The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts MY FIRST STOVEBOLT(HELP PLEASE)

HelloStovebolters!
My name is Steve
I am a friend of Pauls. He has had a bad accident and wont be able to come to the States for a while. Meanwhile, the 51 Chevy truck is still in Nebraska. His wife needs the maoney badly, so if anyone is interested, now would be a good time to act!.
Hello Stovebolters I just picked up a 1951 2 ton dump/stake 235 motor 4 speedtrans 3+ grany 1st gear $745.00 e-bay it runs & drives ok the dealer said.

I'm from the US but live here in europe now.Gas over 4.00 a gal is normal!When I get it back to europe I have a nice 6 cyl. 2.5 liter VW diesel that at least I can run on salad oil at only 3.65 a gal.like I do with the rest of my cars here.

I'll fly over at the of Sept. to Florida pick up my VW trike & a small trailer & make my way out Nebaska stopping in Ga.to pick up chevy 250 six I bought for 50.00 compleat clutch bellhousing ect.still all bolted to geather,then Al.to pick up a T5 trans.& some were along the way maybe a 5 lug chevy rear axle to make up for the short gearing I have now.

Here comes my questions.Should I chnge out the motor or take it as reserve it is compleate with a 3 speed tran's all is there bellhosing clutch ect.everything still bolted togeather ?

The T5 trans I'll put in out there(thanks to the SB. website)I have a machine shop to help me with the drive shaft.With just the trans change will I be able run the truck at 55-60 on the way back to FL. or should I change out the axle also?

Also If I change out the axle & will the stock master cylinder work,I'm lookin at a 1957 belair rear axle.

Also any stovebolters out the willing to give me a hand on my way back to Fl.if I should run into trouble ?

I'm a profi wrench & a very good Mc Giver when it comes to riggen things!

I wish all stovebolters in Louisiana & any other state that will be efected all the best of luck with this Hurricane

I'll be happy for any positive Ideas,negitive nasty input I'm not interested in.

I have time & money restictions I'm too deep into this now I have to throw the dice and go for it.
THANKS FOR ANY HELP paul.nolz@gmx.netps. I'll trade someone for smaller truck with the same bodystyle.mine has no through rust and no major dent'ts.
Engine,trans,or bed must not be in good shape.A good cab frame and papers and place to get it runing quickly.2-3 days I have a extra motor & trans already !

Welcome to the Stovebolt Paul!

You've come to the right place for lots of information and a few opinions on these old trucks.

I own a '51 1-1/2 ton and a '52 2-ton, so I've a pretty good idea what your new truck looks like.

That 2-ton weighs more than 5,000 pounds empty and depending on wheelbase and hoist might be over 6,000 pounds.

The dual wheels on the back of your truck are 20 inches in diameter and the tires stand about three-feet tall. The wheels have ten holes. The fronts are the same, but only have every-other stud, meaning only five nuts hold them on.

The car type 5-speed and rear axle you describe are not rated to carry the load of just the empty truck. Will it work to drive it to Florida? Maybe, but I would not bet on it. Will it work carrying a load like your trike and trailer? I'd bet against it.

This truck might make 50 mph as is, but could top out at 45. Rather than install a T-5 I'd try to find a Brownie (an auxillery transmission) that will allow the truck to run closer to your desired speed with the current motor, transmission and rear axle.

I would not swap motors unless the one you have now doesn't run. The 250 is not a direct swap into the '51. You'd need to deal with bellhousing and motor mount issues in addition to wiring and linkage stuff.

I think if it were me I'd fly to Nebraska and try to drive the truck to Florida as is. After checking the brakes real carefully...

Welcome to the 'Bolt Paul.
I'm not sure I'm following your question. You are heading out to pick up a 2 ton truck with a 250 cid engine and a 5 speed trans. and maybe a 5 lug rear end? First of all, the 250 won't fit in that truck without a lot of other parts and a lot of extra work. Also, the trans. won't fit because of the same reasons and you'll loose the PTO drive for your dump. Next, unless that 5 bolt rear is from a 2 ton or bigger, it won't fit either.

Maybe you can give us people that can't follow along very well a little more detail and someone will be happy to throw out their 2 cents worth. Again, welcome aboard,
Scott

Sell the big truck to someone who WANTS a big truck and go buy a pickup to put your Bug motor into... my $.02

A 2-ton doesn't have a 3 speed either. It has a 4 speed with a PTO to operate the dump pump.

Cletis I think the 3-speed is attached to the 250. Of course its probably a car type, and not something that belongs in a 2-ton...

I read it to mean a 3 speed with a granny gear (total of four speeds.. counting 2nd as 1st because the real first is just about useless unless you've got a load on and going up hill from a dead stop)

$745 for a '51 that runs and drives well sounds like a good deal.. but you've got balls the size of brass church bells to just hop in and drive it a few thousand miles from Nebraska to southern Florida.

The good news is it's all a downhill trip

So lemme get this straight.. you're going to head up to Nebraska with a VW trike and trailor, picking up engine parts and other stuff on the way.. then you're going to pile it all in the back of the '51 2 ton and head back to the sunshine state?

Hope that bed wood is solid!

Yep, it's been edited since I posted what I did.

It'll take more than McGiver, to make a '57 Belair rear axle, work on a 2 ton truck.

Hi Stovebolters
Pauls friend Steve here..
Paul is doing allright, but will be in the hospital for a while, recovery is certain but slow.
I'm listing his truck on e bay. $745 as previously mentioned.
http://www.harrison.at/pauls-truck.htm for a picture

mail me at [email protected]
greetings
Steve

Nebraska is a big state.. what town in Nebraska is it in?

good story pretty ambitiuos my question is about stud patterns to those who know bigger trucks my truck is a 41 gmc with 5 stud 20" rims is it a 2 ton.its has dual wheels at the back& a lever on the gearstick