1963 C-10 SWB BBW Fleetside in NC

[bj383ss]

That is freakin awesome!

Bret

[1963c-10]

Thanks.....looks like the chrome is still under the covers or maybe polished aluminum. Haven't gotten that far, but I'll carefully strip them ans see whats underneath. Very cool they have the bowties on them. Has a period correct cast iron powerglide too...covered in 30 years of oil and grease and dust...will need pressurewashed and chemicals. Paid $500 for engine & trans....figured the engine alone was worth it complete if it was salvgeable. Alternator bracket couldn't be found, but no biggie. I do have the original AC coil and breathers still on and the original 4bbl carb. Kickdown linkage is there too.

[1963c-10]

All bolts look like they'll come out. Its actually in pretty good shape minus the grease, dirt and multi paint. I fell i got a solid deal.

I know people are shaking their heads...why a powerglide, but Ilike some of the nostalgic packages that chevy put together. So now I have a 2 speed auto big block truck and a 3 speed manual big block truck in the works. And both are factory combinations. Think I have big blok fever....

[TJ's Chevy]

Man!!!! Stop!!!! Yer making me wanna get a 348 or 366 for my truck now!!!! LOL! Nice engine!

[1963c-10]

Thanks. Theres a nice 427 truck tall deck block in our local craigslist now....guys says its running at 500hp.

[1963c-10]

Also got some parts in from Lyle to finish the tailgate off. Parts installed and chains on.

[bj383ss]

Man I've been studying the photos. That is just a cool engine. It even still has the warm up tube for the choke!

I looked on ebay and just about every 348 or 409 on there were going for over $5,000 and that is not even rebuilt. You stole that thing man. I can understand your reasons for wanting the powerglide but I just couldn't do it unless it was for racing only.

Look forward to seeing this baby all cleaned up and painted. It has a road draft tube setup I guess. How do you plan to run your pvc system?

Also T.J. if you want a 366 they made those until the 80's I believe. My grandpa had an 84' ex-Ryder moving truck that had one with a granny 5 speed behind it. It had mufflers right off the downpipes. I learned how to drive stick in it.

Bret

[bj383ss]

By the way those bolts u asked about are 1".

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Man I've been studying the photos. That is just a cool engine. It even still has the warm up tube for the choke!

I looked on ebay and just about every 348 or 409 on there were going for over $5,000 and that is not even rebuilt. You stole that thing man. I can understand your reasons for wanting the powerglide but I just couldn't do it unless it was for racing only.

Look forward to seeing this baby all cleaned up and painted. It has a road draft tube setup I guess. How do you plan to run your pvc system?

Also T.J. if you want a 366 they made those until the 80's I believe. My grandpa had an 84' ex-Ryder moving truck that had one with a granny 5 speed behind it. It had mufflers right off the downpipes. I learned how to drive stick in it.

Bret

thanks bret. still working out the details on the engine. it is a road draft style. valve covers can have breathers & pcv added or i can go aftermarket like the edelbrocks

[1963c-10]

Few more pics of the engine/trans. Got the carb off yesterday and the lift plate installed. Also pulled the water pump to see why it wouldn't turn. It will need replaced. Took of the thermostat housing also...no thermostat installed. Looks like the water pump / heater hose fittings been plugged off. So far engine looks great inside...look at the pic of the oil. Oil sample from the drain plug just as good. The two forward bolts on the top of the intake to the left of the passenger side thermostat are a/c bosses, so would have come with a/c originally.

Looks like, new gaskets, seals & bearings.
New fuel pump & water pump.
Carb will need rebuilt or replaced (original carb).
Would like to upgrade intake to aluminum.
New cam depending on visual once intake is off.
New plugs/wires/replace ignition parts.

Will know more once on the stand and oil pan removed and intake off, but if its as clean as the rest of the internals...I'll probably hold off on the machine shop for awhile.

Also some pics of the cast iron powerglide. Haven't solidified 100% what I'm doing on this end. Rebuild original, replace with a newer aluminum version, or upgrade to another trans. The only other trans I've ran behind a big block is a TH400 in my 69 chevelle ss 15 years ago. Interesting two piece bellhousing set up. Looks like most of the linkage is there.

[Jeff La]

I can't believe how clean the oil and engine looks. Might as well pop the heads and pan. If it still looks good hone cylinders put new rings and rod bearings and see how she does.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by Jeff La

I can't believe how clean the oil and engine looks. Might as well pop the heads and pan. If it still looks good hone cylinders put new rings and rod bearings and see how she does.

Kinda what I was thinking too. I'm going to try and make time to get the trans off tonight and get it on a rotating stand. I'd like to inspect the bottom end 1st to see what were working with. So far all signs look good.

[Jeff La]

Looks like a recent rebuild to me.

[1963c-10]

spent about two hours on it tonight. got the engine stand built for it. got a 1000lb stand that rotates on sale at harbor freight for less than $47, was cheaper than the 750lb stand on sale. was a coupon in the last hot rod magazine.

got the trans off down to the torque converter. pulled all 8 plugs with no issue. sprayed each cylinder down with sea foam. drained all the oil.....looked good, smelt sour, which was to be expected. plugs don't look to bad, but real info will be when pans dropped and intakes off. i'l drop pan with engine upright, then rotate onces pan free and completely drained.

it has a canister style filter, id rather have a spin on....so putting that on the list.

i dont want to turn flexpate to remove torque converter until cylinders have soaked good, so its on blocks with tension from the lift for a few days

[1963c-10]

Few pics from yesterday. Oil came out fine, no sludge or debris, but it has the old sour varnish/oil smell from sitting....the light color in the pic is sunlight.

A pic of the spark plug....rest look the same. Has the old green line AC plugs in it still.

And a few pics of the trans removal. I can assure you that if you've never removed a cast iron automatic.....they are heavy.

[TJ's Chevy]

One nice engine you scored! The insides I'll bet are gonna be in great shape!

[1963c-10]

I sure hope so TJ. Not prepared to shell out the bucks for another big block rebuild right now. Bearings & gaskets I can handle. The 348/409's are far more costly to build than a IV gen big block. So far so good though.

[1963c-10]

Interesting article from Hot Rod magazine on turning a stock 348 into a 437 w/650hp
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e..._engine_build/

Great if you have an extra $14,000 to spend

[markeb01]

Man that looks like the deal of the century. I remember helping my dad remove a 52 Olds hydramatic when I was a kid. That thing was heavy! And IIRC it had 32 bolts holding the torque converter to the flywheel. Back then we didn't have a flywheel turner so it was done one tooth at a time with a big screwdriver and a bunch of scraped knuckles!

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by markeb01

Man that looks like the deal of the century. I remember helping my dad remove a 52 Olds hydramatic when I was a kid. That thing was heavy! And IIRC it had 32 bolts holding the torque converter to the flywheel. Back then we didn't have a flywheel turner so it was done one tooth at a time with a big screwdriver and a bunch of scraped knuckles!

Thanks Mark. I'll get the cylinders resoaked again tonight with the sea foam. The 348 doesn't have a center bolt on the crank. (has three bolts that hold the balancer to the crank), so looks like I'll have to turn it by the flywheel. Its a new engine to me and I'm no auto trans guy, so that's new too. I've only had 1 automatic and that was a TH400 behind a 396 in my 69 chevelle ss back in the late 90's, but I don't think it was as heavy as the cast iron powerglide.

This engine has a two piece bellhousing which is kinda interesting. Also has no bottom access to the flywheel. It has a small cover that rotates left and right to allow access to the torque converter bolts. I'll see if I can get pics of it. Its between the starter and the block. Haven't come up with a contingency plan if for some reason it won't rotate off the flywheel. Downside is I can't get it on the rotating stand until the torque converters off. I believe the powerglide only has 3 bolts on the torque converter.

Hopefully the cylinders are good and the rings aren't rusted to the walls......will know in the next few days.

[1963c-10]

And according to my research on the 348/409 page....the cast iron powerglide is 245lbs w/o fluid

[rusty76]

Cool truck man. I've missed this one somehow. So now I have to watch.....

[aggie91]

Too Cool.

I like your approach on this one...

[bj383ss]

Man i hope everything inside is good. It would be awesome to put some fresh fuel and oil and fire it up!

Bret

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by rusty76

Cool truck man. I've missed this one somehow. So now I have to watch.....

thanks....it'll definitely be a work in progress. the stepside is on the back burner for 2 weeks before i get into the engine crossmember swap, so figured i'd play with the 348 for a little. got a nice rust free tailgate in for the fleetside today and the auto column should be here in the next few days.