The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk modern starter for 54 3100 ?????

hi i have a 54 3100 with a 235 and a late model 4 speed manual (originally 3 on the tree) the car has been converted to 12v with a alternator. i would like to switch to a modern key or push-button starter instead of the floor starter. nothing wrong with the original starter but one i dont trust it (looks original) and two i would like to take this truck on long trips and want something new and reliable and which could be easily had at any parts store in case something happens. Are there any starters from any other year cars or trucks which would just bolt up, and how do i go about making it turn key or push-button? thanks allot!!!!

There's not really much in the line of choices, one thing you'll need to know is what flywheel you have. If the 12 volt conversion used the original 6 volt starter (not uncommon) then you will have the early "wide tooth" flywheel, the later flywheels have a different tooth patter/count and while interchangeable, only work with they're respective starters. So, what you'll need is either a starter from a passenger car 6 or Hydro-Matic equipped truck. These are the only ones that will bolt up to you're bellhousing, but they will convert it to a key switch start. Oh, and you'll need an ignition switch from a key start vehicle, too.
One question, are there any other reasons you want to do away with the foot starter other than the reasons you list? Those starter are really easy to overhaul, and are more reliable that what they put on cars these days (I know, I replace alot of them, including 4 on my own late model Blazer). i everhauled the one in my '55 for about $12 (parts and electrical cleaner), and it starts up every time.

well one problem i have with it is it grinds sometimes when i push in the foot pedal. and i really dont like the whole foot starter thing, and figured something newer would be more reliable. so would a rebuild of this original unit be better? could i convert this original unit to push or key start with a different selenoid?

Sound's like the ring gear on the flywheel is worn. The engine tends to stop in the same place when it's turned off and this area of the ring gear gets chewed up over time by the stronger metal of the starter gear. If this is the case, you will still have the problem after swapping out starters. The ring gear is a press fit and it can be taken off the flywheel with heat. You can flip it and reposition it so that "fresh teeth" will engage the starter gear or you can replace it with a new ring gear.

One of the nice things about the foot starter is that few of today's car thieves know how to start the truck.

There's no solenoid on the original foot starters, just the linkage from the pedal. As for the grinding, Laroke's on the right track, most likely the ring gear. You can chnage over to a solenoid type starter, but you will have to use one from a '54 or earlier passenger car or a '54 Hydro-matic truck, unless you change the flywheel to the '55-'62, then you could use starters up to '62 from passenger, truck Hydro-matic '55-59, or any truck '60-'62. I do beleive that napa has reman units, not sure about actual "new" starters though.

well this 235 seems to have a solenoid equipped starter:


Picture

hydramatics had a solenoid start but they will be tough to find.

Any more pics of the roadster? I saw a great 27 T roadster at last years Route 66 in San Bernardino. It had a 235 in it, very cool.

BTW, the starter on the roadster is from a later model 235. My 54 hydro has exposed solenoid linkage.

As Lonnie stated above the 1954 Chevrolet truck's Hydra-Matic's solenoid-equipped starter (it has a push button actuator on the dash) has an external engagement linkage .

Does anyone know if the engagement teeth on the Hydra-Matic starter are the same as on a regular 6v truck starter?

Tim

Your choices of solenoid starters are:

1949-54 passenger if you have a 6 volt flywheel
1955-63 passenger with 6 cylinder, 12 volt flywheel
1960-62 truck with 6 cylinder, 12 volt flywheel.

The foot starter is in my opinion one of the most reliable starters.

Also bear in mind that six volt solenoids are not particularly reliable at twelve volts, even though the six volt starter does well at twelve volts. You could change to a later flywheel and twelve volt starter to eliminate that problem, but I think the stomp starter is more reliable anyway.

The push button starter and the floor starter are internally identical. The only difference being the power is supplied by a small switch on the foot job, but the solenoid starter has a copper washer that makes the contact. There will be no advantage to changing to the solenoid thing, but if you insist, I have a '54 GMC starter that has been remanufactured with all new stuff that I will trade for a foot setup. I just like the foot thing, I think its neat. I'm also changing my Hydramatic trans for a standard shift one, again I think it's neat.

I nay be interested in that trade. I have a foot stomp starter from my 54 Chev 235 truck. I also have bellhousing, linkage and all else. I switched over from 3 spped to Hydramatic.