The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1953 3100 top speed

So I have been tooling around Sunday mornings for some time now. It seems top speed is about 40 mph in my truck.

216 stock with a 4 speed on floor. Seems it could climb a stone wall but just not a highway driver...

Is this common?

Should be a bit better than that, all these trucks need taller gears, overdrive etc. My 53 3600 (235 .080 over, twice pipes) would get down the highway, barely, now with 4:11s it's better in every gear. Lots of ways to make it better, read tech tips etc and others will be along with lots of ideas.

Very nice truck btw!
Good luck

40 is a bit slow. Should be in the 45 to 50 range without pushing it too hard.

So, I never was able to drive my stock '52 before I started on the restoration. Having heard the top speed limitations and recommendations on re-gearing, I did just that. With the combination of 3.55:1 gearing and 215/85-16 tires, my truck is pleasure to drive on relatively level ground. I have not had a chance to get it over about 40 mph or so (speedometer has not been re-geard, so I don't really know how fast I am going). But, hills are a different story and the truck is geared too high for the significant hills in my area (15% grade or so). Many of the steeper hills are a 1st gear only proposition.

What should/would I do different: Probably stay with the taller gears and then find a shorter (smaller diameter) tire closer to original size to help offset the taller gearing somewhat. But, if you live in relatively flat area, taller gears and taller tires will make the truck very enjoyable on the highway.

............just my 2 cents worth here. If you want to drive your truck further than the local store then replace the stock transmission / rear end with a T5 transmission and a rear end of your choice. I think using a 3:55 gear kit is waste of time and money. You will still have a slow 3 speed tranny and a torque tube. So, just loose the drive train and replace it.

53Cowboy,

You should first decide how original you want to keep the truck (original-style parts and/or original-looking/appearances).

Either original or modified, it is your truck. If meets your goals and it makes you happy, it is not a waste of time or money.

Got mine up to 65 on interstate last week without issue. Original 1953 3100 with 216.

I weekend cruise a stock 49 216 w/a 3 on the tree & 4.11 gearing. It easily cruises 45 and I can run at 50 if need be to keep up w/traffic.
I have hit 65 a couple times when passing the unusual slower than me driver but I only kept it there for only as long as it took as it's really screaming at 65. It may have alittle left above 65 but I haven't taken it there as I want it to last......

I can tell by both sounds and feel that my 49 is happily hitting every lick between 40 & 45 and thats where I normally run it.

I would think a 4 speed would hit higher than 40mph?

Dave

Whether 3 or 4 speed makes no difference. Both have a 1:1 output.

Depends on which 4 speed you are talking about. There are 4 speeds that were used in trucks & cars that are basically a 3 speed with an overdrive.

Here is some data from my archive file. I have toyed with putting a NP440 in my '65:



I have a Ford 4 speed SROD out of an '85 Mustang in my old Ford Model T RPU. 4th gear is .78:1 ratio.

As stated previously, the ideal set-up is an overdrive transmission to tame RPM's while on the highway. And these 3 speeds are nice as they have pretty steep 1st gears.

Hope that helps!

John

We are discussing stock trucks.

So I guess I'll stick my two penny's worth in here and post my
experience with my totally stock 50, 3604 216 w/SM420. The only
mod that I have made to it is to swap the 4.57 Eaton center
section with a 4.10 Eaton center section.
The cruising speeds and top speeds are the same as Dave posted
comfy at 45-50 turning about 2500, could run all day at 55, run
it up to 65 when I need to and I've still got throttle left but
it's really screaming at that speed and running over
3000. Don't know what speed she would top out at but
for sure it's over 65mph.
Never had a problem with any hill in high gear and
have always been able to maintain or increase speed
on the up hill climb with out down shifting.
Don't really care to run over 55 much with the stock suspension.
Huck brakes are adequate and have never experienced brake fade
in the decade that I've been driving her.
DG

These trucks were designed for the rural roads and farms that existed before Eisenhower's interstate system. 45-50mph was a pretty good pace and beyond 65mph was usually the domain of V8s. For me, a great deal of the charm of driving an old truck is the smell, sounds and limitations of originality. If you are going to stay original, I suggest you enjoy the back roads at a leisurely pace as these trucks were designed for. I keep a motorcycle in the garage for those occasions I feel the need for speed.
RdsLessTaken/Don

Backroads Drive:
http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/RdLessTaken/media/IMG_85131_zpsd8f0ffba.jpg.html

If you haven't already done it, check your actual speed with a GPS unit. Your speedometer may not be accurate. Does your engine have a slight ping when its in one gear too low, as in, under a load? If not, you may get better performance if you advance the timing until it does ping slightly under load. I advance my timing until it pings, then retard it a smidge. I just don't like to here that pinging. Some will say to time it at idle so that the ball is on the needle and you are good to go. I differ from that suggestion due the many variables that affect timing once the the gas pedal is pushed. They include, somewhat worn mechanical advance, point gap not perfect due to slight error or normal wear, and vacuum advance pivot rivet wear. When all of these components are set perfectly and are brand new, then ball on needle is likely the correct setting for best all around performance. For real world conditions it may only represent a good place to start IMHO. (See? I can be humble).
Carl

Humble isn't in my vocabulary Carl, bull headed Irishman is more
like it. Been setting the timing where the engine was designed
to run at since my first Stovebolt, which was a '51 and many
more after that over the past 58 years. My feeling is that's
where it belongs unless you've modified the basic engine
design. Other wise why would the design engineers do all that
engine testing that they've done to determine the best all
round ignition timing for these millions upon millions of GM
engines.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

May I share my experience with my 3804? I have a 1958 "235 with solid lifters, a 1954 Corvette cam,Fenton Split exhaust headers and 4:11 rear gears, stock SM 420 4 speed, 2.55x65x.85 R 16 tires as the drivers. Yesterday as I was on my way to "Auto Fest" in New Ulm MN, A lady was riding on my bumper close enough to disturb my exhaust flow. I was cruising at 62 MPH as measured on my GPS unit aside me. When she decided to try to pass me, I put my foot into the carb. and put her back in her place behind me. When the pistons were "Changing holes", a glance at the GPS read 75 MPH. I have previously read 70 MPH on GPS and had some room on the accelerator pedal. Just a hint of what can be accomplished with some "Era" modifications. And don't meet the "Smokies" when "Running them"!

Denny: I initially set the timing on the ball and the engine ran terrible and "popped" through the carb. Granted, I neglected to disconnect the vacuum to the vacuum advance. I reset the timing to the bottom of the "window" with the vacuum disconnected. No pinging and the engine now behaves itself. I probably have more room for further advance.

Now, why did Chevy set the stock timing where they did? My guess is they had to time to lowest potential grade of gasoline anyone would likely come across during the day. Modern gasoline is vastly superior and hence the engine will definitely respond favorably to a little advance. Even GM recognized this and allowed for advance if you found good gasoline.

I believe in the advance until it pings and back off slightly theory and used to do that with my '71 RS Camaro with personally built LT-1 engine.

The vacuum advance should not have to be unhooked to set the timing. I have had the issue with my '40 that the timing was advanced to much and it developed a surge at highway speeds. I backed the timing a few degrees and all was good.

My understanding is that because of the low 6:1 compression of these old 216's, they can't actually benefit from the higher octane of modern gasoline, and that advancing them beyond factory settings is necessary to make them run only as well as they would on low octane gasoline. Is this correct?

My 50 has stock rear gears but a 54 car 235 tires 235/75r/15
Can run 50 to 55 easily
Made two road trips, one of them 1200 miles.
Could do 60 if I had too
Fastest ever recorded speed. 62.7

iPhone GPS speed app

I run a stock '49 216 in my '53 with stock three speed and 4.11 rear. I usually run 57-60 mph(verified by GPS) on the high-way for up to an hour at a time. My tires are 265/70/17s so that helps.
Last week I trailered my new '54 1/2 ton home with my '53 and that little 216 pulled the load 15 miles to my house without a sweat, holding 57 mph on the flats.
My respect for these engines grows by the day.

It is an sm420...also I have 15 inch tires on it now. The original 16 are being blasted. That may make a difference. Planning on keeping it all stock.

Sunday morning coffee runs and ice cream with the wife, that is all it will see for now.

I would be afraid to run them to fast without full flow oiling. They will run faster but not for very long.

Yup so I want to keep it original and the sm420 is a four speed, but 1st gear is only good for putting in gear on the farm and walking behind it picking pumpkins.

Guess puttin round town is what I use it for. Should get the 16 inch tires new shoes so I can put them back on on in spring and see how that goes.

I tried running 15 inch rims/tires until once on my 52, and it started screaming at 40 MPH. With 16 inch stock rims/tires, it didn't scream until 50-55.

If you have original 1952/53 3100 15" and 16" tires/wheels , the 15" rolling radius was wider/bigger diameter, giving lower RPM at same speed.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/52154.html

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/53155.htm

Good point, but I was running much later 15 inch tires/rims on my 52. I have never seen the vintage 15 inch tires. They must be really tall.
Carl

so took it on the highway and it sure is topping out at 40. I measured the 15 inch outside diameter and the 16.5 stock

15s are on it

15 = 28 inch
16.5 = 29 inch

Width - not sure what that matters
15 = 9
16.5 = 7.5
I may slap em on a take it for a ride just to see.

I did the calculations - my 15 inch tires are going 25-30 more rotations per mile than the 16.5 stock would.

16.5" original 1953 3100 wheels/rims? 16.5" rim diameter?

6.00 x 16" (6.00" tube section and 16" wheel diameter) tire was standard
6.50 x 16" (6.50" tube section) and a wider diameter 15" (7.0" tube section) were optional.

4.5" rim width for the 16"s
5.5" rim width for the 15"

Just for comparison with your actual measurements: the original 1954 rims on my 54 3100 trucks (16"x4.5") with high profile truck radial tires have a rolling diameter of about 31.5" (LT215/85R16)

I do a 20 mile highway drive once a week to buy hay from the farm. My 49 has a 235, stock 3 speed and 4.11 rear. 6.50-16 bias ply tires and my sweet spot is just below 55 mph. It seems to love it.
If I take the back roads I cruise about 35.

Oops
16x 6.5