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I have a 48 chevy truck I am working on and want to pay tribute to the gentleman I bought the truck from while incorporating my own style and things I want out of the truck. I have had the truck since 1995 bought from my step grandfather who retired from John Deere as a mechanic and then went on to be a small engine mechanic. Long story short here is my plans for the truck. (Parts I already have)Suspension mustang 2 from chasis industries, Engine 305, Trans turbo 350, Rearend 78 Camaro. The body of the truck will be painted John Deere blitz black. I will use steel smooth wheels painted john deeer yellow. the truck will have a monochromatic look as everything but door handles have been filled and shaved (grill black,bumpers black, you get the picture) Interior metal will be painted antique john deere green. door panels and headliner in black as well as seat recovered in black with john deere patch in center. Any suggestions will be helpful. My goal is to build a budget minded old style streetrod type of truck using the john deere type of theme in an unusual way.

Sounds like you have a plan!! I would recommend something besides the 350 turbo tranny since your going V8. Find a 700R4 or some other one that has overdrive, or lockup as some call it. You will be glad you did. I drove my 37 for several years before I got fed up with high revs and sorry gas mileage. I love the 700 I put in it a couple years ago. Just my opinion.

I have a 350 in a 58. I use a TH350 and it works well with 3.08 gears. I assume you plan to change the rear end. My 58 had 3.90 gears original. Running a 400 transmision and the old rear end causes the gears to be turning much faster and may fail due to high revs. Lots of options for rear ends that have higher gears.

Or, use a T350 with lock up converter.

Why would using a TH400 make the rearend fail? It has the same final drive as a TH350 and even the stock transmission used in most old GM trucks, 1:1. Even running an overdrive gear won't make a difference, as the idea behind an overdriv isn't higher speeds, but reduced engine rpm at any given speed. Besides, those old Eaton HO33s are pretty tough. I've ran mine at 75 mph + in overdrive, no issues at all.

In 58 the sped limits were 60, today 70-80. With the overdrive and the lower engine rpm, you will be pushing that higher speed limit. Without the overdrive and/or higher gear rearend the higher engine noise tends to keep your speed down, the psychological effect. I agree that at a given speed the rearend turns the revs per minute and only the engine speed is lower by using an overdrive.

In 1958 the speed limit in Tennessee was 65, on 2-lane roads, and everybody ran 75-80 or more every chance we got. That included stovebolt cars, and more than a few trucks. I've seen 100+ on the speedometer of my 58 Chevy 2-door sedan with the 235 3-speed many times. When I put the 61 Corvette 283 in it, it would really get up and go, and that was with a 3.70 rear end and relatively low-profile 14" tires. The main speed-limiting factor on some of these old trucks is drivers who don't have the C.O. Jones to mash the loud pedal.
Jerry

I am confused, who is C O Jones?

It's a typo - Should be C. A. Jones, not C. O. It's spanish for Heuvos.

As much as I love going fast, I would argue going fast in an old truck doesn't take balls so much as a lack of prudence. I'm as much or more on edge driving 70 in my truck as I was doing 160 in my RS6.

In aviation they say, "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots"

"Cajones"- - - -drawers, as in "chest of drawers"

"Cojones"- - - -testicles.

Jerry

I stand corrected sir. Mi espanol es no bueno.

I was just messing with you. i get bored sometimes.

QUSTION, Should we be driving the A.D. trucks over 65 mph with original suspension and steering? In my 53, and it's all pretty new up front, It starts to shake a little bit past that and I have P235 70R 15 tires on all 4 wheels. And they are speed balanced.