I re-read Fred's post so the car/truck bell housing question is answered. Thankyouverymuch.

Grigg, I have toyed with the GMC idea for years but parts for those are rare as hens teeth when you're on the road somewhere. We got stuck on Escalente, Utah this fall with a 98 Suburban and had to wait four days for parts (fuel pump). The hiking and weather was good though.

I'm trying to get far away from electronics and use field-reparable equipment. The 98 Suburban is not that. The 51 3800 is; though it's noisier and more work to drive. The 235 setup was great for years as NAPA had anything you might need; like ignition points in Dawson City, Yukon -- in stock. No more. That was 1999. The Suburban is now bedeviling me with its PassLock security system. What it we had been 50 odd miles down the gravel, dead-end Hole In The Rock Road when the pump crapped out. There's no work-around for that or the PassLock and it's a long walk back. We actually did go down that road and nothing bad happened till we got back to Escalante. Whew!

1951 3800 1-ton
"Earning its keep from the get-go"
In the DITY Gallery
1962 261 (w/cam, Fenton headers, 2 carbs, MSD ign.), SM420 & Brown-Lipe 6231A 3spd aux. trans, stock axles & brakes. Owned since 1971.