The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop help hotrod a 50 3100

hey everyone i need a little help.
i have 1950 3100 all original. 216 and 3 on the tree.
i can't drive it like i want so i want to know "how to hotrod" it.
what part i need...and what to do.
i have a couple of nova parts cars laying around
what of them could i use.
i want to be able to drive it on the highway
and tow my boat doesn't have to be super fast
just decent

Redspeed,
If that's what you want. You might get torn apart by some of the guys who like to keep them original. But if you want to rod it, there are many questions. like which engine, tranny, ride height, etc. If you are going to be getting rid of the stock drivetrain, those Nova's can come in handy. You could use the rearend,( and possibly the suspension), the whole front clip, thereby giving you powersteering, brakes, and IFS. Plus it will lower your ride height. What engines do your Novas have, heck you could get one of them rebuilt and keep it on your front clip. Gas tank, original inside the cab, or remount a new one under the bed. Do you plan to shave it?(get rid of door handles, mirrors, etc.) Chop the top? there are so many questions, they can't all be answered at once. How long have you had this project? If you have any other questions, keep posting, they will get answered. (sooner or later! )

Reddspeed-

I agree with Fox, but planning is key. With the Nova components, some go for an entire new drivetrain and suspension. This would give you the power on the highway ot tow as well as the comfort of upgraded suspension. Of course, this is a LOT of work, but i sounds like you have some of the parts you'll need.

If your only complaint is with the top speed, I would recommend a gear swap and brake upgrade only. Affordable bolt-on mods can greatly improve performance and handling and won't tick off the purists too much.

i plan on using a 350 and i think the t350 tranny
i am not going to chop or shave it, and really don't care to lower it much neither, the 216 in it is pretty beat up, and i can't find the oil fill cap for the tranny. is what we are saying this: that i should be able to use the front clip, rear end and suspension, brakes, engine and trranny, and the steering components?
what about gauges.....will i need to get aftermarket gauges that fit in the holes? and gas tank? the nova tank under the bed? i know the one in the cabin is too long to fit.
i have had the truck for 2 years......
first i sanded down and did all the body work
inside and out. then i primered and painted it...candy apple red with silver flake. inside and out. then the headliner and seat are black leather..took 3 hides... then finally did all the electrical work: wipers, lights and signals, and radio,"in the glovebox"
any help from anyone is appreciated

You can make most anything fit and work, if you have the creativity, the skills, the tools, and the patience. Much of what you are talking about is not "bolt-in" because these old trucks didn't come with V-8's and TH transmissions. Dropping in a trans/engine is relatively easy, just requires new mounts which can be bought or you can make. You will likely need a different rear axle, the open type because you probably have a torque tube type. Then you have to mess with driveshafts, emergency brake cables, etc. The front clip is a totally different beast. I don't know if your Nova clip will work but if it does, get ready for lots of fitting and alignment issues. When you use a clip from another vehicle, remember that your fenders mount to the radiator support, which must be located precisely on the new clip. Stuff like gas tanks...you should be able to fit one relatively easily, just need to run a new fuel line, locate the filler, etc. You can make some of your old gauges work like the speedo, ammeter, and temp gauge. The oil pressure gauge range will likely be too low compared to the 50+psi a small block chevy oil pump will put out. The gas gauge is a little trickier, especially when changing sending units and going to 12 V. As much as I like the looks of the stock gauges, I personally prefer replacing the old gauges with new ones like Autometer, for reliability. They look good too, just not stock, thats all. Regardless of what your abilities or ambitions are, you have come to the right forum...a wealth of information here.

Since you're planning to tow/haul with this truck, I would ditch the TH350 idea in favor of the more burly TH400. You're going to have to swap drivelines, but I'm not sure the Nova's U-joints are adequate for towing. I assume you're planning to harvest the column shift out of the Nova, but there's a difference in column length and this may require some very creative fabrication. I also have serious doubts about the use of "light" passenger-car IFS in a truck... Mustang and Camaro clips are common in rods that never haul anything but [censored]. Personally, I would try to find a 70's/80's truck with the 350/TH400 and IFS to use as a donor; you'll have all the heavy duty parts needed for towing. Other bolters have gone this route and have left signposts along the path (visit Tech Tips, above; and this page ).

Do lots of research, take lots of pictures, and ask lots of questions. Good luck and keep us posted.

You know you can have some fun and speed...and still be different by "hot rodding" with a modified Stovebolt 6 and some rear end, chassis and electrical mods. Find a good 235ci preferably from '58 to '62...add an Offy dual carb set up with 2 1bbl Carters...add Fenton headers and dual exhaust, an HEI ignition and you'll have plenty of power...add a TH400 Auto or a Saginaw 4sspd trans and convert your current reat to a 3.55. Add sway bars front and rear...steel belted radials. you also can do cams and other hod rod stuff ...and cruise at 70 all day long. I know... I did it with my 51 3100.

i'm in a hotrod state of mind and ya need some help buildin a gitty up pickum up cool i'll help
lets start in de front thinkin about sub framin hummm be right back to much diesel smoke in de
BULLFOOT ZONE

did i mention i also have a 235 out of a 61 runs pretty well....what tranny will match up...if i use this i still need to change the rear and what else...i don't mind cutting the floor and taking the shifter oof of the column ..well any advice is good thanks alot

You can buy a trans mounting adapter (Patricks and several other places) that will work with a TH350, TH400 and 700R4...a Saginaw 4spd is a sraight match and bolts right on...recommend you get a Hurst shifter set-up. You can keep the torque tube with the Saginaw 4 spd and a 3.55 rear...you'll need a solid drive shaft for the automatics plus a different rear (probably a 2.60 to a 3.10 ratio).