Thanks again for all of the comments! I really appreciate you all taking time to respond.
I did want a 3100 1/2 ton, only because I wanted a small truck that had a large following / a lot of available parts. The one thing I have learned in all of my years of collecting / restoring old cars is... no matter how much you read / research... it never compares to actually owning and working on the vehicle. In the first week of owning the vehicle you learn so much more!
I don't really care that it is a 3600. I just wanted a Chevrolet, with 5 windows, 4 on the floor, side tire, windshield shade etc... I really wanted a truck that was not a project... Something I could buy, and drive, and have fun. I have 2 sons, 5 year old and a 3 year old. I don't have the same time that I once had.... I just wanted to take them to school and for ice-cream... enjoy it with them. Do the little things, like oil changes, brakes etc... with them. I am really happy that this truck was restored nicely. I don't have to do a lot of work on it to get it running around town.
At the end of the day, I don't have any regrets. I like what I have. I plan on making it more fun to drive.
1) Get rid of the 3 carb setup and go back to the single carb.
Luckily the original owner had given me the original single carb intake manifold.
I took it to my local automotive machine shop for hot tanking and overall clean up.
Does anybody know where I can find information about how the old single carb setup should look like? Does the vacuum advance plug into the manifold or the carburetor? Right now they have it plugged into my Offenhauser manifold.
2) Tom Langdon is helping me with a T5 trans
I don't plan on modifying / fabricating. I was told this trans will bolt up.
3) New custom rear end has been ordered (3.73)
Again, I don't plan on mutilating my truck. This rear end will mount up to the same leaf springs. The perches will remain 42" center to center to match the existing setup. I just need to weld the perches on my rear end in the correct angle. I will still get to use my 8 lug wheels.
I will need a new drive shaft to connect the two... Once that is done, we are good to go. The best part is, I will be able to do brake jobs very easily since the parts are all from a late 60's Chevy rear end.
In the mean time, I will be driving this truck as-is... once I get it to start again...
After driving it around for about 30 minutes after my brake job, I parked it and then tried starting it a few hours later. It would not start again. The plugs looked really really black. 3 carbs are too much for this 216. So I replaced those plugs with new ones,
still no start. I hooked up a spark light between my spark plug and the distributor and saw the light blink, but very very dimly. I think my coil is bad. Before I purchased this truck, the owner was having a hard time starting the truck. He was using a 12V jump box. Same with the transport trucker... using a 12V jump box over and over. The trucker even charged the battery with a 12V charger.... Once that truck was delivered, I got rid of that battery and put a brand new 6V in it. I think all that 12V time must have fried the coil. Anyway... a new coil and condenser was ordered, and I should have that in a few days. I believe the truck will start right up after I make those changes.
Everything on this truck is brand new. EVERYTHING. The distributor looks like a brand new one, not even any dust / dirt inside. The restoration was very good. The engine runs like a brand new one even with the 3 carbs.
I think what happened is... they couldn't do a proper brake job for whatever reason. They couldn't get the carbs right... The center carb's choke was jammed in the shut position... I don't think they got it to run well enough to enjoy it. All the tires still have the nubs where the rubber meets the road.
Thanks again for all of your comments! I really appreciate you all!
