GM 336 V8 in my 1958 GMC 150 pickup ~ ISSUES????

[wamantqs]

Guys,

I've read a couple places where the 336 V8 wasn't a good decision for the pickup trucks; can anyone cure my ignorance on this issue? Also, does it play any part in the overall value of a truck with it? I really don't care as I love my truck but I never could understand why the guy sold me this truck so cheap; as it's run like a top for the past year. It's all or more than $20,000 from other sales I've seen and I paid half of that. I'm still waiting for the FBI to crash my front door it's got me so perplexed. Thanks in advance. Regards, Mike

[poncho_villa]

That is actually a Pontiac engine and GMC used to put them in their trucks back then. Nothing wrong with that engine other than sourcing out parts when it needs a rebuild. If you could find a tri-power intake from a '58 Bonneville it would bolt right in.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMC_V8_engine#336

[mr48chev]

As Poncho Villa said the problem isn't the quality of the engine but for many it may be the task of hunting down parts and paying more (a lot) than for most 350 Chevy engine parts.

From experience Pontiac engines are every bit as easy to work on as Chevy engines when you actually work on the internals. They have plenty of power if they are in good shape and have a good tune up. You just may not be able to run down to the local autoparts and get engine parts then and there without ordering them though.
If I were going to swap engines because that one was bad I'd put a later Pontiac right back in it. A mid 70's Pontiac 350, 400 or 455 would pretty well drop in without a lot of hassle and fool most onlookers when you popped the hood at a car show into thinking you still had the original engine all decked out in there.

[OrrieG]

If its working ok why change? 98 percent of these trucks without the original 6 have a SBC of BBC, mine included. I do it because I can buy a complete running truck for $500 or less, pull the running engine, change some gaskets to get rid of the oil leaks (usually replace the oil pump while I have it opened up), and sell the rest or the truck to recoup my investment. I hate to admit it but I have not rebuilt a long block in a long time, just cam, intake and distributor changes plus occasional oil pump or timing chain.

Be bold, stay stock and start looking for spares for when the time comes.

[G&R's57GMC]

This is the stock '57 347cu.in. Pontiac in my '57 GMC.

My '56 GMC has a '59 Pontiac 389 cu. in. punched out to 400 cu.in. with M/T valve covers and a Carter AFB.