The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre Do It Yourself (DITY) Gallery 1936 Chevy Lowcab - "New to Chevy Trucks"

1936 Chevy Lowcab
"New to Chevy Trucks"

Hello all,

I'm a lifelong car enthusiast, and have owned quite a few over the years that I wish I still had, as I'm sure nearly everyone can relate to. I've had two Mustangs, a Camaro, a Formula Firebird, a '35 Ford 5 Window, and I currently still own a '52 Chevy coupe project. I've worked on cars since my teenage years, but got more heavily involved in building motorcycles. I did a good deal of my own fabrication work, including building tanks, fenders, exhaust systems, seats, and lots of small brackets, mounts, and adapters of various sorts to make things work.

Life then took me a different direction and I took a hiatus from both bikes and cars for a number of years. I started getting the itch for a car again a couple years ago and began casually looking. I've always liked traditional hot rods and led sleds, and even antiques in stock form. I was looking for a car, but trucks started getting more and more of my attention. I finally found a '52 Chevy truck that I was interested in buying, but I didn't act on it quickly enough. I continued to search for another one.

Then I saw a friend of a friend's '38 and I couldn't get that truck out of my head...that is until I started looking at the '36's. After a couple years of looking at, and considering, quite a few different cars and trucks of various makes, models and years, I kept coming back to a '36 Lowcab, so I began searching mostly for that specific truck. To sum this all up, I finally purchased one this summer.

The truck is an older restoration, driver quality vehicle. Not perfect by any means, but nice enough for me. I was hoping to find something that already had an engine/driveline swap, but everything I came across was either a street rod type of restoration (not really my thing), or was out of my price range.

So I settled on a stock truck, thinking perhaps I'd be satisfied with it as-is. It's definitely a lot of fun to drive this old girl around, but it's quite limiting only being able to do 45-50mph. I want to drive it further, and do it safely without getting run over, so a driveline swap is in the plans. I'm reluctant to do this, as part of me hates the thought of taking apart a good working vehicle, but I really want to spend more time behind the wheel going longer distances. I'm going to have lots of questions for you guys. I'm completely new to antique Chevy trucks, but I've learned a good bit already.

I do have a 350 engine that I've had for years, and also a Ford 9" rear that just happens to be the correct width. But I'm not so sure about the SB Chevy swap. It would be the most economical since I already have it, but it I'm thinking more about a 250 or 292 to keep it an inline 6. That's a lot more interesting! I don't need, nor want, a speed machine. I just want an enjoyable truck to drive. Don't need a mustang II, or power steering, or anything fancy. I just need a bit more speed. I want to keep it a manual transmission, so I've already picked up an S-10 T5.

I've already learned a lot from this site, so thank you all for that, and thank you all in advance for any future help and advice!

Here are a few more pics of the truck.

I picked up what I believe to be a pretty good find. Original 1959 motor out of a Chevy wagon that got an LS1 swapped in. It was allegedly running and being driven up until the swap took place. Everything checks out. Block casting, serial number, 848 head, and valve cover looks like a '59. It does look like it has been running somewhat recently, as plug wires are good, points look clean, etc.

Will go through it to determine what it may need before it goes in the truck, but at a bare minimum some cleaning and fresh gaskets for sure.

Great find. Congrats and one step closer to that "driveline swap" you mentioned.

With the low position of the water pump on the 1959 235 (as compared to your original engine), you may need to consider relocating the pump to the higher "truck" position to get the most out of your fan alignment and air flow through the radiator for proper cooling.

Here's a previous conversation referring to a fellow Bolter and his "water pump" relocation plate that helps solve that problem which may be of interest in your future plans.

There are a number of other such conversations on the topic, but most deal with installing later 235's into trucks newer than your '36. Since your install of the 1959 235 into the 1936 truck might be a bit different, you may want to post a question about the water pump relocation in the Engine Shop.

Thank you for the reply! The water pump issue was already on my radar due to the long shaft on this engine. May have to do the relocation as well as a shorter shaft to fit in the 36. I've read other posts about folks moving the radiator forward, but there really isn't much, if any, room on to go forward on a 36. Certainly not as much as later trucks. That's one of the reasons I ruled out a 292 swap. The 235 seems more "right" anyway.

One thing I'm going to have to look into is a front motor mount plate, and whether i can put one on this engine. It has the side car mounts on it now. If that's what I have to use, then so be it, but may be easier to use the existing front crossmember if I can.

I believe I recall seeing previous conversations about modifying the existing front plate on that 235 to change it over to use the front plate to frame mount.

Let me give that thought a chase and see if I can find more on that.

Here is one of our older "Tech Tips" on the subject Front Motor Mount Conversion.

I think this is what you need to "modify" your existing front plate. Once you have done the modification, you will need the complete single front mount assembly (hopefully your existing one is reusable) and that too is another step closer in your plan.

Excellent! Thanks for the link!

Just wanted to mention, I had a great day today. I took my maiden voyage in the '36 with the "new" 235/T5/Colorado drive train. It's been a lot of work, but it paid off. It wasn't a real difficult procedure, but not just a drop-in swap either, having to go from a 207 to a 235. All my fabricated "make-it-work" brackets and modifications seem to be working perfectly.

I was little concerned about running the stock radiator and the earlier small fan, but today was low 90's and it ran at 180 all day. Well, at least according to my gauge. Not sure if it's perfectly accurate, but I think it's accurate enough. I'm sure pre'68 Dave's pump relocation plate is helping as well. I was also somewhat concerned how the Colorado rear would work with the offset yoke and compound driveshaft angles. Happy to report no issues whatsoever with that. There is no vibration or anything that would even indicate there would be a problem with that.

It's pretty satisfying putting a '59 motor into a '36 truck with an '86 transmission and a 2012 rear, and just going down the road working like they were meant to be together. Now I can do more than 40mph and actually go places and enjoy this truck. It still looks, sounds, feels, and drives like an old truck, but now just a little more reliable and faster.

Many thanks to everyone here who helped me along the way. I went from zero knowledge of these old trucks and engines to zipping down the road in mine today. If I tried to name everyone who helped me out, I'd surely miss some people, so I'll just say a big thanks to everyone who answered any of my many posts and private messages, and/or sold me parts that I needed.

I will be sending in another donation, as the help I've received here is greatly, greatly appreciated. I should have updated my project page along the way, but I will add info and pics slowly. Maybe I can now help someone else with a '36-earlier swap.

Congrats - Glad to hear you're back on the road turning heads! Lots of knowledge here and everyone is happy to share it - I'm also thankful for that.

Awesome! Lets see some pics of the rig, back in action.

Here it is at one of our stops today...the ice cream stand. Minus the hubcaps. Kept them off so I could check lug nuts while out on the road. Maybe went a little overkill, but stopped a few times to go over some things. Bolts, looking for leaks, etc.

Tried to post a little video but I couldn't upload it.

Excellent and I could not agree more about this community - it was essential for my project as well.

Sweet !

Very nice looking. Here’s to many fun times. Glen

Videos cannot be uploaded as they take up allot of space on the server. You can post it to youtube then link to them.

Fantastic looking truck, congrats!

RB - It's an outstanding looking truck and so glad you got it on the road!!!

Would love to see a bunch more pictures of the various aspects and stuff that makes up your truck. It could be an inspiration for other Bolters to hit the giddy-up pedal on their projects and join you out on the road.

Thanks Phil and Dan. Will be adding more pictures of the project, with comments and notes. Would here be the best place for that? Or start a Project Journal post?


On a different note, I forgot to add that the 3:73 gears work perfectly with my T5. First and 5th are both perfectly usable. I used 5th much more than I thought while driving around. My transmission has 3.76 first and .72 fifth.

Also have not a single drop of any fluid under the truck yet. I actually have an oil tight stovebolt. At least for now.

Here's the best place for your continued posting for now RB.