The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Ideas and options??.... need opinions

Hey guys. Long story short I have a 53 4400 cab and chassis. It has a running 235 and sm420 trans with a modern 97 chevy 4.56 rear axle. The 235 runs but needs a rebuild. Here's my plans. I plan on putting my 5th wheel on it. No bed... well as of yet. And a heavy duty tow package for pulling heavy duty trailers. I'm looking for engine and transmission options. I have a 2003 chassis with a ls1 and 4l80e trans. I was going to cab swap but the steering won't work and leaf springs won't work. Ide have to cut the front of the frame off then I loose my leaf spring mounts. Anyways, what engines and transmissions can I swap out the 235/sm420 with? Ideally ide like to swap my ls1 and 4l80e into it. 3 times the hp. 3 times the torque. But the frames are way different. Width and all is way narrower in the 53. Plus the 53 has a WAY heavier duty frame. So what's my options?? Can I swap my v8 into it? What do I do about the engine clearances? Like steering components and such?

You are asking for us to design the whole thing. We can't do that. Your situation is pretty specific. Lots of us have done swaps, some radical swaps. Maybe someone has done this specific truck or near. In lieu of that, We can start you off with the procedure.

The method is to mock up the components. You can't say it will or won't work until then, The mock up procedure enables you to think of ways to make it work that you can only see with placing parts in approximate position.
The good news is you already have the components. You won't be the first guy to put a SBC into an old truck. The normal challenges you describe: space, steering, exhaust, motor mounts, trans mounts......all have solutions from the aftermarket and your fab and design skills.

Getting it to fit, safely, adding better, stronger steering and brakes, if desired, will cost time and money. Whether you will like the performance or look and feel is another story. I don't know if a LS1 is a good motor for hauling "Heavy Duty Trailers" or not.
So if you are sure it's what you want, take off the front clip and use a cherry picker, hoist, jack stands, jacks, chain, timber.....whatever, to position it all in close proximity to study the situation before cutting, drilling or buying anything. Then make some decisions, consult Stovebolt using good pics and information you discover.

If it looks too hard, expensive or will create a Frankentruck, you haven't lost anything but time and haven't ruined any components.

Young guys in my area scour the countryside for old large trucks. Drag them out of the fields and barns.
They keep their eye on what the local wreck yards have at the time. The prize is finding a running Cummins diesel and chassis.
Then it's play time. Shortening frames is not a problem with these guys. If the track is too wide, open up the fenders.
Let's say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Not my cup of tea.

You can do something like Ricky:
https://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/turner_ricky_1945.html

Well see I want to keep it as original looking as I can. I'm not into the street rod look. I dig the classic work horse. Ide like to use it for light trucking but the engine isn't cutting it.

What weight do you plan to pull and what speeds do you want?

"Barnfind49" put an LS in a 49 GMC half ton. I would imagine a big truck wouldn't be too much harder. "Coilover" would probably be a good person to ask.

John

Well ide like to be able to haul 5th wheel camper, my equipment trailer which is 5th wheel and capable of hauling 16k and road speed of roughly 65-70 to keep up with traffic.

After doing some reading, it seems they used 235s in the semi variants of the ad trucks. Here's some pictures in an article I found. I could be totally wrong but if they used a 235 in a semi back in the day.... why wouldn't it work now?
https://www.motorcities.org/story-of-the-week/2016/1953-chevrolet-trucks-were-great-looking-models

It will not meet your speed requirements! Late model chassis with a Duramax and Allison transmission. Put your ‘53 Body on it. Safety should be your primary concern.

I have a 2003 chassis and drivetrain but the front clip won't clear the steering. My plan was to cab swap it. The 2003 is a 1.5 ton chassis but was a cabover (like the isuzu cabover box truck) the leaf springs won't clear and the steering box won't clear. The steering box on the 2003 is 53 inches from back of engine to the front of the steering box. I think the 53 is only 20 something inches. The cab will go right on..... the front left fender will not.

The cab swap to later model chassis is done all the time, maybe not by the folks here, but very common. Grinders, cutting torches welders are your friend. Maybe swap your chassis for another more friendly one. Maybe this thread needs to move over to the HiPo Forum.

I put a 52 willys truck body onto a 1989 E350 chassis. Doing a body swap is the easiest way of getting what you want. If there isn't room, make room. Cut what you have to out. Once everything sits the way you want it to then go back and add metal so it looks clean. I'm assuming you have the skills of doing this.You will be your worse critic in this situation. Now I have a rat rod 52 pick up truck with a 460 in it with the ability to pull anything I want at whatever speed I want to go and be able to stop with 4 wheel disc brakes. The only thing I wasn't able to do is keep a radiator under the hood, it's in the bed now.

Detailed pictures of what you're trying to do is helping but as stated above there's only one real way to go about your particular situation and that's to dive in.

Camdg2010 It will be a real dog !!

Fixite7 is that good or bad?

If you want to do any highway driving it will not keep up with traffic and you will be very disappointed. From what you are wanting to use your truck for a chassis swap makes the most sense. That way you'll get the whole package, suitable drive train, brakes and suspension.

John

If you find a two ton truck, bolt on front wheel bearing covers, you can replace the spindles/hubs with P3500 HD, etc. disc brake units, build your own Delphi(Saginaw) power steering unit, find a D-80 or D-70 disc brake rear axle with matching wheel bolt pattern to handle increased loads and speeds, then just need to find a suitable engine/trans to work.

There are full width front fenders for ‘41-‘47.1 GMC trucks available(I have two sets) if one wishes to go that way.

Ed

Find another chassis that will work, not a COE and build it on that or find a different cab that fits your chassis.

Do a web search Shane's Big Bertha '57 Chevy LCF which is built on a chassis like yours...he did a fantastic build blog...stretcher the cab into a 4-door and he pulls his 5th wheel camper.

Mike B

Camdg2010 Not much power,bad my 1948 dump truck is a dog,with 8000 lbs. of white rock on it's not very fast. I can get it home spread it on the drive and keep from scooping gravel,which is the main thing !!

I think it will go better after the engine and transmission swap. I've already got a 4.56 rear axle in it. So that brought it up to 55 tops. It's got power brakes. So I just need more giddy up! I think a sleeper build would be sweet! All stock and original on the outside.... till you step on the gas!