Best Motor for a big truck?

Inquiring mind that has actually retrofitted some diesel engines just want's to know how many of you guys arching about diesel in this old chebby have done such a swap, successfully while we are still sort of young??

 

I don't think there's a "period correct" car hauler truck, is there? Ramp trucks weren't around, people didn't haul cars, they drove them. Unless you could find an old car transporter, the Art Deco style from the period, that's about it. Build it like 47 1.5's Ford, put a 5th wheel on it, and make like "Cannonball!" Just build it to be reliable and stop.

I've got a 6.0 LQ9/4L60E in my '48 Diamond T with a Dana 70 rear, 4.10's. Should be reasonably OK with the TALL 245/75R17's, although we're not looking to set any MPG records. It should be WAY better than my 454/Turbo400 powered '76 GMC with 4.56's...

Brian

 

GM put the 4V-71 Detroit Diesel in some of those trucks. Little two strokes that will scream and have gobs of torque. I saw one several years ago, IIRC it had an Allison 5 speed auto behind it. Probably have to find an old forklift or such for one now.

 

Interesting that they don't mention it in the 1969 full line truck parts book, which lists all the engines they put in all the trucks. The 4-53 in 60 series and 6-53 in 80 series trucks were available starting in 1962.

 

394 Olds. Lots of torque, and early enough.

 

500 Caddy with a TH400 and a Gear Vendors OD..... that's if you want to drive it next year. Won't be TOO expensive...

 

drop in a 261

 

X3 on the 472-500 Cad 500 foot pounds of torque in stock form & close to 400 HP.

 

Detroit 3-71 and ****er 4x4 and you'll be a real trucker

 

Do it right, make it useable and drivable, and stick the ***mins 12V 6BT in it with a 5- or 6-speed manual. Put a Dana 70 dually pickup axle under it. Add brakes. Drive it.

Remember, YOU asked.

You can have "period correct", which means a Six and 50 mph top speed. You'll look great, but you'll need a week to get anywhere. Or, you can have "period-correct" in external appearance, and run the ***mins with late-model front brakes and Dana rear, and actually be able to USE it. Your choice.

 

What he said^^^^^period.

 

They don't get the greatest fuel mileage, but a Detroit would be cool and appropriate.

This one is a 4-53T.

 

i know where theres a 10.4 liter GMC 60* v8 that would period correct and have tourque for days, or why not the GMC v12? both of those are slow reving tourque monsters..

 

Squirrel,
Thanks for lining my rookie *** out on the Pontiac deal. Guess I should do my homework first.

Thanks again.
Hack

 

Holy ****!
Hey so My father in law has a 53?? dodge car hauler with a general motors diesel.Is that the same engine than in this truck??
I will try to take pics tomorrow.

 

Put a ***mins in it along with a modern drive train, its a hauler not a rod!You want to be able to fix it if it breaks down on the highway some where and its nice to be able to go into a parts store and get parts. Gas mileage with the diesel wouldn't be all that bad where as a gas motor would empty your pockets pretty quick. 50mph on the highway is dangerous to you also, you may be big and visible but people nowadays are pretty dumb. Hell most of the vintage rv people even do drivetrain swaps it just makes sense.

 

Depends on what Period you want to be correct for and how usable you want it to be. '90 rear axle will kill the 'period correctness'. If its a hauler and not a show truck, build it as such. I'd consider the 292 six. tough motor with lots of torque and fits in the confines of the hood, clears the steering. Ought to go down the road at 70 easy with the '90 rear axle with 373 gears.

 

***mins makes a 4 cylinder turbo engine that I have seen in trucks 25 years ago. Might be the same that you find in case backhoes and farm tractors. They are cheap and powerful with out the newer emisions. Stay far away from teir 3 and up engines.

 

Well, you started off right by asking questions. After you sift through the facts and opinions, whatever you decide, write it down...have a plan. You don't want to build it three times before you put it on the road. Best recommendation would be to figure out what fits in the engine compartment as is, then figure out how much leg room you are willing to sacrifice. You can have the period correct look by going with a later Pontiac or Buick Nailhead. With the earlier valve covers and breathers a 401 is hard to tell from a 322. (you, with the tape measure, sit down and shut up). I'm a big fan of diesels for towing/hauling, and love my ***mins, but there are more choices than that, which may be a better fit. Fitting your cab to a later ch***is gives you better brakes and a drive train you can buy parts for from most any parts store.

What level of fabrication are you at? How much work do you want to do?

 

As said, you have 4000 rpm gas motor gears, a 2000 rpm diesel motor will need related gearing. A detroit would be my choice because it sounds so damn cool, truck, log skidder or whatever I liked using them because at least it sounded like you were doing a big stroke of business. Downside,
They are happy screaming, will **** a valve if you try to lug it, especially if healthy or jacked up, narrow power band, need lots of gears and stay on top of it. Pressurized crankcase, they will leak no matter what you do, O-rings do not hold, and 2 cycle Diesel oil is like ink, will not wash off.
Big gas motor in a truck you will need both tanks, I know where there lots of them nothing wrong other than not enough gas money to make them go. Walter, White Mustang, Brockway with Chrome Moly 6, Ford 549...
Little ***mins driveline from a rotted out Dodge, or IH DT466 is good choices in my experience. Now, if gas gets back to $.50 a gallon, or you don't really need to use it...go big carburetor

 

Now that's proper. There is a GMC 2 1/2T in the ba*****t of the ACD museum in Auburn IN. It is restored and original specs, has a 353 Detroit.

 

I love the sound of those old Detriots but would probably need ear plugs for a long trip and if you thought those old stovebolt sixes marked their territory well those Detroits were worse as I seen them leave puddles at stop lights. If you are going to stay some what local a 261 or 302 six hooked to a Clark 5 speed and 2 speed rear end should work just fine but if you are going to take some cross country trips a diesel and modern drive line would be much better. If you go with a 2 speed rear end you better do some research as I always thought they were like a overdrive but heard most actually have steeper gears in low range to help get the truck going and the high range is the usual steep gears they normally have.

 

If it's an old GM diesel it's most likely a similar engine. There are a lot of different variations. They are described by the "series" of -53, -71 and -92. This is the displacement of each cylinder. The cylinders are sort of modular and any -53 engine will use the same piston, rod, and cylinder liner. So a 4-53 is 4 cylinders of 53 cubes each, for a total of 212. There are also inline and V arrangements, a 6-71 is an inline 6, a 6V-71 is a V6. They are sometimes described by displacement, like a "Detroit 318" usually means a 6V-53.

The smaller 3-53 and 4-53 engines will fit in a 1 ton or smaller truck and are used for swaps. They originally were mostly in front end loaders, generators and other industrial equipment. A 6-71 is a big truck engine, found in coach buses and semi tractors. They went all the way up to a 12V-92 typically used in boats or gensets.

 

Lotsa good info and ideas here, but the decision is really all about you! Strict period correct would be a 216 or 235, but I don't wanna ride any distance with you! A GMC 270-302 will still look fairly original and pull harder. You can still have an I6, but be more rpm capable with the 250-292, but anybody with just a little GM engine knowledge will know it ain't strictly period correct.
If you want to get somewhere in a hurry and are willing to keep the hood closed or just say "It's mine and I did it MY WAY", then install a big block V8 gas GM engine and you can get outta the slow lane!
Turbo diesels are powerful engines, and get lots more pull per gallon of fuel. Just returned from a empty round trip to Williamsburg VA in my OT '03 Chev Silverado with Allison 5 speed and Duramax diesel. Traveled at whatever speed it took on I95 & I20 to stay in the fast lane, mostly 70-75, sometimes 80, overall trip average mpg=23.2. Another trip pulling a trailer with a big lathe for a towed load of 10,000# plus, pulled over Mt. Eagle in Tn with cruise control on 55mph and only dropped outta OD a couple times for less than a minute each time.
Diesels stink a bit, are noisy, and sure ain't period correct, and fuel price is more per gallon than gas, so consider this in YOUR decision.
Dave

 

500's aren't all that big and aren't very expensive. This one came out of an ambulance


It's going in my 71 GMC but I am looking for another one for my 51 Chev 1-1/2 ton. I plan to put later 1 ton suspension and axles under it though. That's so I can have a truck that stops and handles along with one that I can drive at highway speeds.

As some of the guys said, there sometimes is a serious dividing line between being "cool" and having a practical but cool hauler that you can actually use. One you can jump in and make a 300 mile run to pick up a project with without a thought except where is you are going to eat is one thing but one that you end up driving at 45 mph top speed for the same 300 miles and then driving back the next day because it became a two day trip is another. I remember climbing Snoqualmie p*** with my step father in a borrowed 1-1/2 ton of that vintage at a grand 20 mph for about 40 miles when I was 15. Every hill met you ended up running in second gear with the engine wound out for miles on end.

 

How is a 270 or 302 not "Period correct"? They started making 270s in thirty nine or so. 302s on '51. May not be numbers matching restoration but as far as being correct for his time frame, should be fine. I like my ***mins. 1992 engine. Pre smog. 5 speed. good mileage. Not correct but a good puller.

 

I think you are right, I probably had my numbers wrong. It was probably a 4-53 I saw . It might have even been swapped in, I don't know for sure. I do good to remember what I had for breakfast this morning sometimes!

 

Rolls merlin mounted in the bed.... 2000+ hp at less than 4k rpm

 

IMHO....As a long-time diesel parts guy...the last thing I'd use is ANY Detroit-Series engine.

1.) THey are really loud ( hence "Gimmy Screamers ).
2.) They ALL bleed oil everywhere...always.
3.) Not alot of HP
4.) Limited torque w/o alot of gears.
5.) JUst dont' do it.

Buy an early ***mins 6BT.
1.) you can have any competent injection shop pump the injector pump up for HP
2.) w/ANY maintenence...it shold run any easy 200K towing.

Questions...?

BigPerm

 

go 12 valve ***mins and be happy

or a 318 detroit