Heres a few pics and vids of my latest project. A '49 GMC 150. Ferrara blue. I put a bone stock 5.3 in it attached to the stock 3 speed and kept the column shift and all stock associated parts. Startup with stock floor starter 5.3 running with a nice quiet exhaust. Nobody would ever know what this truck is driving by. Idle clip
Last edited by Phak1; 04/04/20252:52 PM. Reason: Added photos in text
Well I got over 100 miles on it and so far so good. I will be putting my 3 speed with borg warner overdrive in it at some point. For now the original trans is working though. The rad is cooling well and it actually drives really good despite not having any shocks. Lastnight I got the original wiper motor to work and lubed up everything and the wipers work surprisingly well. Next thing is to clean up engine harness then continue to wire all the lights.
Last edited by Phak1; 04/04/202512:01 PM. Reason: Typo
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
Come Bleed or Blister, something has got to give!!! | Living life in the SLOW lane
Thank you. Im tryin to keep it all stealthy stock looking with the hood down. Yup plenty of smooth power and down low torque and its basically silent. Checks all the boxes for me and what i need it for.
I'm a fan. Big time! It'll be interesting what the mpg numbers are when you get a chance to take a cruise trip. If the normal LS magic works it should be in the 20's range. Stock gears may be a deal mpg killer till you can get the od tranny in though.
I'm a fan. Big time! It'll be interesting what the mpg numbers are when you get a chance to take a cruise trip. If the normal LS magic works it should be in the 20's range. Stock gears may be a deal mpg killer till you can get the od tranny in though.
Im sure the 4.56’s right now are killing it but i just been cruising on all the backroads. I do have a Mitsubishi starion that i swapped to a 6 litre witha turbo that makes about 700hp and it has a t56 trans and that car will get well over 20mpg on the highway cruising at like 80mph with the AC on. They are efficient motors when they are happy.
Nice. Been thinking about doing a swap like this on a parts truck. I love the old 216's, which is why i'm building my current one with the original motor. But I have enough spare parts to build another and thinking that LS seems to be just right. of course, I think I would stick the tranny that came with the engine. just to keep everything uniform.
Nice. Been thinking about doing a swap like this on a parts truck. I love the old 216's, which is why i'm building my current one with the original motor. But I have enough spare parts to build another and thinking that LS seems to be just right. of course, I think I would stick the tranny that came with the engine. just to keep everything uniform.
I just liked the stock trans because i love the old column shift because it really feels like goin back in time.
Took it on a 5hr trip last weekend. Keep in mind i have NO O2 sensors hooked up and the MAF disconnected so its running on the revert MAP tune only (less than ideal for mpg’s), no overdrive , running stock 4.56 gears. It got 17.4 MPG. I was actually impressed with that considering all the above. Just with the OD trans it will be in the 20 range and when i do hook up the maf and o2’s and do a little laptop tuning magic it should have no problem getting into the mid 20’s range. Im assuming it will get about what a new gm gets. Probably around 27mph highway. Cant beat that while cruising in style!
Got all the gauges back in working order. Fuel gauge was easy with just the 6v reducer needed and sending unit seems good. Oil pressure was straight forward after i drilled and tapped a fitting off the oil pan/cooler block off plate. The temp gauge was a little tricky. I went with the old style capillary tube sender but i had to get a aftermarket LS block coolant drain plug and drill and tap it to 1/2npt to accept the bushing/seat to fit the sender. Works well now. I got crafty with the amp meter and retrofitted a voltmeter in its place but used the factory face plate and added 2 small marks with brown sharpie to identify 12v/16v. So basically “0” on the gauge is the perfect 14v charge condition. Im very happy how it all turned out and how stealthy it is and appearing stock like the rest of the truck hehehehehe.
This was a pic from the weekend. My ‘49 looking bone stock and the 50 is on a s10 chassis with a sbc that I convinced the guy to remove in favor of a turbo LS setup. Hes ready for something different and i was glad to oblige haha.
Nice work on the gauge set, should add to your deception.
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
Come Bleed or Blister, something has got to give!!! | Living life in the SLOW lane
Nice work on the gauge set, should add to your deception.
Haha all part of the master plan. I try to use as many stock parts as possible. I love these trucks just the way they are but i do like the ultra dependable factor of having a trusty LS base between the rails.
Today i went junkyard crawling and got a nice original rear bumper. I have the wrong brackets (1/2ton but my truck is a 3/4ton) but i have them flipped to work for now until i get the correct ones. Now the back of the truck looks much more complete. I also took apart and lubed up the speedo head today because all of a sudden it started to make some noise and bounce. Seems good now.
Tonight i got to installing the 4.10 carrier I recently got from a forum member. The oil in the rear looked like its been in there its whole life. I know for a fact its been in there since at very least the early 70’s. Install went pretty smooth minus 1 u joint strap being seized into the rear end. I coaxed it out with the trusty air hammer. Got it all together and took it for a nice test drive and went up and down the highway to see how it felt at speed. Its definitely tolerable now and my next plan is to install my full syncro 3 speed with a borg warner overdrive. Then it will really be a nice cruiser but for now just the 4.10’s are pretty good.
Lastnite I whipped up a side mount spare tire carrier. Was pretty simple and turned out better than expected. I made it fit my 225/75/16 perfect so its nice and tight under the edge of the bedside. Was easier than locating a decent original that i most likely would have had to modify to fit 8 lug pattern anyways.
You may want to put that idea together in a Tech Tip, it turned out great.
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
Come Bleed or Blister, something has got to give!!! | Living life in the SLOW lane
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Well done. Love the gauge treatment. If the old tranny wont hold up to all of that power, Limeworks makes a neat column which looks like a 3-on-the-tree. We used one on my son's '51 truck and we are really pleased with how it turned out.
Well done. Love the gauge treatment. If the old tranny wont hold up to all of that power, Limeworks makes a neat column which looks like a 3-on-the-tree. We used one on my son's '51 truck and we are really pleased with how it turned out.
Seems to be holding up just fine. I dont beat on it. I just drive it around like a normal everyday truck. I have a fast car if i want to beat on something. I plan to swap to a slightly newer mid 50’s full syncro 3 speed with a Borg Warner overdrive this winter. Will still be able to keep the 3 on the tree .
Got the new brassworks heater core installed today. Works absolutely perfect. It helps that the coolant temps run 199-205deg. I had to go junkyard hunting today to find a round original core to rob the bracket from. Its all in now and working great. Drove it tonight and its 28 here and i was toasty in the cab.
Its the original horn for the truck that should be mounted to the intake manifold. I just made a bracket and mounted it in a convenient spot that looked good on the inner fender. Sounds like a stock horn but on 12v
You mentioned a Borg Warner 3 speed with overdrive. Was there ever an overdrive for the Muncie 3 speed? My good old 54-3100 runs down the Turnpike very comfortable at 70 mph. An overdrive would be great. Doc.
Currently making 1954 3100 better than new and Genetics
Yes the one i have I believe is a “muncie 319” which is essentially a muncie 318 with the BW R-10 hung off the back. Im in the process of just getting it cleaned up and getting it in the truck pretty soon. I have a few other things im finishing up first but it should be in very soon. Will be down for a few days while i have a driveshaft made up for it.
Well i got rid of 98% of all the squeaks/rattles in the truck and i just did my favorite mod to date on it..... put in the muncie 319 with the R10 overdrive. All i can say is WOW WOW WOW! Its like a totally different truck now. The new trans is silent quiet compared to the other growling gear boxes in it before and now in OD it just basically idles around. You cant even hear it running goin down the road. The modern LS power paired with the old R10 overdrive is like a beautiful symphony while driving. I honestly cant believe how well that 1950’s overdrive works. Its a real thing of beauty. Just got back from a long run in it. Took my wife for a scenic cruise just to get her out of the house since shes been off from work from the crazy issues in the world goin on. Even she commented on how much smoother and quieter it was from when she first went for a ride in it. I hooked the overdrive up with the proper lockout cable and wired it with the governor to a 40A relay and a pull on headlight style switch. I can leave the cable in and switch on and it functions normally besides no kickdown. If i want to kick it back to direct simply push the switch in and let up on the gas for a sec and your back in direct drive. I honestly never have to kick it down with all the power of the mighty 5.3 but ive done it just to test it. It automatically drops out while slowing under 27mph just as designed and it will upshift beautifully. Next on my list is finish refreshing the entire interior and adding a underdash AC so i can comfortably drive it all summer with no issues. I would like to send a big shout out thank you to “Pre ‘68 Dave” for his time and insight that helped me take care of the famous 3rd gear pop out. His knowledge on the situation helped me out big time in understanding why these ancient boxes do what they do. I also made a new trans crossmember to mount off the tailshaft mount and had a complete new driveshaft made for it locally. Heres some pics i snapped along the way. **** Just a FYI I got this trans in on the truck deal in the boxes of parts I started with. He told me he pulled it out of a old collapsed garage that was open to the elements for some time. The heavy pitting on the trans case definitely confirms that but the internals were very clean. I cleaned up the case and shot it black then cleaned up the governor and bought a used 12v solenoid and I was in business!
Good Golly. Great truck and story. I'm thinking you've built the perfect driver. Looks remains true to the era with modern fuel efficient power integrated seamlessly into a classic truck. Well done Sir!
Thank you. That was my exact goal since day 1. No power steering dosent bother me because im young enough and strong and honestly i feel 100% confident in the steering and braking abilities so I left that stuff as stock but all well maintained and the truck drives beautifully.
Got another piece of the puzzle done this week! We now have AIR CONDITIONING!!!!!
I absolutely hate being hot so I’ve built different universal AC kits in the past and I have been planning on installing one in this build since the first 90* soggy day I drove it last july. I want to be able to hop in this thing any given nice day and enjoy driving it to work or on a weekend cruise and be comfortable. So heres the lowdown......
After much reading, comparing, measuring, and reviewing I decided on using the vintage air mark-4 underdash unit and keeping my stock recirculating heater that I already put the upgraded core/spal fan in. It works great and fits the “stock appearing” theme I’m goin for. Funny enough I found limited reviews on people that actually used one. Lots of “I heard’s” and 2nd,3rd, 4th hand accounts of their performance and fit. Then reading in summit I see a picture of the one guy that actually put one into a AD truck and it looked like it fit great! So I measured 20 times before ordering and I knew I would need to move my heater over more to pass side to clear the AC unit but I wasn’t at all bothered by that. The rest of the pieces I sourced from my normal ebay spots that Ive had success with previously. I already own the hose crimping tool so I was already prepared there. I bought a universal 17x19” condensor and the universal hose kit with reciver drier with a trinary switch then a SD7 style compressor and the fittings to adapt it to normal #8/10 hoses. I normally build my own bracket for the pump and run it on a separate belt on the inner belt on LS setups but I actually found a really nice bracket setup that moved the alternator into a better spot for me and ran the AC on the same 6rib belt and used a factory automatic tensioner. It was cheap enough where I knew it would save me enough time and aggravation lining up pulleys and swearing and anger so I just bought it.... 100% glad I did too because it was perfect. So thats all the parts, now onto the installation!
Mounted the underdash unit without drilling a single hole in the dash! Used the inner screw for the ignition switch on left side then used the existing hole on right side for the stock heater temp rod on the deluxe heater valve setups. Used the provided strap mounts and cut and bent until they worked. The unit is very close to flush to the dash and I positioned it so it does not at all effect the cowl ventðŸ‘. The fittings actually lined right up with the 2 factory holes in the firewall too! I did slightly enlarge one to pass the hose fitting through but it was minimal. The one holes I did drill was way up on the firewall to mount the strap to hang/support the rear center of the unit and a hole by the floor for the evaporator drain hose to the ground. My next task was mounting the condenser in front of the radiator. That was very easy with the included universal brackets. I ground the lip off the rad support where the brackets landed and then it was just 4 sheet metal screws and I put foam tape on the entire perimeter of the condenser and sealed it to the rad. This helps force air through everything rather than around it. Then I mounted the receiver drier just behind the grill to the front part of the inner fender. When laying out and planning all of this you need to account for where is the easiest/best/shortest way to run all the hoses. I decided to shoot the hoses through the front of the inner fender and have them pass back into the engine compartment right next to the compressor from the inner fender. I made it look as clean as possible. Next was compressor mounting. That accessory drive setup was a easy bolt on deal as expected. Only thing left now was to run hoses. So I ran all hoses in their spots and cut them and crimped the 8 fittings I needed to complete the loop and all was good (or so I thought). So I figured i was done there and moved onto wiring. Wiring the AC unit itself was simple. I put it on its own relay because they say between the compressor clutch and blower it can draw up to 20amps. The tricky part was wiring the electric fan so It was still controlled by the factory PCM but would also turn on via the trinary switch without effecting the PCM. I did this by just running a isolated relay so not to effect my original fan relay controlled by the PCM. Works great ðŸ‘. So now I hooked up my vac pump and sucked it down assuming I would be ready to charge it up with my manifold gauges and adapters and the 12oz refrigerant cans that I use to feed it. Well those gauges fell to zero in about 3 min. WTF!? Leaks! So after scratching my head going over every o-ring and hose I was at a loss. Vacuum leaks are hard/impossible to find on a AC setup so I opted to just jam 120psi shop air into it. Not optimal as far as moisture but it is very effective. Found 4 leaks at my crimps. Not sure why but the way the tool is designed it gives you a “finish line” to stop at so you dont over crimp a fitting. Well the larger lines wanted to be bottomed out so thats what I did and it fixed all 4 leaks. So i fired up the pump again and it was good. Vacuumed it for a hour and let it sit overnight since it was late. It held! Charged it with 28oz the next day and Im pleased to say it basically will make my hand numb. It hasnt been hot out yet but today was almost 70* ambient and in the sun the 5 window greenhouse effect cab was instantly cool. My one last thing to install now is the cable operated heater valve (that i will most likely actuate via factory choke knob) that will recirculate back to the engine and keep the heat out of the cab. I also have insulation and floor mat to install still. All in all its a success.
Now I have what appears to be a factory stock truck from outside and the interior (besides the era correct AC) BUT...... its actually powered by a 285hp fuel injected GM V8 with era correct electric overdrive and AC. I will include below the parts list / price of the stuff I used. Mostly all universal stuff found online and the vintage air underdash unit straight from summit racing online. Enjoy...... I am !!
Vintage air underdash AC $305 Universal 17x19” condenser $65 Hose and drier kit $80 Compressor $150 Mount kit for my application $200 Trinary switch $18 Heater valve (to stop/recirc flow) $50 GRAND TOTAL of $868 Having frosty nuts on a 100* day =$ PRICELESS
I could have easily saved myself the $200 on the mount and made it for free and kept the cost in the $650 range but I was sick of fabbing and wanted a break.
Another pic of the hi/low hoses goin into firewall. I had bulkhead fittings but decided not to use them because I placed the underdash unit so close to firewall that the normal straight #10 fitting is almost touching the firewall so its got to be short.
Nice. My 49 AC/Heater unit is from Old Air Products (https://www.oldairproducts.com/). The pic shows my heater valve outside the firewall. Just changed it a few months ago as it started leaking.
Last edited by olezippi; 05/03/202011:54 AM.
"If you can't fix it with duct tape it's an electrical problem" 1949 5 Window 3100 In the Gallery Forum Veteran of the USAF My Website
Barnfind49, NICE. Great writeup and images. Thanks!
RonR
Your welcome. Its not as bad as some people think and the convenience of AC is so worth it.
Originally Posted by olezippi
Nice. My 49 AC/Heater unit is from Old Air Products (https://www.oldairproducts.com/). The pic shows my heater valve outside the firewall. Just changed it a few months ago as it started leaking.
I have the same heater valve from them. Just showed up yesterday.
I have 2 under dash units that I saved for my 59'. One is a dealer installed option for a 64" Chevelle, the other is an aftermarket and that I pulled from a Toyota HiLux. I like the period look of the under dash units, I will need to see how the shifter clearance works out. It looks great in your truck.
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
Come Bleed or Blister, something has got to give!!! | Living life in the SLOW lane
I have 2 under dash units that I saved for my 59'. One is a dealer installed option for a 64" Chevelle, the other is an aftermarket and that I pulled from a Toyota HiLux. I like the period look of the under dash units, I will need to see how the shifter clearance works out. It looks great in your truck.
Thank you! Yea im really happy with it. Super cold. Im still slowly covering up holes in the firewall and adding insulation. It is sooooo nice to be able to hop in it and actually cool off. Great daily now.
I see the A/C compressor. Where is your alternator? On the PS? You make all this sound so easy. I’m still trying to figure out how to wire my alternator to a dash light. Awesome fun to watch and learn.
There is no PS pump. Truck has all factory manual steering. Alternator is on the very bottom. Cant see much of it in that pic. Its staring you right in the face as soon as you get under the truck though. Here is a pic of the setup online...
Really sweet. Im not a big fan of the LS swap. But this looks like it has a purpose there. Good job. With the AC also.
A lot of purist are not into the LS.... but the stock engine on its best day cant hop on the highway and accelerate up to 65mph in like 3 sec to merge. I know the stock engines are solid for the most part but they cant do anything better than the modern v8 in a real driver application. I have had more than a few people ride in it and say that its not what they expected. It almost feels electric its so smooth with power. I literally built it to seem stock though. If i told you drive it and you thought it was stock you would get in and turn the key and stomp the starter and it would fire up, you would grab the column shift and drop it in gear and drive away like you would any other AD Truck only difference being instead of 85hp you have like 285hp and it’s seamless. It really is a mind trick.
Wish I had me a daily driver like yours. Any of you guys work with Photoshop? Let see what Barnfind49 truck would look like with a splash of color.
I dont need photoshop. This is exactly how it would look with the correct original color with black wheels. Its supposed to have the orlando light blue 16” split wheels with same color belt line stripe but i like black wheels personally.
Mabey someday later in life it can look like that but im more partial to how it looks now. Way less drama and just as much if not more attention and compliments while out in it.
I got all of my parts to start on the interior so I tore it all apart and started on the rusty roof and ended up finishing up with the rusty floor. When i say “rusty” I mesn just some surface rust and pitting. No major issues besides the one silver dollar sized hole i patched in pass corner by the kick panel/floor seam. I started by cleaning off all the scale with a large plastic pad on a drill and then did a lot of hand sanding with soft blocks in all the little corners. I then coated the entire roof and floor with Master Series silver rust primer. Im not sure if anyones ever used this stuff but IMHO it dosent get any better than this stuff. After that was set up I was on to cleaning and painting up the dash and column. I got as far as I could before I ran out of paint and I then started some re-assembling just because I was excited to see progress. I still need to do the doors and put the new weatherstripping on them. Once the rest of the cab is all in one color it will be fitted with a fresh interior from jim carter. New floor insulation and rubber mat, maroon seat cover, door panels, 2 arm rests, gray headliner and visors and some various other tidbits that I cleaned and painted. Still have to fix up the steering wheel but I did get the horn button done and I pretty proud how it came out. Almost every piece in this truck is original with just some elbow grease put into cleaning. All original gauges, trim rings, dash trim, speaker grill, and glovebox. Even headlight switch is original. Im not doin a concourse resto but just want it to be nice inside and its ok if its got some wear to match the outside.
Not too bad. Made mounts and moved some stuff around and had to get creative with linkages and what not to mimic how it worked stock. As for 12v I just ran a new battery cable and put a 12v battery in it and a gauge reducer for the fuel gauge. Everything else is all 12 volts. I did build my own light harness and basically everything else too so I never “converted” to 12v.
Nice work dude. Looks great. I'm thinking we may see that stock blue color on the body not to far down the road. You do such good work it would look fantastic.
"If you can't fix it with duct tape it's an electrical problem" 1949 5 Window 3100 In the Gallery Forum Veteran of the USAF My Website
Great to see the "No Fear" mentality with your projects. Results are definitely inspiring . One note, a few years ago I lined my cab with peel'n'stick. Then layered on 3/4" dense cell foam. Very happy with the results. HOWEVER, a couple days ago I replace the stop light switch and wished I'd made a small allowance for the two screws (clutch heads) holding the switch in. It wasn't a big deal, just one I could have handled better, as in used a little foresight when installing the insulation.
Yup I try to think ahead for later because when I build something there is a really good chance that I am the one that will be repairing it later down the road. My insulation mat I bought is just the run of the mill one that lays under the rubber mat. Not gluing it down. I can see how that stop light switch could be a pain in the rear though. I actually moved my original stop light switch over when I had to move the brake pedal assembly over to fit the engine in. Still the oem switch that I peeled apart and cleaned and re installed with the factory screws just about 3” over to the left nowðŸ‘.
Got the steering wheel all glued up and painted with some nice fat coats so hopefully it wears well. Used JB weld to fill in the 20+ cracks and the sharp flaking pieces on the spoke joints. Lots of sanding but im happy with the end result and best of all it was free.
Got the steering wheel all glued up and painted with some nice fat coats so hopefully it wears well. Used JB weld to fill in the 20+ cracks and the sharp flaking pieces on the spoke joints. Lots of sanding but im happy with the end result and best of all it was free.
Barnfind49,
Man, that looks pretty good there if I do say do myself. Nice work.
Last edited by olezippi; 07/09/20205:08 PM.
"If you can't fix it with duct tape it's an electrical problem" 1949 5 Window 3100 In the Gallery Forum Veteran of the USAF My Website
Spent the better part of Sunday recovering the seat. Got it all done. I did have to patch up the lower driver side of the seat frame where it was broken and rotted. All good now! I will also say Jim Carters Spanish grain maroon seat cover material is very very close to the stock cover. I found a lot of edges of the original seat cover and complete horse hair and springs on the seat bottom. The grain and color is super close to the JC stuff. I was pretty impressed.
Very very impressive build how did you bolt up the overdrive transmission? Did you have to change the bell house? I have a 3 on the tree with overdrive bolts duo to a 235 engine and you give much inspiration to cut down cost by using parts you already have. Thanks for great documentation Robert
Nice work. One would never know there was a monster under the hood. Do you ever bang your knee on the AC?
Nope. Looks closer than it is. Im 6’1” and its not even close. I put 2 passengers in the truck frequently with no issues too.
Originally Posted by latroca52
Very very impressive build how did you bolt up the overdrive transmission? Did you have to change the bell house? I have a 3 on the tree with overdrive bolts duo to a 235 engine and you give much inspiration to cut down cost by using parts you already have. Thanks for great documentation Robert
The 319 trans is the same pattern as every other GM trans 3/4 speed. Just bolts on. Had to make a crossmember with a mount and build a driveshaft and thats about it. The overdrive is awesome. Once you have one you will have one forever.
Where did you find the the overdrive cable? I have the one that came with the transmission with plane handle And one from a mustang with overdrive stamped on the handle but the cable is to short Also what wire harness is on the truck stock LS harness or did you get a stand alone harness? Thanks Robert
Where did you find the the overdrive cable? I have the one that came with the transmission with plane handle And one from a mustang with overdrive stamped on the handle but the cable is to short Also what wire harness is on the truck stock LS harness or did you get a stand alone harness? Thanks Robert
Overdrive lockout cable is available new on ebay. Stock silverado harness that I modified.
What fly wheel did you use for the stock transmission? Where you able to keep the transmission in the stock position?
I used the nfw1050 flywheel from a parts store that basically will work with old BBC style clutches. When i built my truck i used the entire stock torque tube so yes the front to back location of the mating surface from trans to bellhousing is generally in stock position.
Not too bad. Made mounts and moved some stuff around and had to get creative with linkages and what not to mimic how it worked stock. As for 12v I just ran a new battery cable and put a 12v battery in it and a gauge reducer for the fuel gauge. Everything else is all 12 volts. I did build my own light harness and basically everything else too so I never “converted” to 12v.
What brackets did you make and what linkages did you have to move around?
What brackets did you make and what linkages did you have to move around?
I used some universal weld in motor mounts and as far as linkages I just had to re-bend all the stock column shift rods to sort of go around the cylinder head then back towards the trans. My truck also has the pivot point in the 2/3 shift rod that normally is connected to the pivot on the original bell housing. So I chopped off that pivot from the bellhousing and welded it to a bracket I made so it actually bolts on with left 2 bellhousing bolts. Also converted stock gas pedal to cable, and had to move over the brake pedal to fit engine in. It all looks stock from the inside and works as stock. I actually just copied the clutch pedal idea (if you can imagine looking at it from engine side of firewall). I moved the pedal over in the floor then I just bent like a 45deg or less angle on the part that goes to the pivot just like how the clutch one is stock. It actually looks like I never touched it. Then I just welded the actual original pedal pad offset on the rod through floor so the pedal spacing is still correct. It was a nice sneaky mod that I had to do because the brake linkage ran right into the manifold when pushed down.
Put one of the finishing touches on the truck today. New radio! Had this thing on order since mid November!!! Finally showed up today. I will say im pretty happy with it. Does exactly what I wanted it to do with the stock look im goin for. I use Bluetooth to my iphone 95% of the time in my cars and this one works perfectly. Took a call on the test drive and it sounded perfect on both ends of the call. Yes i paid about 2X the price of my complete engine but......... i wanted it so i bought it🤙
That really sets off the stock look you were after, very nice. Any 411 on the supplier? Do they have other units for the Task Force series?
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
Come Bleed or Blister, something has got to give!!! | Living life in the SLOW lane
That is too Cool, yeah there is a price but like you said "It's what you wanted". I put it on my wish list for the 59"
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
Come Bleed or Blister, something has got to give!!! | Living life in the SLOW lane
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
Fox- i just noticed your quote under your name. That makes perfect sense. I remember hearing another quote that has been something that stuck with me when dealing with mechanical things. Since i dabble in a lot of different things and like to know the inner workings of all things that i own and work on.
“The more you know, the more you know that you dont know”
If you’re not learning, you’re likely dead. Right?! 😉
1970 Chevrolet C10 Grandpa's -- My first truck -- In progress to shiny Follow the build in the Project Journal 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton Dually "Ole Red Girl" In the Stovebolt Gallery More pictures here 1951 GMC 9430 1 ton dually--Shiny! | 1972 Chevrolet C20- Rusty- the puzzle box lid for the C10 | 1962 AMC Rambler American- my wife's Parts trucks- 1951 GMC 9300 | 1951-GMC 9430 | 1951- Chevrolet 1300
Note to self***** Dont use cheapo chineese AC hose and fittings on the next build. Ever since I built the kit I have seen traces of dye at most of the crimps and even seen a few specks where the hoses had mold marks. I knew the only fix was to just buy a new PARKER brand USA hose and fitting kit and re-crimp all new hoses. Got that all made, installed, and held vacuum overnight so I charged it and it seems perfect. Then wired up the AC request idle bump up on it. Had to add 2 wires to the ecu plug and then re-flash the ecu with some editing of the idle tables. Now whenever the AC clutch engages it bumps up 225rpm which is perfect to keep it smooth and also make it cool better at idle. The truck idles perfect at like 550rpms but the compressor isn’t very efficient pumping at low a speed. Should be a nice improvement when its 100deg this summer.
Do you mind answering a few questions for me about the swap? I tried to PM you but I can’t because I’m a new account.
Trying to do a very similar truck but with a 4.8 and 4L80e from a work van into a 53 3100. I want to keep it straight axle and stock looking otherwise. I’d love to hook up the foot starter too. Such a cool feature and I had tried to think about how to do it before seeing this post. Seeing it made me need it!
Were the fbody exhaust manifolds a must or just what you had? I have truck manifolds currently.
What did you do for your original alt bracket? That looks perfect as I plan to do crank water pump and alt only as well. No PS or AC.
What did you use for your engine mounting? This truck has an SBC currently so I’m hoping some adapter plates will get me where I need to be but a plan B wouldn’t hurt.
How did you tackle the fuel system? I found inline pumps and a corvette filter that’s also a 58psi regulator that sounds promising.
Awesome truck man. Very cool to see. I wish mine was in as good of shape as that one but hopefully I can make what I have work!
Yea truck manifolds sould never clear. I had to chop the passanger camaro one and move the flange to even make that fit but it fits now.
You can run stock alternator bracket and just leave the PS pump off and run the shorter belt.
I used universal weld in mounts with a single bolt that slides in from front but if you have it set up for sbc they make adapters to bolt a LS right into sbc mounts so that should be easy.
For fuel system its a stock tank behind the seat with gravity fed 255 walbro pump mounted on frame with a return bulkhead goin into top of tank. I just use the stock regulator on the rails of the older return style LS truck. Vette filter will work in a returnless system but i prefer return style.
Barnfind49, I'm also running the Walbro fuel pump mounted to the inside of my frame below the cab close to the tank in the cab. My fuel pump is a little noisey. It's mounted on rubber pads but between the electric engine fan and the fuel pump it's a little noisey. How about yours?
"If you can't fix it with duct tape it's an electrical problem" 1949 5 Window 3100 In the Gallery Forum Veteran of the USAF My Website
Yes i can hear mine running but only because my truck is almost silent. I have a huge muffler from a duramax van on my truck and if the truck stalled at a light you wouldn’t know it until you went to let the clutch out and it didn’t move. Its that quiet. I have very good hearing too. Im very used to hearing fuel pumps though so its nothing odd to me. Im used to driving around in fast cars with fuel pumps that sound like 3 blenders running full tilt. In tank pumps are always quieter but this truck was built for zero performance and the external pump was just too EASY I couldn’t not do it. 🤣
Finally did the new kingpins in the truck. Just drove it and its all good. The drivers side had basically no play in it but the passenger side definitely had some noticeable slop but not terrible. Its all fresh now though. Used a old set of pins/bushings/bearings that I scored on ebay and even the correct factory service tool to ream them true and to size. Im very happy with the end results. Not bad for my first ever set of kingpins. Im very close to being 100% done with everything on this project. I know it will always require some attention but my to-do list right now is basically 3 very minor things to take care of.
I invite you to read our latest Journal which has been moved into the Completed Journals forum.
The featured build is "Barnfind49's" 1949 GMC 150, a remarkable truck that perfectly balances classic aesthetics with modern performance.
This GMC maintains its bone-stock exterior appearance while harboring a potent 5.3 LS engine under the hood. The powertrain is cleverly matched to a 3-speed transmission complemented by a BW overdrive unit. What makes this build particularly special is that it serves as a daily driver, equipped with modern amenities such as air conditioning and an updated radio system, while being capable of comfortable highway cruising at 70 MPH.
The beauty of this build lies in its subtlety - with the hood closed, there's no indication of the modern heart beating within. It's a testament to tasteful modification that respects the truck's original character while enhancing its functionality for today's driving demands.
I encourage you all to check out the complete build thread in the Completed Journals section.
“Barnfind49” is still active on this site, so questions and atta+boys are welcome and encouraged!
Best regards, Phil
Last edited by Phak1; 04/04/20257:05 PM.
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Heres a few pics and vids of my latest project. A '49 GMC 150. Ferrara blue. I put a bone stock 5.3 in it attached to the stock 3 speed and kept the column shift and all stock associated parts. 
5.3 running with a nice quiet exhaust. Nobody would ever know what this truck is driving by. 
