I've got the old Hucks on my '46 3/4 ton. They work very well as-is, but, then again, I replaced the entire system (aside from the drums).
As Mozzie said, there is a tech tip for converting to bendix, but personally, I feel that the Hucks are much easier to work on.
Just be careful if you install a hydrovac. If you put one in off of a big truck, you may end up plastered to the windshield.
I'd stay away from a V-8. There are some fairly extensive steering box modifications that are necessary for dropping one in, and you'll have to fabricate motor mounts.
I'd keep the 216. It's a good little engine and if you rebuild it with aluminum pistons and whatnot (there's a recent thread about the details that you can peruse) you and wind it out to 4200 safely. Many of the old racers would use the splash oiling engines in racecars because they were so reliable.
You may want to update the transmission to something with an overdrive on it, if it will be a daily driver. The only problem will be that it won't have the low end torque necessary to get the truly HUGE loads of stuff moving.
Also, see if you can find a pumpkin off of a late fifties/sixties/early seventies 3/4 ton truck. The differential ring/pinion setup were pretty much the same from 1946-1972, and in the sixties and seventies, some 3/4 tons had 3.90:1 and 4.11:1 differentials, as opposed to the 4.55:1 that you currently have. It should be enough to get you to about 100 km/h, versus the 78 km/h that I got out of mine yesterday.
Good luck, and have fun!
