The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Looking for advice and suggestions on engine/trans

I'm considering updating my 41 gmc, No engine right now( actually there is a 216 sitting in it now) what are the advantages and disadvantages of using a v-8 over a l6, I have a 270 gme that is stuck at the moment that need to be rebilt. I
have heard some say they wixh they stayed with a 6 instead of the 8. What transmission choices would I have with the 270 and what standards would work with the 8. Putting an 8 into a 41, would it be a tight squeeze that I might regret? Suggestions Please. Dave

You can dress that 270 to look like the original motor, but it will have much more power. They are great motors and I love the one I have. Swapping to a 270 will mostly just require putting mounts and linkages back to stock.

Installing a V-8 means crossmembers and exhaust complications and who knows what all else. I did a '41 but it was more than 30 years ago so I'll let others say what it will take.

As for transmission choices, if you are thinking Chevy V-8, or any GM V-8 for that matter, your transmissions options are basically the same for either motor. Any manual transmission that will work with a V-8 can be used on your 270 and modern type automatic transmissions can be adapted to the 270 also.

You need to decide what you want for the final product. Look around at both this forum and other truck forums as see what others have done. You will eventually decide what you want. Whatever it is, go for it! Good Luck and stay warm up there.

I've been all over the place with this thing, stock to hotrod, back to stock, don't know, probably won't know for sure until I do take it apart, that will be after I retire, hopefully 6-8 months from now. I want a manual transmission, I don't want to brake the bank, do they make mustang 2 front ends for the art deco trucks? Dave

Stay FAR away from the M-II IFS system. It drops the nose down to the ground, and there's nothing that looks worse than a stovebolt with a droop snoot! If you want independent suspension, there are several options that will keep your ride height closer to original.

Just one old geezer's opinion! Your mileage may vary!
Jerry

Jerry, Thanks for the opinion, I don't like that look either what are the other options you are talking about? Dave

I'm about to graft a mid-70's Chevy Nova front frame and suspension system onto a S-10 rear frame, and fit a 1954 cab and bed to the later-model running gear. Your frame and cab will be a bit narrower, so the Nova frame stub might not be an option. One thing I like about that approach is that front end geometry, steering system, and engine/trans mounts are all integral with the frame, and engineered by GM to work with the small block V-8. I definitely believe a multi-million dollar corporation's engineering department is probably more qualified to do the design work than some backyard wrench jockey.

My engineer brother (who has a PHd in plasma physics) does computer modeling of new-design parts for several auto manufacturers, where the part is designed and run to failure with a computer program before the first prototype is built. He can predict a part's lifespan very accurately before it's ever manufactured. His consulting fee for that service is $1,000.00 PER DAY! How many aftermarket suspension parts vendors pay their "engineers" that well?
Jerry

Hotrod Lincoln:

I'm confused...are you using the '54 frame with an S-10 rear, or the S-10 frame and swapping the Nova subframe onto the S-10 frame?

Sounds like a lot of extra work as opposed to simply using the entire S-10.

best of both
hot rod an L6
gas only goes UP
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h298/1951otter/?action=view&current=10A-1.jpg

Small block Chevy / Auto. trans gives you amazing number of options for power / performance / carb / fuel injection. Parts relatively cheap and available. Lots of room under the hood height wise, a little snug width wise. Should box the frame in the engine bay at a minimum, Mustang 2 front end fits well, Minor reshaping of floor boards, new trans cross member, new motor mounts.

The Nova is already set up for a small block V-8, and the suspension is a bit beefier than the S-10. There's a mid-frame weld in the S-10 which can be trimmed off easily and the rear frame can be adjusted in length to achieve any wheelbase necessary, then spliced onto the Nova front. The front engine mounts and transmission crossmember will be in exactly the right location on the Nova front clip to accomodate a smallblock/turbo 350 combination, and the Nova rear springs and rear end will adapt to the S-10 spring mounts with a minimum of fitting.

I'll have a full-frame version of the Nova with stovebolt sheet metal, and the heating/air conditioning system from the Nova should adapt to the 54 cab with a little creative ductwork. Sort of a resto-rod, with modern running gear, and GM did most of the suspension and steering engineering. All I've got to do is make the sheet metal fit. I'm not terribly impressed with the S-10 front suspension, as it's intended to carry a V-6 and a lighter-weight body. We ran the Nova body and subframe on the asphalt tracks for a lot of years, and it performed exceptionally well at very high speeds and suspension loading.
Jerry

I recently faced the same issues with my '42 chev PU... I put a rebuilt .030 over '60 235 in mine mated to an S10 5-speed tranny through open drive. I also put in a rear with 3.55 ratio from a '70 Nova. That 270 you have sounds like a great choice for resto...I kept my stock frame... but put on power front discs.
As far as the MII IFS the previous thread on this issue is not totally correct...MII IFS front end's are only lowered if you use "dropped" spindles, most vendors offer stock height spindles which maintains the stock height. Good luck

I'd stick a large displacement straight six in it, and maybe upgrade to a better overdrive transmission. The T5 will do good up to about 330 hp if they're built up strong. That should have most stovebolts covered.

If you want an automatic, I'd recommend a 700R4. They're nice transmissions, with a nice steep 3.06:1 first gear ratio.

After having converted mine to a V8, I can tell you, the conversion is no fun. Literally EVERYTHING has to be modified. It's such a tight squeeze. Besides, my cool factor went down when I took out the stovebolt engine.

It really depends on what kind of driving you plan on doing. Personally I want my truck to run down the freeway at 70+mph and under 2000 rpm. The 270 might do that but I suspect the mpg might be a bit high.

i have a 54/3100/235 upgraded with fenton headers dual exhaust and dual carbs and t-5 trans 2.73 rearend and cruises at 65-70 under 2000 rpm. the only thing i would change is to auto trans if i lived in a big city with traffic. i was caught in a traffic jam in indianapolis and my thigh muscles were very sore the next day, btw i am 65. the issue is my son refuses to drive a stick shift and i assume he will inherit it as he is an only son. ron

what a woozy

My '68 Corvette has a big heavy clutch in it, and even in a couple miles of stop and go traffic, my leg gets awfully tired.

Lots of good advice here. However one point has been overlooked,and that is the final drive ratio,the rearend.By far the cheapest way to go to get good performance is to use a smallblock Chevy V/8,with the 350 being the most popular.Yeah you can beef up an inline six to run pretty decent but you will have an arm and a leg tied up in it.Next thing back is the trans. and I highly reccomend an overdrive unit be it a stasndard or an automatic trans.If you go with a 350 or 400 turbo,or a standard with a 1 to 1 ratio,you will need to go to a higher geared rear,something like a 3:08.Whereas with an OD unit with an output of roughly .75 to 1 ratio you can pretty much use a stock rearend with lower 4:11 gears or so.This combination will give you a lot better MPG,and usually the first gear in an OD trans.is a real kicker for performance getting off of the line.In my 55 2nd series I am running a healthy 350 engine dumping into a 700R4 trans.and 3:90 rearend gears.This combination gets off of the line real quick and delivers 20 MPG all day long.As for problems on the installation that should just involve new motor mounts,and trans. mount which are available from the aftermarket suppliers at a reasonable cost. As for the M2 frontend I put the TCI unit in mine and I love it. Yeah it sits pretty close to the ground and rides and handles just great.I wouldnt have it any other way.

My MII IFS drops the front only 2" which is less than the rear with the springs under the axle. I believe the test of a quality front end is if you can make a U-Turn in the alley!