1961 GMC engine decision

[63chevy4x4]

Im working on restoring a 1963 Chevy 4x4 but the cab was beyond repaire and I bought a rust free 1961 GMC 2x4 with a 305 v6 and hydramatic that I plan to take the box and cab off and put on my 4x4. my question is what do you all think would be best, puting the 305 and hydramatic in and redo mounts or have a GMC with a sbc?

[cetacean6]

305! Be original!
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[MusicMan70]

V-6er!

[61_FL_Apache]

Those V-6's are cool!!

[Andice]

I went to a lot of trouble to put a V6 back in my GMC. Somewhere along the line the original engine had been replaced with an I6. Keep the V6 - you'll be glad you did.

[jbgroby]

63chevy,

I have the exact same setup take a look see. Keep the Hydra-Matic, they are so rare, most folks think it a rumor

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2476...54402330doQPRY

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...54402330haALNv

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...54402330rzuLbc

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...54402330MBFGBN


Keep the V-6, can't be many in the car club.

[63chevy4x4]

Thanks for the imput!! Im gonna go with the V6, even though the pickup wont be completly factory being the frame is 2 years newer and I dont belive the auto came in a 4x4? please correct me if im wrong! it will be all period correct GM parts

[GMCNUT]

The Hydramatic is very expensive to rebuild if it needs it, and if I had a 4x4 I wanted to use as a 4x4 I would not recommend putting the Hydramatic in. There is a reason why GM didn't like to install automatics in 4x4's and one of those reasons is because you can tear them up easy, and the other is that an Automatic trans is counter-productive to what a 4x4 is intended to be capable of. Not sure what happened to the manual trans out of the 63? if you still have it, that is a better option for a 4x4 that will be used a lot off road.

The V6 engine is also incredibly expensive to build compared to the simple SBC and parts availability is next to zero by comparison. If you can run the V6 as is and not have to rebuild it, then go for it, because it is a lot cooler and a perfect workhorse for a 4x4 but if you have to rebuild it to use it, I'd seriously think about that. All depends on what you are doing with the truck.

Good luck!

[63chevy4x4]

The pickup had a 3 speed when I bought it, that ended up in the scrap. I have a couple SM 420 trannys I could use. It will be seeing little to no off road driving and very little pulling of any kind. No matter what route I take for an engine I want to have an auto tranny, while manuals are cool i get enough shifting driving truck on the farm haha. I have considerd that, that the hydramatics aare expensive to rebuild, are they worth much to sell? I also have a 305 v6 in a 67 GMC 3/4 ton 4x4 and a 401 ina 62 GMC tag axel tandem farm truck, expcet we only use it for hauling sticks and branches now haha. But they seem to be very stout engines and run very smooth unfortunatly there are no performance parts and very little stock parts

[Surfdaddy]

I have the same set up in my 61. I got a complete transmission master rebuild kit for $325, though I don’t know if that’s a lot compared to a turbo 350, or 700R4. The thing with the 61 Hydra-Matic is that there are no cooling lines you have to run (if it’s a 61 cast iron case) Not that it’s a big deal but it something. The engines are very tough and run like butter, very smooth and quiet, lots of torque. They just don’t want to be run at high RPM for long periods. The trans shifts a little hard though if you put your foot in it, with low gears. I have 410 posi in my truck. If you have it and it runs put it in now, if it breaks later you can either swap it out or if you like it rebuild or repair it then. As far as cost goes, I don’t think anything can beat a small block for building.

[padresag]

305 with a hydramatic would be a work horse. it would do whatever that you wanted to ask of it. you can get o/h kits for that hydramatic if needed
ron

[ole dollor]

is that the same trans. that olds. called the slim jim back in 1963? does any one know...

[padresag]

no it is the old cast iron hydramatic used in caddilac ,olds and others to 56 and in gmc trucks from 54-62
ron

[ole dollor]

padresag: i was not sure, the slim jim was a funny looking one also, thought that it might be the same...my mom had an olds. 88 back in 1963, it had a slim jim in it....thanks for the reply ...

[padresag]

Originally Posted by ole dollor

padresag: i was not sure, the slim jim was a funny looking one also, thought that it might be the same...my mom had an olds. 88 back in 1963, it had a slim jim in it....thanks for the reply ...

here is a picture of one. they stopped installing them with the truck 62 production year. there was a lot of changes then through out GM. this is when all of the cast iron trannies were ended and the aluminum ones were introduced. between the old hydramatic in cars was the jetaway(hydramatic) then came the slimjim olds-caddy and then the turbo-hydramatic 350-400

By rondavid at 2009-11-22
ron

[ole dollor]

thanks for the info...and the pic, thats an odd looking trans, but for the day i guess it worked good,