The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Big plans for a big '46

Okay so I figured I should throw my plan out here as its been eating away at me for some time and shall continue to for longer. My Chevy runs and drives great and it was great for around the ranch but not anywhere else and I still want to use it alot! So my plan consists of an entirely new drive train and adding a front drive axle. The motor I will use is a 6bt from a 93 cummins. I might use the 5 speed that came with that and the transfer case as well. If I can find an eaton trans I like I'll do that instead but with either I'll run a divorced transfer case. I'll use everything from that truck that I can. For the axles it'll mainly depend on what I can pull from a junk yard, but Dana 80s would work very well for the front and rear and I could keep the same bolt pattern and run 19.5"s and have disk brakes. I originally wanted to run air brakes partially for the cool factor and because I had a lot of brake problems before and with air, you never run out and if you do, you stop. Thats still up for discussion. If I don't run air ill go to hydroboost. The benefit of hydroboost is I could use hydraulic plumbing as is with the hydrovac and put new axles in as I go along and still be able to drive it vs air where I would have to change absolutely everything and it'll be down until everything is finished. Thats the big picture of my plan, other things I would do other things for drivers comfort such as power steering, ac/heat, a radio and such. Just throwing this out there to see what you guys have to say. I have an idea for everything that would come up...I think haha. And definitly nothing is set in stone. I just know for sure I'll be starting with the axles, then a the divorced transfer case. Who knows maybe after that I'll be happy and leave it alone! Anyone ask any questions you have, it'll put my mind to work while I'm sitting around waiting to finish up schoola dn get orders so I can start all this. Thanks in advance everyone!

My "Bolt Buddy",Troy Duncan,is planning on doing practically the identical swap,on a '63 Chevy short bus,except for the air brakes. He's still not sure of what to do,as far as a power-assist system. If you use a dual reservoir system,it may require the use of two hydrovac units. From earlier posts,it seems that they may be found on some R.V.'s and later 1-1/2-2-ton trucks. Just make sure that they're set-up for disc. Do you have a source for the 19.5"(10-bolt) rims? Troy's looking for 2 sets,since a friend of his needs a set,too. I've been looking around up here,(Iowa),and can't seem to find any locally. Troy's in the same dilemma,(Missouri). If you have a source,please send me a P.M.,or call Troy:(816)365-1467.(Stovebolt handle:DuramaxDog) He's a Cummins/Duramax man,and has great ideas. THANKS,and welcome to the "Bolt"! B.T.W... Got any pic's,of the '46??

As far as the drivetrain swap goes, the only advice I can offer is: MEASURE, and then MEASURE again. After that, go back and check your measurements by measuring again.

I'm finishing up an install of a 97 Powerstoke V8 into a 58 truck and it is a TIGHT SQUEEZE. I'm told the Cummins inline 6 is a little longer which would add to the challenge.

Wet willy, I might not do air brakes, kind of leaning towards hydroboost for thre reasons mentioned. I've read about a dual reservour setup. What are the advantages of such a setup though? And so far my source for everything has been google. I've seen some pretty cheap used stuff on a few other forums, but new I Know you can get them under 200 bucks. They don't seem to be too hard to find because they were on the f550 super duty in the 1990s. Trucks

Mark, playing with a tape measure if you take off the fan and remove the radiator the cummins would fit without trimming the firewall. But I know that it'll never really work that way and I don't have a problem cutting up the truck because once I do I'll never want to part with it. Before I left for the navy I was in the process of building and imca stock car and I was a machinist so I'm comfortable with a couple thousandths So I already know what can and cant be done if I run into the need for custom parts, plus I have my own little lathe but its still big enough to turn down some yokes if I need to for my drive line stuff.

I was able to slide a 454 in without the mechanical fan and bumped the radiator out just a shade from the original location. IT IS TIGHT!

I believe the 6bt is around 40 inches if I remember correctly from the last time I was playing with a tape. I cant say exactly but I'd imagine thats probably around 10 inches or so longer than a big chevy. I'll also go without the mechanical fan, and depending on what radiator I can find from a scrap yard will dictate where it goes. I'm thinking a radiator from a tractor would be ideal. Tractors move slow while at heavy load and still keep them cool within a relatively small radiator.

If memory serves me correctly, another 10 inches would have put all the way up in the grill. Keep in mind that I wanted to use a factory sized radiator in the original radiator shell all while having the original hood fully functional. It worked out well. You will probably have to go with a remote mount radiator system.

Engine and radiator pic

Yeah it would put it through the grill. I've thought about a remote radiator, they do it on rock crawlers a lot and that's the standard for torc trucks. But I've never seen one on a diesel. I've also thought about putting it forward more and lower, behind the big flat part of grill. I have a feeling I'll have to cut the firewall no matter what configuration I come up with.

hi im new here but iam a journeyman semi mechanic. I recommend not putting on air brakes. if you really want the chshhhhh when you release the brakes i could help you out.

I am definitely all ears, what are your reasons for not recommending air brakes?

Great project. Good luck with the 6-BT. I was going to mount a 6.354 Perkins, which is nearly identical in size to the 5.9L, in my 46 Chevy 2-ton and it simply would not fit without hacking out nearly the entire firewall and having the back of the block under the dash. Heck, the 250 inline-6 gasser I ended up putting in is right up against the firewall with no fan on the front and I still had to relocate the radiator to the front of the core support. The 6-bt is a good deal longer than that little gasser. I'm not saying it's impossible to squeeze in a 6BT but it'll be intruding into an already small cab. If you have your heart set on a Cummins diesel, you may consider trying to find a 4BT out of a step van. That's what will be going in my '46 when I get the time to do the swap.

I have thought about a 4bt, and it would be a lot easier to swap and probably not hard to find either. But in my mind I figured if I'm going to do all this work I might as well go with the 5.9, especially since I already have one. I've heard that the 3.9 also vibrates a lot but I've never been in a vehicle powered by one so I can't say for sure. With how I plan on swapping parts I could very easily put in the 4bt and later put in the 6bt. Still have a lot of time before I do anything so there are a lot of options I will consider. After all that's the whole reason I got back on here, to get some great ideas from you guys!