Noob has a choice of engines for a 50 Chevy

I posted something similar to this earlier, trying to figure out how hard it would be to drop a 283 in my 50 Chevy sedan, and got some good advice about where to find new motor mounts, etc. Thanks all, and thanks RustyNewYorker! I did some forum searches, and found several articles where there were conflicting opinions on the matter of ease of swap.

Well, I spoke to my neighbor some more about his engine, and it turns out he has more than I thought. He has the 283 *with* a Powerglide 2 speed that was originally paired with it, and in addition to that he has a 350 w/trans (automatic, but unsure as to its specs), and a 454 (no trans that I know of). While I want to get some more power in my ride, greater than the current 216 has, I don't really want to tussle with swapping out the driveshaft to being open, or swapping out the rear end (stock, and I just replaced every component of the brakes, incl. E-brakes). Maybe that's absolutely counterproductive, but I'm trying to control the cash flow at the moment.

Taking into consideration trying to keep the stock shaft and rear, what would be your advice? Is it possible, or am I just wishing? I'd like to hear from some guys that have done this before, if possible.

Thanks!

 

You can mate a V8 to the stock drivetrain, but I think it's less h***le to go to open drive than it is to change transmissions out once a week. Which is probably what will happen with a V8, unless you drive like a grandmother with it.

If you can come up with a 54-older Powerglide you might be able to make it work, but I'm not sure I've seen anyone actually do that. Anyone have the poop on how interchangable the Powerglide is from open drive to torque tube?

Oh yeah. Don't even think about the 454 if you don't want to go to an open rear.

 

I did this to a stock ****** with a pumped up six. I would vote for the swap to open if you absolutely have to swap engines. What is your final goal with this build? Is the motor just something to get from A to B or is it gonna be a little hot rod?

Build it once, build it right, drive it. I am stuck now shifting my car from 1st to 3rd after knocking teeth off the gears. I have to baby it till I can get the parts and pieces together to put a 4 spd in it.

 

My main goal is to keep the rear end, honestly. Since I did all of that work to the brake system, I don't want to lose what I invested in it if I don't have to. If you go to open drive, does that also mean I have to swap out the rear end?

Well, my goal is somewhere in between. Mostly A to B, but with balls instead of a Mangina like it currently possesses. That 216 is a gutless wonder. I would like to be able to actually take it on I-80 and not cause a 10 mile backup, perhaps doing a road trip or seven in the future. I'm never going to race for pink slips with it, but I'm also not going to only be doing weekend driving on backroads so it doesn't fly apart at interstate speeds

 

If it was mine, I'd go with the biggest of the original engine family! I'd use a 261 ('54 is best- short waterpump-other years can be made to work-I've used both a '59 and a '61 block in '54 bodies)) they will bolt to your stock bellhousing/******. They can wreck the stock tannys if you dont drive like a citizen. '53 and '54 three speeds had cluster gears riding on needle bearings instead of bushings-better deal. Also, use flat diaphram 10 1/2" pressure plate and disc like in a '56 chevy. Make sure you have a 10 1/2 face on your present flywheel and there is a different tooth count between the 6v and 12v flywheels/starters. Dress it up with some chrome and carbs an the manditory split manifold. It will not be just another early Chevy with a v-8 (whoop--ie) You know any car without an engine is "set up for small block chevy". Just remember there is no room in those bellhousings for a bent finger diaphram, borg&beck or a long style pressure plate- 265 and 283's used the flat diaphram clutches with no problems. good luck! Also, if the '50 has a front mount right under the crank pully area and not on the sides then there wont be any sweat mounting the truck motor in that body. See Langdons Stovebolt engine site- lotsa good info there.

 

Thanks for all of the info.....I'm gonna have to look up some of what you said, while I'm a quick learner, most of that was Greek to me Since the engines I mentioned are the ones that I have the choice of at a next-to-nothing price, I wanted to pick from one of those. The easiest one to change over to would be the one I'd go with most likely. I'm ***uming that the 283 with the Powerglide would be the best bet, but I'm not sure...which brings me to my questioning up in heruh!

 

I tend to agree with Edski...OR...loose plan A and change out the rear. Anything else is more work that it's worth.

 

You should seriously consider the rear swap. Then go with the 283 and the power glide or the 350 ******. Though you've already spent some cash on the brakes it will be a small cost compared to what you will have to spend to put the V8 with the torque tube. And be sure you will come to regret not doing the rear swap if you don't. I would bet 90% of the 50s Chevy guys have done the open drive swap and never looked back. They can't all be wrong. Of course I've done it in both my 52 and my 51 convertible.

 

If it were me, 283, th350 and get a rear end from a S10 4X4. Todd

 

Eeesh, I was afraid of that. I just can't bear the idea of keeping the Mangina 216 in that thing. Soooooo weeeeeak. If the damn thing actually had some ummmph to it, I wouldn't even be considering this.

So what year models of S10 should that come off of? I'm gonna have to look for a next-to-freebie in that case. The budget just won't handle much more.

 

I have a 235 in my 50 and it makes enough power to run down the interstate at 70 but it cant because of the rear end gears(oe rear)so even if you do a different engine you will want to change the rear so you can run down the highway.

 

Best would be to change the whole drive train, but...my neighbor has a 31 Ford with a 283/AT & what appears to be the original rear axle. So far it has held up, suprisingly enough.

 

Now poboy, please don't think the Tugmaster and me are working together on you here! We are buds but just happen to agree a lot! The 4X4 rear might be the easier to find now. Hey you know you may just use the car now and spend what's left of the summer looking for the parts needed for a winter swap? It will take some time to do anyway so why park the ride now.
Dom

 

Just to complicate matters, let me throw in another possibility. If you put in Powerglide gears, not too difficult in your present rear, you will have a better highway ratio. That will save your brake job and a lot of work & time. Use the stock transmission and a 235 engine with a couple of carbs and dual exhaust. A noticeable power increase but not a real threat to the transmission unless you really try.

 

I didn't smell a conspiracy or anything!

My problem with doing winter work is that I have no garage...doh! The 216 needs a tune up, probably rebuild the carburetor, and *even* possibly a new clutch...at the least the clutch needs to be adjusted as it only goes from neutral to 1st within the last 1" of releasing the pedal (but it shifts fine through the other gears). I didn't want to spend money on my current setup if I was going to be able to afford or acquire a new one.

What year S10's can I take the rear end from?

 

The 283, 350 and 454 should all bolt to automatic from the 350 that your not sure of. Toss one of them and the ****** in it then pull a tape and go get a 20.00 drive line at the junk yard (teeth count and yoke length right). Take the new driveline u-joint if there is one (if not measure it) and the one off your car to the parts house and get a 20.00 u-joint. Change the diff. fluid..Do you have exhaust for a big block or a sm. block, trottle & ****** linkage, auto radiator. ?

That's what I'd do for what it's worth.

Good luck

 

I agree with Dom (no surprise) just drive the **** out of the car!!!. No if your low on cash it would be cheaper and easier to upgrade to a full pressure 235 from a 54 and later car. There are a ton of them out there, craigs list,Hemmings, Ebay ect. Since you in the great state of N.J you could make a trip the the Hersey show this fall and find one for sure.
The clutch sounds like it needs an adjustment. Follow the shop manual. If it is to worn just replace it and get the flywheel turned also. Todd

 

I'm still chewing on it, but I might end up doing like Tug and 52 said and just start buying up my parts...I don't want to p*** up the chance to buy a engine I know is in good condition for the price I can get it for. While I know many of you on here will wait forever to find a *perfect* deal (i.e. the unicorn being a "free" engine), the guy is a trusted neighbor. He wants $250 for the 283/Powerglide combo, and $400 for the 350/trany combo. Not sure about the 454 in my ride, but even with changing out the driveline and the rear, would there then be any potential issues with my mostly stock front end coupled with that engine? While I have installed power disc brakes on the thing, I still need to refurb the rest of the front end....but even with *that*, wouldn't it still be asking too much?

 

Here you go lad. From craigslist:Jul 21 - Chevy 235 motor - $250 - (Phillipsburg NJ)

**** I couldn't get it to post as a link. Sorry.

Ross, Take your time with this. You must be younger than me. Part of the "instant gratification" generation. Remember cool **** takes time. Don't rush it. I've had my car exactly 4 years as of the end of July and just got it all back together for final paint. I bought a giant pile of ****. I've never driven the goddam thing so you already got me beat!
It's gonna cost way more than you think it will.(trust me) If you convert to open driveline you may want to upgrade the rear springs.

Todd

 

Could take yours to a rebuild shop if your planning on keeping it. (used motors go bad sometimes sooner that later)

 

No worries on the link, I found it! You and RustyNewYorker are my defacto auto-godfathers on here...ya'll always come thru on supportin' the kid

I don't know if I'm necessarily "instant gratification" as I tend to relate that term with "half-***ed" (I just turned 30, btw). However, my character has always been one of "live hard". I don't find the fun in doing things leisurely; rather, I experience fun devoting myself to it and getting it done with everything I've got in me. I know many guys enjoy or are fine with taking years and years to go through a project, but that's not my personality. Not to say I'm willing to cut any corners or do it incorrectly, I just like compressing that 5 years into 2.5 through an onslaught of knowledge and consulting those in-the-know. I feel like I just turned 20 yesterday, and I don't want to turn 40 and think to myself "F**k! That car STILL isn't done." I look at the SR-71 Blackbird...the fastest and best spyplane in the world. From concept to completion it took exactly 6 months! If a small group of engineers, and one guy in particular, can pull that off.....then why can't I accomplish a similar feat with this car within a year or so of purchasing it?

In this particular case, I was originally going to have the 216 tuned up and rebuild the carb, but when my neighbor told me about the engines he's wanting to sell, I thought it might be an opportunity to make an upgrade now that I otherwise would have done in a year or so. Outside of installation considerations, I wanted to know what engine seemed to be the best deal, which one would be the easiest to work on, and a basic parts list of what all I would need to make the transition. I think I've got most of it down now from ya'll, except for the year of S10 rear end I should be on the prowl for.


I too bought a giant pile of ****. I've nicknamed it the Rust Queen.

 

lol...

could just dump a can of engine restore in it and keep on keeping on.

 

I posted to your question over on ChevyTalk.org, so I won't repeat it here. I do have the old 1968 Hot Rod Magazine articles on how they installed a 57 283 WITHOUT cutting the firewall supports; they also installed a 57 rear end. E-mail me your name/address and I'll send you copies FOC. Be sure and look at the private topics on ChevyTalk. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

55-57 rear ends are virtually a bolt in as well as second gen camaros. I put a 79 camaro rear in my 50 sedan delivery and didnt have to use a torch or welder until it came to mounting the shocks.

 

Will a chevy 9 bolt posi rear end the rear, 277 gears from a 82-92 camaro work as well? Just curious, because there's one of those in the neigborhood at a good price.

 

82-up Camaro is too wide. Second Gen is damn near a bolt-in, a tad wider than stock but the perches are in the right place. S10 4x4s are all the same 82-99 for swap purposes, they're about the same as stock, but the perches have to be moved.

If you want to do it lowbuck, watch for a second gen Camaro rear. I got one at the local you-pull-it for $50 drum to drum - with good drums, good brakes, a new brake hose, hell it even had a chrome diff cover on it. 3.42, I haven't looked to see if it's posi or not, wasn't worried about it. All I have to do is drill new holes for the locating pin so it's centered in the wheelwells and I'm good to go.

 

I need some luck like that. All of the yards that I've called don't have anything that far back.

 

Heres my two cents. I have a 53 chevy and I am changing everything. Even just a swap to the 283 is going to require a voltage change from 6 volt to 12 volt. If you do not have the money right now stockpile the parts until you do chevs of the forties has the ch***is engineering mounts that work like a champ and are really easy to install and for some reason are cheaper from them than buying them from CE. find a camaro in the boneyard and get the rear out of it they are like 50.00 if you can find a Z28 because then you get disc brakes and posi your shock mounts are in the same place as your 50 and the rear is only 1" bigger so no worries you will either have to fab a ****** mount or alter yours to fit the th350 you will enjoy the freedom to switch trannies and motors as time goes by. however you will to up grade the electrical system.

 

I have to admit I got lucky, I saw a rollback with a car on and a puke green '75 Camaro on the towbar, I could see the Camaro had no motor, p***ed me on the highway while I was running an errand, so I called up the you-pull-it when I got home and sure enough, they'd just got it in. But it was the second one they had at the time, and while the three you-pull-it places here I wouldn't say have one in all the time, it's just a matter of waiting, they turn up pretty regular. After that it's a matter of if you want to pay extra for drums or not.

Heck I just swapped for a complete '75 Trans Am, so technically I have two.

 

Rusty I have a third gen in mine and it fit right up no problem.