The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 48 3100 Help!

Finally I am able to start upgrading my 48 3100. I have owned this truck for 20+ years in the stock original configuration. It has sat in storage for the last 10+ years, and now I am finally in a place that will allow me to get this truck running again. The truck needs a lot of love starting with all new glass, rubber, and various repairs i.e. seat upholstery, headliner, and floor pan replacement.

I am thinking about swapping the stock motor, tranny, and rear end for a small block with manual transmission and a new rear end. I am not a gear head and don't possess a lot of the necessary skills to do the work myself. I am looking for suggestions for a engine tranny rear end set to have installed in my truck with minimal metal work. I am thinking something in the 327/350 crate with manual transmission in the original location that allows me to use the current shifter location and the stock foot pedal starter. In your opinion what should I be looking for to accomplish this upgrade? I am not looking for 500+ HP, I would like something with plenty of power but still able to be a commuter if I want to use it. I would rather not do anything crazy requiring a frame up restoration, just new running gear and some disc brakes.

Thanks for your time!

"I am not a gear head and don't possess a lot of the necessary skills to do the work myself."
No one is born a gear head. (It comes about by falling head first into concrete, or bumping one's head a lot.)

Necessary skills to do the work are learned.
If you are willing and able to learn, you will find all of the information which you need from this site. Start by using the "Search" feature, then ask any follow up questions in this HiPo forum.

BTW, I do not encourage purposeful head first concrete diving, nor bumping one's head repeatedly.
Carl

My mom might argue with you. She says that as soon as I could sit up, she would give me a jar and lid and I would unscrew the lid and put it back on. She doesn't recall that I fell headfirst on to concrete before that, but I have bumped my head a fair amount since.

Good advice though. Lots of people ca, learn to be a gearhead, but others are truly hopeless.

My youngest son built a water cooled computer which he has mounted on the wall. It has no case and all of the components are layed out in the open for all to admire.
My oldest son starts every day by cross threading the cap on the toothpaste.
Maybe some gearheads are born that way, while others are not.

No Chevy V8 has a foot starter. Some have rigged one up but you said you wanted to keep it simple. The most straight forward swap is to use the 55-59 bell housing and a Borgwarner 3sp overdrive transmission. An open driveshaft rear end close to 61" wheel mount flange to wmf is necessary. Your 48 shifter rods can be modified to fit the overdrive trans since it's just a three speed like yours with the OD unit added on the rear. Since you will be using a different rear end you can go to a shallow ratio in the low 3.00 range and eliminate the OD but this kills low geared starts like with a big load or a trailer. If just for cruising this is the most simple route. Turn your rear springs 180 degrees to center the open rear in the wheel opening. Your factory radiator, if in good shape, will cool a V8. A switch to !2v with alternator, tube shocks, radial tires, and dumping the Huck brakes are things to consider in the future.

Evan,
Why do you want the rear end centered in the wheel opening?

For looks. The old springs center bolt fits in an off set hole in a block while the open rear spring saddle is centered under the axle tube which throws the rear way forward. With the front of the tire partially hidden and a huge gap behind the rear it looks funky. Some use a long saddle and drill another center bolt hole about 1.5" in front of the existing hole. Some custom U-bolts are then needed. If you have a hydrastatic drill press with infinite speeds you can drill a new center bolt hole through the entire spring pack. Even a plain old HSS drill will go through a spring if the speed is exactly right. We bring the drill down against the spring at zero speed and then with mild pressure and cutting/cooling fluid slowly raise speed till curlings start to come off the drill flutes.

Isn't the position of the original torque tube axle forward of center a considerable amount?
I have 2 trucks which I have converted to open drive and used spring perches from classicparts.com. They have an extra off-center hole which I used to move the axle back by about the same amount that the offset was on the original funky rubber impregnated spring mount did.
If one prefers the wheel to be in the center of the wheel opening, I can appreciate that.
If conversely, one prefers the original placement of forward of center of the wheel opening, I can also appreciate that.
I am just trying to be clear of whether we are counting our apples/oranges in one basket before they hatch. (Now where did I leave my football bat?)
A few pictures would come in handy right about now.

If GM engineering "line" drawings of (A-D trucks) are correct, 3100s had rear wheels a little forward of being centered, 3600 were closer to being centered, and 1-ton were close to being centered.

One of those thing that bugs me about these trucks! Rear wheel centring! My 1 ton's rear wheels aren't centered either. Closer than a 1/2 ton but not close enough to look right. Silly gm. Center the rear end...oh right they did. Eventually!