Hello all. I've been lurking a while until I finally decided to create an account. I have learned a great deal from you all and have been working on Jane slowly but surely for a little over a year now.
So far I bought the truck in El Paso Texas for $3600 running and driving, 4 on the floor with a 216. Looked good and ran good... Moved to Oklahoma and decided to tear into it and make it a semi regular driver. I have an S10 rear (3.42 I believe) fitted up in place of the old 8 lug axle with 4.57 gear because I couldn't find the third member to lower the ration. Truck is as of now stripped down from the cab back. Front end is pulled apart and the engine and trans are about to get pulled.
Plans: Clean and coat frame (includes removing most rivets and replacing) Boxing frame where possible Clean and rebuild 216 w/ aluminum pistons and insert rod bearings rebuild SM420 or source SM465 (trying to keep near original but SM420 parts are getting harder to find) Disk front brakes and dual master update to gas shocks (still has lever actions) repair rusted floor board and fender overlap run electrical (have 13 circuit wire harness) 12 volt conversion during process
Complete: Rear axle swap Rear brake upgrade
The cab is rotting where the fenders overlap the cab and the toe board on the passenger side. S10 drums will work better for now and disc for the front are my late Xmas gift to myself. It did work originally and I have no aspirations for this to be a racer or lower it. I bought a truck because I want a truck. I just see everyone recommending boxing the frame for in some areas for added rigidity and figured while I'm there... As for the 216 I know go with a 235 or 261 is the standard and I actually got a 235 block with that intention but the 216 runs fine after 70 years and why not freshen her up until I can throw more at a new engine. I know I won't be passing anyone but hitting 55 mph to get to work 10 minutes away 2 or 3 times a week isn't too hard.
The main reason for the make it better is because the gauges didn't work it was leaking oil and trans fluid from... Most of the place and the thing was screaming going 45 mph. The brakes hardly worked and lastly the PO rattle canned it primer black. It's my first project on my own since I always worked on my uncle's cars coming up mainly GTO's and Chevelle's. I want to leave this and my wife's 65 Falcon as a legacy for my children and have them remember when they helped dad "Do it right the first time so you don't have to do it again" because I apparently have like 8 slogans for work ethics haha!
Sounds like you've got a pretty good truck already.
On rebuilding the 216, from what I've gathered over the past few years, doing a total rebuild on a 216 isn't like rebuilding a engine from the 60's or newer. The folks who truly understand the incantations required to do a proper rebuild are almost all gone. We're lucky to have some of the few left on our board, research is your friend. If you want to drive your truck on todays roads and not hold up traffic, consider a engine upgrade to either a later 235 or better yet a 261. With a little luck and again research, a 261 CAN look exactly like your stock 216 but offer almost double the HP and run with todays traffic.
Of course brakes and suspension need to be in Very Good condition to run on todays road at todays speed.
I too was bitten by the "make it better" bug when I bought my '51 3600. But with time I've come to appreciate just how well designed and engineered it is. Obviously a lot has been learned by the engineers and designers since our AD trucks were rolling off the assembly line but if in good original or restored condition they are still dependable and fun.
