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I'm helping a friend install a Pontiac 400 engine in his '50 Chevy half ton. He wants to keep the closed driveline and 4 speed. For added clearance I'm thinking to use the hanging pedals and support from a '71 Chevy pick up. So far,the measurements indicate the front and rear mount crossmembers will be close to the right distance apart,and the rear mount is adjustable to fit the angle and spacing on the crossmember there.The rear mount is actually like a block plate,but firs between the tranny and the bellhousing(BOP aluminum-I've used this bellhousing and mount in 2 other trucks,works fine) I think we'll have to re-drill the front crossmember to attach the "Y" adapter used to run this engine in its previous home,a '57 GMC. We expect to have to build headers for it.
It's obvious the steering will be the largest hurdle in this project :rolleyes: . He's not open to changing the column or its location in the cab,but I have that figured out. I'm going to cut the tube at the firewall,leaving a couple of inches of the shaft sticking out,install a roller bearing with a set screw inside race and an external lock ring to keep it from sliding into the tube farther than I want. I'll attach the tube to the firewall,but then what?? So far,a rack-n-pinion mounted to the front mount crossmember looks like the best option to me. Any other possibilities come to mind? I recall seeing an offset drive box that can be used to move the exit location of the steering shaft as it comes through the firewall,I think that might be useful.
The truck's owner seems to figure he can make it all work once we get the steering situation covered. And since he's going for the hanging pedals,I'm gonna push for the roller bearing conversion and disc brakes.
I think the axle and tranny will last for a while,but I'm going to plan for a Saginaw 4 speed and a Dana 44 3.08 posi I have to get installed in the future. (BTW-I need a left axle for it,if anyone has a spare. I'm told the axles from an open "44" won't work-different splines :confused: )
Who sells a drop front axle for these trucks?
Any info or assistance you can offer will be very much appreciated. And remember if you get out this way,the coffee's always on. Thanks!
Speed

Let me see if I have got this right.
1.) Hook up a Pontiac 400 motor to a stock 1950 4-speed transmisiion.
2.) Possibly putting a rack & pinion on a straight axle.
Take PLENTY of pictures.
You might not have to modify the stock steering if you are making custom headers. If you bend the headers "up, over, & around" the steering box, you are golden. Take PLENTY of pictures.

There was an article inthe Classic Trucks mag a few months back that covered installing a rack and pinion unit right on the old straight axle. I think it may have been CCP that sold the kit to do this. I am pretty sure they used a Ford T-Bird rack unit. I bet a crafty guy could make a MII rack work too, if he could do some fab work. I am headding out of town first thing tomorrow, so won't have time to research the article. Maybe when I get back in town I can look for it and give you more details.

The common power steering conversion kits will solve this problem. They put a 70's pickup steering box in front of the axle and allow using universal joints to move the steering shaft.

Rack and pinion mounted on the crossmember will be bump-steer hell. The magazine article described putting the rack on the axle. I think that's a poor idea too, but it would be interesting to hear from some people who have tried it.

I agree with the bump steer problem now that I look at it closer. It occurred to me last night looking at this project that an easier way might be this:
We have access to a '65 GMC rear end,and I have a Saginaw 4 speed out of a 64 or so Impala. If we use these components and build a fresh driveline,there's really no reason we couldn't mount the engine/transmission about 8 inches forward of where the face of the transmission would normally be. The engine is easily that much shorter than the six is,and that would also enable us to set the motor a couple of inches higher in the frame,all of which will also get us more clearancefor steering,valve covers and distributor. I think this might also make a stock Saginaw shifter a possibility.
As for the exhaust,the owner's thinking he'll build a set of fenderwell headers,that will tuck in close enough to the frame and floor to leave plenty of tire clearance,and heavily insulate the floor for the heat.
We decided hanging pedals from a later(L. 60's/E. 70's) truck will give us the most benefit and options for brakes and clutch.
Now that the engine's hanging about where we plan to mount it,things are looking much better than when we started this project.
One more question-does anyone know if an adapter is available to replace the oil filter stand on a Pontiac with a remote filter? I know there's one that attaches in place of the filter,but I'll want to replace the part the filter screws onto. It's mounted to the block with 3 bolts.
And don't worry-we're gettong lotsa pics. I'll try to keep notes on what we do and what works/doesn't work to make this thing fly. Thanks to all who are offering their info,suggestions,and interest.
Speed

If there's no room for the steering because of the headers, there's an outfit in California that sells a steering setup that works similar to a bicycle chain in a housing that goes up against the firewall. The steering wheel shaft connects to the top, and the steering shaft on the bottom goes to the steering box wherever you want to put it. I forget the name of the company but they won a big award at SEMA for most innovative product in 2005. Very expensive though, about 650 a kit.Great for rodders with big block engines with headers. Bob T

Thanks Bob-now that you mention it,I did see an article on that. It looks like by moving the engine/tranny forward and up a little,the steering might clear.If not,we'll have to go with building a set of fenderwell headers. My measurements show we can go about 8 inches forward and have about the same fan clearance as with the 235;and the plan is to raise the engine and tranny about 4 inches.That should give us more room for the steering box in its stock location. (we might space it away from the frame an inch or so too,if we need still more room.)
Speed

UPDATE:
Moving the engine/tranny forward 6",and to the right about 2-1/2" does the trick. I still have to work up some kind of plate to connect a remote filter, since I had to remove the filter base for clearance. This looks better every time I go out to work on it. It looks like the steering box can stay where it belongs. Might have to notch the frame a little on the right side for exhaust manifold clearance. The owner wants to re-locate the crossmember for the rear mounts about 6" forward,but I think we can build the "block plate" brackets out to reach the crossmember where it is. (It's not an actual block plate-it fits between the tranny and the bellhousing.) It was built very adjustable;flat plate between the tranny and bellhousing,a 2" angle bracket bolted to each side to match up to the crossmember mounts,it'll be no big deal to turn the angle brackets around,mount them to the back side of the plate,lengthen 'em and add some gussets to reduce flex. Probably weld them on for additional strength.
Not sure yet if a rebuilt stock '50 radiator will cool the Pontiac mill,but if it doesn't I have the radiator and fan shroud from the '61 C-60 I just got my GMC 270 out of.I KNOW that'll do it. It's a 4 core and bigger than the V-8 radiator on my 57.
And another cool discovery-the brake and clutch pedals will have plenty of clearance,too.
More to follow. I'll try to get more pics of this monster-mash and post a link to 'em as soon as I figure out how to do it.
Speed