I've recently been asking myself the same type of question regarding the 46 1/2 ton pictured below. It has a 55-57 235 in it right now, but the fellow I got it from also gave me the block for the original 216. You can get insert rods for them nowadays, but it will still be a splash oiler, rather than full pressure. I had a 51 Chevy 2 door that I drove through high school in the late 60's. It was great running up and down the hills of the Ozarks, but when I started a 60 mile a day commute on the freeway, it lasted for about 4 months. Boom.
I believe that how you intend to use it makes a difference.
I also wondered if there was a clear difference in the market value of a truck that was kept original and one that had been modified. I looked at just about every car auction results from the last few years, that I could find on the internet, and best I could tell, a very well restored original and one, equally restored, but with tasteful usability modifications, are of about equal value in that venue.
I intend to take mine back to fully original, but there's a lot to do before reaching that point.
Last edited by Old46; 09/23/2012 7:17 PM.
