So, the truck itself, I have fantasized about a late 50's Chevy since I was 5. More specifically, this truck had family history, seems everyone has a story about driving it as a kid. Even more to point, my Grandfather wants it to run again.
Me messing with the motor is more for my own self satisfaction and experience. I am learning as you said. It is a hands on classroom. I have no mechanic experience, so an inline 6 is a good simple starting point. Plus, it is the original motor. Plus, everyone said I could not fix it (which still prove out true.
Also, I like the idea of an underpowered put around motor in that truck for some reason. There are big blocks, and small blocks, and cummins and cats that I can drop in it just laying around, but everyone has something like that here. My buddy is fairly convinced the next motor he drops in his Jeep will achieve 10,000 hp, and that is just on of a dozen of his projects. I just want to drive the old ranch truck to the lumber yard.
I have been following this thread since it first began, and now I wonder why no one has barged in and asked why in the world is someone spending so much time trying to fix this pile of heap?
The best answer I can come up with for "that guy", is why not?
The OP is learning a lot by "doing". Everyone else is learning along the way.
It has become like a book that you just can't put down.
(Books are those things which are made of mostly paper and have words in them.)
Carl
