47-55.1 V8 Swap

[Jemezcrusher]

So, I rebuilt my 1950 3100 and kept the 235 that was in it. Dual exhaust, dual carbs, offenhauser manifold, etc. While I like the "original style" I am really itching for more power.

I put in a T5 S10 tranny and a 8.8 ford rear. Heidts front crossmember and manual rack and pinion

I have decided to pull the 235 (will be for sale) and drop a 350 in there to increase the fun factor. I plan to use the original bell housing and bolt the new power plant to existing equipment.

I have the original steering column connected by double D to the rack and pinion.

I am trying to determine which headers are most accommodating for my plan.

Any recommendations appreciated

Jemez

[leegreen]

you can't use the 235 bellhousing, it bolts to engine differently

[R&B51]

I get it! Doing a full Corvette engine and drive line in mine BUT
You could always get crazy on a six.
Check out mick53 engine build on this site just for fun and genuine amazement!

[fauXGT]

A 350 is what I'm installing, but I have installed the 'Flat Out Engineering' C4 suspension system. Keeping the stock column, but relocated the mount on the firewall to center the wheel to the driver, rather than closer to the the drivers door. More for a 2 passenger bench than a 3. That pushed the rack end of the column further away from the engine. It still restricted the space from the frame for exhaust. A 70 C10 drivers rams horn fits on drivers side being it cuts inwards towards the engine block leaving 1.5"+ space to the joint, but a straight dump passenger is what clears the starter and frame and I cannot remember what year/make rams horn that is. I'm switching it up to make it look more old/stock and trying to fit early 60's Vette ram horns to be able to mount generator style alternator to the manifold. The new Vette manifolds are also 2.5" not 2" exhaust, so don't know if it's going to work.

[dsraven]

you may be able to use the stock v8 bellhousing from a task force truck or one of the cars. it needs to come from a vehile that uses the bell housing as the rear engine mount. this would hold up the rear of the engine if you have kept the stock crossmember behind the engine. thenyou would need to fab up some front engine mounts that would bolt onto the front face of the engine, like the v8 task force trucks used. this is all if your heidts crossmember allows the engine to fit at that height.
here is what the task force front engine mounts look like, they bolt to the cross member at the front of the engine bay and to the front face of the engine block
https://www.classicindustries.com/product/556038.html
this is what the v8 bell housing looks like, notice the ears for the rubber mounts. they used this style up to the mid 60's trucks, 66 I think, but not sure if they are all the same
https://www.ebay.com/itm/17591013103...BoCLCYQAvD_BwE

[dsraven]

post up some pics of what you have for room under the hood and what you have for steering shaft configuration etc to work around. there may also be some length dimensions between the water pump and fan to work with

[nvrdone]

If you are going to run the stock front straight axle, do not remove the frame cross member that goes under the bell housing and between the springs. Removal may cause the frame to flex in ways that you dont want.

[mr48chev]

You need the Taskforce bellhousing and a 54 Crossmember makes things simpler although you can do a couple of mods to the 50 crosmember to get the mounts to fit.

Edited because I assumed rather than totally read the question the other night.

When I bought my 48 in 1973 it had a 194 Chevy II six and Cast iron V8 bellhousing and the stock 3 speed that jumped out of second gear. All I know about the crossmember mods is that they had done some torch and stick welder modification to it. Basically set the bellhousing with mounts on the crossmember and figure out what mods you need to make and do the changes. The job will be more tedious than hard. It wouldn't have been hard for me when I was 27 and getting the truck ready to go to the 1973 NSRA street rod Nationals in Tulsa but now at 77 sitting under the truck cutting and welding on the crossmember would be a challenge.

You should be able to make a pattern off the V8 bellhousing and mounts that you can hold up against the crossmember for a basic idea.

Use the stock clutch linkage including the fork.

Front mounts are your choice and I think that there are mounts that work with that crossmember pretty well. They shouldn't be that hard to fabricate if you are up to the fabricating. That calls for show and tell photos from the folks with the M II front ends showing and telling how they did their small block mounts or where they got them.

[dsraven]

fellas, he has installed a heidts cross member with a manual rack already. not trying to make anybody look dumb but it is in the first post. I do the same thing, read it but forget it by the time I have read the other posts and mulled things over in my head. lol.
jemez, any more updates or pics for us?

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by dsraven

fellas, he has installed a heidts cross member with a manual rack already. not trying to make anybody look dumb but it is in the first post. I do the same thing, read it but forget it by the time I have read the other posts and mulled things over in my head. lol.
jemez, any more updates or pics for us?

I was sick with that bug that is going around is my excuse, I'll go back and edit that post but but it is still get the Task Force V8 bellhousing, modify the crossmember so the mounts will sit on it and then front mounts of choice. Plus exhaust of choice.

[nvrdone]

Ok, I missed that. Must need new readers !!!

[jweb]

Typically a short header that dumps at the rear is your best option to avoid the steering. I used these manifolds and didn't need to add an extra joint to the steering shaft.

[Grey beard]

I'm also using similar cast manifolds in the picture. It has an indent at the down pipe that allows for the steering shaft clearance. There is the same manifold but with a tie bar between the exhaust ports that eliminates the problem of the heat shrinking the distance between the ports.

[dsraven]

jemez, c'mon man, chime in. we all have your truck half built already, haha
bench racers.......
a few pics would sure be nice. would love to see your project.

[Jemezcrusher]

Sorry guys. Have been out of pocket and am digesting options. I will have to take some pics, but if I can't use the stock bell housing and have to find task force one, I may as well get a mid 60's bell housing and go with new cross members for the motor and trans.

This is going to be a next winter project. I am currently finishing up a tremec install in my 55 210 and my brain has already transitioned to the next project. Trying to do some research so I can get parts and pieces gathered

[dsraven]

nice looking truck you have there
if you just wanna use a modern bellhousing, easily available, and build modern side engine mounts, also readily available, and some type of header system, readily available, that is pretty straight forward stuff. if you get time just check out some of the other AD builds here and see how they have been put together. some use urethane "bushing" style engine mounts, some use a stock GM engine mount for a newer vehicle etc. you can buld a new cross member that supports the trans at the rear, like a more modern set up, and trim your old cross member so the engine/trans has clearance. I have recommended to some builders that they support that area with a temp cross member and then cut a section out of that old cross member and reshape it as required to make it so the drivetrain has clearance and the section can be bolted back in after the drivetrain has been removed/installed. that way the frame is still supported in the cab mount area and also remains the same dimension. exhaust can be a set of headers or a stock style exhaust manifold. since you have a new cross member from heidts you have a little more clearance where the stock steering box was but you need to consider how the steering shaft will clear the engine mounts and the exhaust parts. having a manual rack makes it easier for all this.
anyway, good luck with the 210. you are lucky enough to have a couple of great old vehicles.

[Jemezcrusher]

I did make a crossmember to support the T5 and would have to see if that works, or if I would need a better set up. The frame is boxed in from the front crossmember to the firewall so side mounts built to the frame would be a preferred method than an under motor crossmember Appreciate the advice

[dsraven]

on a task force frame I did the whole frame with boxing, front to rear. for a support for the trans cross member i used a length of 3/16 flat bar welded to the frame rail and the square tube cross member has a matching flat bar flange on the ends that allowed it so merely sit on the frame flat bar on each side. I left it long so that if the trans changed and needed a different spot for the cross member to fit it had lots of room. the square tube cross member was simply bent so it had a low spot under the trans and it had a piece of formed sheet metal welded on that allowed the trans mount to fit on top and be accessible to allow the auto trans oil pan removal. it was actually built a bit low so the trans mount could be shimmed up if needed to get the driveline angle dialed in. this allowed exhaust pipes etc to be run without interference. for engine mounts I used camaro clamshell style mounts bolted to the engine and made some frame mounts that bolted to the frame and also to the engine mount through bolt. that way the frame pieces could be unbolted completely for easy engine install and removal and also maintenance situations.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Jemezcrusher

I did make a crossmember to support the T5 and would have to see if that works, or if I would need a better set up. The frame is boxed in from the front crossmember to the firewall so side mounts built to the frame would be a preferred method than an under motor crossmember Appreciate the advice

Meaning that you have already removed the crossmember under the bellhousing or is it there and do you intend to use it? This goes back to the "did I miss a point somewhere and he did something different" thing.

Removing that crossmember without boxing and or reinforcing the frame causes the weight of the cab to push down on the brackets that hold the cab up to the point that the they twist the rails and the cab sags, Major cauise of stock frame hood doesn't fit on trucks that were built several years ago.

[Grey beard]

Here's how I built the frame brackets for the motor mounts Used mid 60's Chev engine mounts. Made a dropped transmission mount out of 1 1/2 .250 wall tubing with a bolt in center section for easy transmission removed.

[leegreen]

nice truck jemez and nice frame grey beard

that frame, have you considered the issue mr48 raised of the twisting affect of the cab mounts?
The original cross member under bellhousing was substantial and lined up fairly close to cab mounts.

I added a 2nd square tube crossmember that drops under the bellhousing and picks up the same bolts as hold the cab mounts to frame.

[mr48chev]

That one is boxed back far enough that if he puts the brackets back on it shouldn't be an issue but he might want to add a support pad the right thickness on top of the rail that catches the weight while the original bolts hold it in place.

[Jemezcrusher]

More to think about. Maybe the universal mount crossmember would provide more frame stability

[dsraven]

once you have your drivetrain and exhaust in place, thinking of a cross member while you do this, you could easily fab up a removeable cross member kinda like how the original cross member looked like, that could be bolted in where the old cross member rivets were.

[dsraven]

as a heavy duty mechanic I can tell you the removeable cross member idea is common. it keeps the frame rails width apart dimensionally correct. sometimes I would cut a length of 2x4 to use as a wedge to get the frame rails spread apart a bit to remove/repace the cross member and get the bolt holes lined up. anyway, just saying don't write off the idea but also think about the cab weight tending to spring the frame rails when the support from the original cross member is gone.