thanks in advance.

 

You'll have to get another trans. Any GM Saginaw or Muncie, SM-318, etc with an open drive shaft tail, and get a shaft made to fit the car.

 

the 216 isn't really a good choice and a later 3 or 4 speed won't fit the bell hsg. I agree you should stay with the 9" & open d/line.. If you went for a 250 or 292 6cyl then any later gm 3-4 speed hooks up. probably a 55 or later bell hsg from a 235-261 would accept the saginaw/muncie but you'd still be saddled with a babbit pounder 216.... ugh... nice of the neighbor to offer, at any rate.... p.s. Even if you took the whole drive train, the wheel bases are different 50=115'; 38=116+ so the torq tube is probably shorter

 

thanks for the advice, i guess ill just steal my dad's old work truck and go with a 305 tpi auto set up..

i gotta get some pictures up to, but i left the camera at the garage.

 

If you do use the '50 engine, you will need a 235 bellhousing from a '48-59 truck or a 55-62 car and a 55-up transmission. If you keep the cruising rpms around 2200 the engine will last a long time...

 

hey 38 the 305 sounds like a plan...I,ve done 2; 5 liter Ford EFI TPI engines...one in a 50 Ford sdn and 1 in a 64 Merc Meteor.. changed both engines over to carb and accel dist and they performed excellently and del'd about 20-21 MPG hwy...Don't remember if the early Chev EFI used normal style heads that could accept intake manif for carbs or not, but the 302 Fords had no problems at all...good luck with your choices and don't let DAD find out your the one who stole his truck...maybe you could give him the 216 engine to put back in the truck???...