1952 Chevy pickup w/235. Daily Driver?

Alright I have a 52 chevy 3100 that I have been working on. My current daily driver is falling apart. The question I pose to the group is .... If I can count on the 3100 with a stock 235 and a t5 five speed ( future project). To get me to work 30 miles away, one way.
I know this is a open question. Here is what is going on in my head. Do I spend 4k dollars on say a jeep Cherokee which I have had in the past and have been very reliable. OR do I take that same 4K and toss it to my 52 build and turn it into a reliable daily driver.
If I were to go the 52 route I would:
Keep the 235
Install a T5 trans
Open rear end ( due to t5 swap)
Front disc break conversion
I already have power brakes
Brothers hidden AC system
Possibly a fuel injection setup ie holly projection unit. Saw something on you tube where this was done and it looked pretty slick. I think fuel injection will help making a reliable vehicle, since I am in NC and the summer heat will cause vapor lock.

So that is my thoughts, tell me what you think and if you would add anything. Like I said the budget is 4k so a 350 swap is probably not possible with everything else. And yes I try to do everything myself so labor is free

Thanks

 

sounds like it would work. why the fuel injection? Carbs work good for me.

 

I dont see why not

 

Since it needs to be reliable, I'd stick with the stock carb setup. Keep it simple.

 

I drove my 48 AD with a full pressure 235 and car 4 speed for a couple years as a daily. No discs, no ac, no comforts but I still smile when I think about that truck, ask me why the expression on my face is very different when discussing my (RIP) 2003 Lincoln LS daily. I'm back to driving my 70 c-10 everywhere, no new cars for me, too much h***le.

 

I don't know how much your going to gain by going to FI but otherwise it sounds like what your proposing will work great for a daily. If you want to go FI I would go with Megasquirt. It is an ECU that is easily programmed to use just about any factory made sensors or injectors. If it was me I'd go with some sort of throttle body setup using a Megasquirt computer.

 

Thanks for the great response so quick. Do you really think a single barrel carb in 90+ degree weather sitting in traffic would hold up. On my evening commute I do sit for a good 20-30 minutes. So I guess I just added and electric fan to the list

 

I drove a 77 F100 for years with a 1 barrel carb and never had a problem although the number of 90+ days in Wisconsin is pretty low. I wouldn't bother with an electric fan. The best bang for the buck is a factory style clutch fan. I would also get a large capacity aluminum radiator and be sure to keep the fuel line as far away from any source of heat as possible. Maybe a heat shield around the fuel pump and around the intake/exhaust manifold would help with eliminating any possible vapor lock problems.

 

Philjohnson. The fan on the 235 has no clutch and just spins off the water pump, at all speeds. This may open up a little hp if I go electric plus I will have good flow on that 90 degree day with the ac on high. What a great picture

 

I realise that the 235 has a fixed fan. In the past I've taken off fixed fans off of what ever vehicle I owned at the time and would go down to a U-pick it type junk yard and find a clutch fan that would bolt in place of the factory fixed fan. Every time I've been able to tell the difference in acceleration after such swaps and usually a clutch fan is good for at least one extra mpg if not a little more. I've had electric fans go out on me and found that the electric fans at the local autoparts stores don't cool as well as an OEM clutch setup. Maybe once you start spending more than 150 bucks they get better.

 

I honestly have not heard of a problem with this setup.

 

They were daily drivers when new. Do the T5 ect. Carb will be ok. Be more interesting than the Jeep.

 

While FI is usually a good set up for a daily driver the Holley FI set up will chew up a big chunk of your budget. I'ld stick with a carb set up. Give this guy a call:

http://www.stoveboltengineco.com/acartpro/

He knows his stuff. He's been doing stovebolts for years.

 

i drove a `53 chevy 1/2 ton for fifteen years with a 216 c.i. and 4:11 gears (1981-1994)! i say go for it! stay with a carb.

 

Thanks all that have replied. Any other items that I need to look at doing. It just dawned on me that my 235 does not have a oil filter and is not full pressure. It may be best to make these mods so that I can do the proper maintenance for a daily driver

 

I've used my '55 1st GMC Suburban as a daily driver for extended periods in the past. You need to be sure your maintenance is all solid, but I see you reason not to use it to commute.

I quite driving mine daily when I got another toy. I'll probably switch back to the Sub sometime next year.

 

You just changed your whole thread.

Splash 235 = trouble if you are not very careful. My dad used to say they will run all day at 55 and about 5 miles at 70

 

The Raven was driving a '54 truck with a 235 in it when I joined the HAMB.

It tossed a motor and we put a junkyard 235 in it that same year. We finally put a small block in it this summer. He has driven it everyday as long as I have known him and still drives it every day. Gawd know how many miles that 235 had on it. I'm not a 6 cylinder fan but his did him real well and he drove it like he stole it, always.

You don't need to put an EFI on it to make it reliable. They do fine on a carb.

 

No stock 1952 3100 has a 235 and no stock 1952 235 has full pressure lube system. If your truck is a low pressure engine it'll have a small triangular shaped plate on the left side middle near the oil pan.There are other ID markers but the plate is for sure and easy to spot.
Back when,216 powered cars were driven daily and on cross country trips.Trucks can obiviously do it too if the cruise RPM's are below 2800 rpm.

 

Truckedup, you are correct it is not the stock setup. Some where along the road the engine was changed out to a 235. The 235 is dated May 11th 1953. I will look for the plate tonight, thanks for the info.
As for the thought of cars and truck back in the 50's and 60's going cross country, i agree that it happened. We also have all those great broken down stories from those who traveled during that time. Also I don't think that there were many 18 wheelers running them down at 75mph. Just my thoughts

 

I drive my '59 daily. Stock 235 with a 3 speed on the column.
it just sails down the road.

I wouldn't mess with the fuel injection. A freshly built, stock 235 with a T5 and 411s in the rear sounds like a perfect setup. Reliable, not super fast, but pretty damn good.

- Joe

 

I drove my '55 4dr with the stock 235 and auto all the time. Didn't matter what the weather was. In fact, at the time I had a subaru also. one morning it was about 15 degrees, the subaru wouldn't start, so I walked over to the '55, removed the snow and fired it up and drove to work. I drove it the rest of the winter.
The next year I drove it to Seattle and back in 90 plus heat and had no problems with it what so ever. Probably the most reliable car I have ever had.

Larry