Just bought a 1965 C30...

[fhtagn]

...so I'm starting this thread to consolidate the questions that I will be asking, so as not to clutter the board.

I looked at a few trucks, and chose this one. It is rough, but it seems right...very right. I'm planning on making it a slightly impractical daily driver, first restoring it to functional, then to reliably functional and fun to drive. Low budget at first, picking up later.

A little bit about the truck: It is a C30 Cab on Chassis. I am going to sell the tank of a metal flat bed on there and put something else...maybe a flat metal/wood. The guy I got it from switched out the original front suspension for an '84 dually front, which gives me disc brakes, as well as setting it up for power steering. He also gave me a spare rear end that has 4.10 gears, so that I can replace the 5.14 to make it a little more drivable. He also gave me a 292 and what seems to be a NV4500 transmission. They are not installed.

A little about me: I haven't worked on an old vehicle since my dad was alive, when I used to help him restore old cars as his hobby, mainly old British things. I learn quickly, but I may ask what seem dumb questions.

Questions that I have:

1.) Would anyone have a link to a diagram of what the clutch linkage is supposed to look like, and the parts needed. There current state is a bar coming out of the firewall from the pedal, which seems to actuate smoothly. I seem to be missing the remainder of the assembly.

2.) Is there anything I would need to know about making it hook up to the NV4500? What clutch fork would I use? I seem to be missing that piece. Supposedly the transmission should bolt right up to that engine, with no mods needed except shortening the driveshaft.

3.) Would anyone recommend an inexpensive engine wire harness? I seem to be missing that.

4.) Would it be smarter to just sell the 292 and get a 454 and put that in? ..as that would be in my plans, I thought I would just get the 292 in there first and use the truck to pick up the parts I need for the 454, as I would just be getting a used one and reringing it, switching to naturally aspirated if needed, not building a street rod engine. Would it be easy to just pull the 292 and drop the 454 in its place? Would the NV4500 bolt to a 454? Would I need to get a certain version? I was leaning towards a gen VI for the roller aspect.

Thank you for your time.

Richard.

[f66]

Welcome, sounds like a great truck and project. I will take your first question about diagrams for the clutch linkage. Recommend you buy the 1963 Chevy truck shop manual. will outline all original options, I bought mine used on ebay for about 30 bucks.

[fhtagn]

A picture...the flatbed is sitting backwards, blocked up on 4x4's. It was the only way it would fit on the guys trailer.

[fhtagn]

Originally Posted by f66

Welcome, sounds like a great truck and project. I will take your first question about diagrams for the clutch linkage. Recommend you buy the 1963 Chevy truck shop manual. will outline all original options, I bought mine used on ebay for about 30 bucks.

Thanks. I plan on checking the Half Price Books by my house tomorrow; If I can't find it there, I will search eBay.

[DPowers]

Welcome to the site. Might try here for wiring harness.
http://www.wiringharness.com/

[bpmcgee]

Welcome!

Is the front of that flat bed shaped to match the cab? That's very cool, I've never seen one like it!

I would recommend getting it put back together and running with a setup that would have been factory -- it's much easier to get parts and information for an ORIGINAL style setup. That way you have the opportunity to get more comfortable with these trucks before you dive straight into the AP project of a custom setup. And you get a chance to drive it a bit and perhaps fine tune your plans.

B

[fhtagn]

Originally Posted by bpmcgee

Welcome!

Is the front of that flat bed shaped to match the cab? That's very cool, I've never seen one like it!

I would recommend getting it put back together and running with a setup that would have been factory -- it's much easier to get parts and information for an ORIGINAL style setup. That way you have the opportunity to get more comfortable with these trucks before you dive straight into the AP project of a custom setup. And you get a chance to drive it a bit and perhaps fine tune your plans.

B

Yes, the flatbed was supposedly put on the truck several months after the truck was originally bought! The front of it is shaped to match the lines of the truck pretty accurately.

I do understand the sensibility of returning to a stock setup, and so like your advice, but I am limited in my spending on this truck, and would need to sell the NV4500 to get a M20 that was original for the truck. I feel that I will be wanting the OD of the 5 speed, especially with the 4.10 gears. I am open to dropping the I6 back in it, it just seemed to me that purchasing whatever I need to get the I6 running again, and returning to an original setup, would be money possibly wasted, presuming that I intend on a 454. I've currently listed the I6 on Craigslist to see if it will sell for enough to get a running 454. If not, then the I6 will go in until I have funds for that.

I am slowly becoming attached to that flatbed, and may just clean it up and drop it back on. It seems like it was made for it.

[fhtagn]

Originally Posted by DPowers

Welcome to the site. Might try here for wiring harness.
http://www.wiringharness.com/

Thanks! That seems to match the price of other engine harnesses that I've seen, plus they have lots of other cool stuff.

[TJ's Chevy]

That 292 will have enough torque to haul that truck around....and you'd be Saving money. Remember that Chevy put 292's in C60's. I don't care how much people try to down those engines...they were stout and would do the job. Won't be a race motor, but it'll bolt right in with no mods needed being as it was factory. NV4500 will have a nice over drive to for better cruising.
If your mind is SET on a 454 than just do it now and don't waist time.

[Captainfab]

I would suggest installing the 454 and NV4500 now. The engine and trans will need to be moved forward. If you get a factory NV4500 bellhousing for whatever year the trans is and then convert to a hydraulic clutch, that will be the simplest. You will need to remove the original bellhousing crossmember and install a rear trans mount. That is what I will be doing with my '66 C30. I do make the hydraulic clutch conversions for the '63-'66 trucks.

[fhtagn]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I would suggest installing the 454 and NV4500 now. The engine and trans will need to be moved forward. If you get a factory NV4500 bellhousing for whatever year the trans is and then convert to a hydraulic clutch, that will be the simplest. You will need to remove the original bellhousing crossmember and install a rear trans mount. That is what I will be doing with my '66 C30. I do make the hydraulic clutch conversions for the '63-'66 trucks.

I do have a bellhousing on it, but I'm pretty sure it is an older one?

Are you stating that the engine will need to be moved forward no matter what? If so, due to firewall clearance? I've seen mixed information of whether it is a "bolt in swap" using the existing small block motor mounts, or whether firewall mods are needed.

Would the hydraulic clutch just be needed if the engine is moved forward? Could I just relocate the clutch linkage bracket on the frame to stay with the manual clutch? ...or would the geometry be too skewed? Would you have a link for the clutch kit mod you mentioned?

Thanks!

[Captainfab]

If you have a bellhousing on the NV4500, that is good. A NV4500 will not just bolt up to a standard GM bellhousing. All NV4500's have a hydraulic clutch, with either an external slave or a hydraulic TO bearing.

If a big block is not moved froward from the original engine location, firewall modifications are necessary. You will have a difficult time with making a mechanical clutch work on a big block due to exhaust manifold/header interference.

Here is a link to the for sale thread for my '63-'66 booster bracket with a hydraulic clutch conversion.

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=651200

Originally Posted by fhtagn

I do have a bellhousing on it, but I'm pretty sure it is an older one?

Are you stating that the engine will need to be moved forward no matter what? If so, due to firewall clearance? I've seen mixed information of whether it is a "bolt in swap" using the existing small block motor mounts, or whether firewall mods are needed.

Would the hydraulic clutch just be needed if the engine is moved forward? Could I just relocate the clutch linkage bracket on the frame to stay with the manual clutch? ...or would the geometry be too skewed? Would you have a link for the clutch kit mod you mentioned?

Thanks!

[fhtagn]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

If you have a bellhousing on the NV4500, that is good. A NV4500 will not just bolt up to a standard GM bellhousing. All NV4500's have a hydraulic clutch, with either an external slave or a hydraulic TO bearing.

If a big block is not moved froward from the original engine location, firewall modifications are necessary. You will have a difficult time with making a mechanical clutch work on a big block due to exhaust manifold/header interference.

Here is a link to the for sale thread for my '63-'66 booster bracket with a hydraulic clutch conversion.

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=651200

Nice looking kit. Is it possible to set this up without the power brake booster?

[Captainfab]

Yes if that is what you really want.

Originally Posted by fhtagn

Nice looking kit. Is it possible to set this up without the power brake booster?

[Brad54]

That bed is pretty cool! I think that'd look a LOT better than a wood bed.
You'll want power brakes and a dual reservoir master cylinder. That's a lot of weight to stop with no assist.

I know you've got your heart set on the 454, but you might consider a simple crate 350. It's a lot cheaper to get everything else you'll need to install it in your truck (exhaust manifolds, carb, pulleys, brackets, etc), and its factory, so you won't have to worry about motor mounts, exhaust routing, modifying the fan shroud, firewall clearance, etc etc.
I don't know what a stock 454 makes for power, but there are a gazillion options available for crate small blocks. And many of them are VERY inexpensive.
Keep us posted on the truck!! (Especially that bed!)

[fhtagn]

Originally Posted by Brad54

That bed is pretty cool! I think that'd look a LOT better than a wood bed.
You'll want power brakes and a dual reservoir master cylinder. That's a lot of weight to stop with no assist.

I know you've got your heart set on the 454, but you might consider a simple crate 350. It's a lot cheaper to get everything else you'll need to install it in your truck (exhaust manifolds, carb, pulleys, brackets, etc), and its factory, so you won't have to worry about motor mounts, exhaust routing, modifying the fan shroud, firewall clearance, etc etc.
I don't know what a stock 454 makes for power, but there are a gazillion options available for crate small blocks. And many of them are VERY inexpensive.
Keep us posted on the truck!! (Especially that bed!)

Good advice. Thank you.

...and yeah, that bed is starting to grow on me. It is shaped to the contours of the truck, and purportedly is as old as the truck itself.