1963 C-10 SWB BBW Fleetside in NC

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by aggie91

Too Cool.

I like your approach on this one...

thanks, still working out alot of the finish details for exactly what i want. i've pretty much narrowed down drivetrain and am trying to replace or fix the lost, missing or obviously broken stuff. goal is to get it running, stop, steer and will figure out the body work down the road. some stuff like the frame i'll do now while steering columns not mounted and cab can be lifted so i don't have to do a frame off down the road.

id like to add the 60-61 chevy bed trim as its always been such a cool look. i'll trim out the windshield, back cab, sails and gmc side window trim....same as the stepside. color is still up in the air and the rims and tires from the stepside will get put on.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

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

Bret

popped the plugs back out and another coat of sea foam down the cylinders. tried to see if i could rotate it with a screwdriver off the flexplate by accessing where the starter mounts. the "w" blocks have a unique starter mount. the top bolt comes through from the backside and the starter is threaded in 1 boss. no luck. wouldn't budge but a split hair. i think some more cylinder soaking for a few days since our temp just dipped 40* for the next 2 days and i'll try again. no center crank bolt to use.....its a 3 bolt mount. and cant mount it on the stand until the torque converters off.

[Jeff La]

If it gives you a problem of coming free I would try some kroil. Another trick is to boil some water and pour it into the water side and warm the block then try to turn it over, if you can get the block warm enough it will free it up.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by Jeff La

If it gives you a problem of coming free I would try some kroil. Another trick is to boil some water and pour it into the water side and warm the block then try to turn it over, if you can get the block warm enough it will free it up.

I'll try the kroil out. My grandfather used to soak the cylinders w/marvel mystery oil. I'm in no rush, so I don't mind if I need to try a few things so I don't cause any damage.

The temps went from the 70's - 80's into the 30's - 40's for the next few days. So I'll keep soaking the cylinders until it warms up some.

With the two piece bellhousing you can't get a flywheel turning tool on it either.

[1963c-10]

Have heard of guys putting the starters on and hooking them up remotely to a battery and try bumping the engine.

So far, only real noticeable issue is a broken distributor hold down bolt that will need drilled out and retapped. I'm fairly sure it'll turn, just being stubborn. From what I can see inside the cylinders through the spark plug holes, the cylinders and pistons look pretty clean. Oil was clean, but varnish smelling. Heads were super clean. No water was left in the block. I flushed through the thermostat housing with a hose (no thermostat was in the block) and it flushed clean. No water got into the oil.

[Jeff La]

I have used the kroil on a few tractor engines with great success. I just put some in the cylinders and rock it a little and leave it sit. Do that for three or four days and they usually break free. You could try a strap wrench on the balancer.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by Jeff La

I have used the kroil on a few tractor engines with great success. I just put some in the cylinders and rock it a little and leave it sit. Do that for three or four days and they usually break free. You could try a strap wrench on the balancer.

thanks again....i'l give it a shot. had considered a strap wrench last night

[1963c-10]

Picked up a chain wrench at lunch today. I'll soak the next few nights and when I return from out of town fri-sun I'll give it a shot and see if I can get it to rotate. Figure the balancer would be the best place to try with. So far all bolts have come out real nice and no problems.

[1963c-10]

Pulled the plugs again. I keep reinstalling to keep the engine sealed up from the bees, I have around 30 fruit trees, so we have a healthy bee population) around here. Soaked the cylinders again. I have attached some pics of the crank pulley w/the three bolt mount and no center bolt on the crank. I've also attached a few pics of the flywheel access cover that is built into the block. It has an aluminum cover over it thats dimple to fit into the recess in the block and swivels on a bolt. I pulled the driver side exhaust manifold and theres a lot of broken pieces of carbon. At this point, I think I'll pull the heads to avoid dropping any debris into the cylinders. It'll give me the best look at the cylinders also and the crank should turn freely once the heads are off, so seems like the best choice. I'd rather play it safe than sorry as a replacement block is not super easy to find.

[1963c-10]

Found a pretty cool intake for the 348's.....bet the linkage would be fun to figure out.

[TJ's Chevy]

AWESOME!!!!! You gonna do a 6 pack?

[1963c-10]

I have considered it. Been doing a lot of research on the stroked 348. They use a 4.00 stroke crank and different rods and get 434 cubic inches out of them. There seems to be a lot of talk on the stroked 348's-409's with the 454 cranks. Have read a few articles on several different sites.

Really would like a cross ram intake...they just look so cool.

[1963c-10]

Back from camping trip a day early due to 36hrs of solid rain. Had a nice stack of boxes waiting.

Got factory auxilliary springs and mounts in, cpp auto trans tubular mount and another small box of misc missing pieces.

[1963c-10]

Not much done on the fleetside today. Spent most of the day on the engine for the stepside. Did get the 4 rear bumper bolts ground off so I could remove the mangled brackets. Got another coat of rust preventative on the auxilliary brackets and some on the frame where they will mount.

[WhippinSaw]

[QUOTE= Figure the balancer would be the best place to try with. So far all bolts have come out real nice and no problems.[/QUOTE]

I had the same problem with my 327 SBC, I mounted a harmonic balancer remover (3 bolts) on the damper and put a large crowbar between the bolts extruding out from the tool to turn the engine

[1963c-10]

I've considered that. When I pulled the exhaust manifold, there was a lot of old carbon that had fallen down during transport. I need to blow out the cylinders at the very least before I decide to turn it over or it can fall into the cylinders. Block has been soaking for a week and I think its time to soak the valve train also before trying again at the crank. I'll keep it updated on progress. Lately all work has been on the big block for the stepside. Will pull the old 6 out this weekend.

[1963c-10]

Also picked up a set of the rare 60-61 bed trim. Have windshield trim also and working on the GMC window trim set too. Will do the same cab trim as the stepside and add the side/bed trim too.

[TJ's Chevy]

Making progress! I'm thinking of maybe doing a 366 or 409 for the 64 if I decide to restore it...and if I wanna make it more unique I'm gonna find a 351 GMC V6..and if I really wanna go nuts I'm gonna put in a cummins 5.9.

[1963c-10]

I'd steer away from the 366 and the truck 427....I've just heard always a pain in the rear to get performance parts for. The 409's are incredibly scarce and getting $5k for a core engine on evil bay. Even the 409 guys go for the 348's when they cannot find the 409's. The 348's are starting to dry up also though....especially since production was so short. If you were to go the 4th gen route....I'd go 396 over a 366. Plenty of parts available and building cost just slightly over a SBC V8

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

I'd steer away from the 366 and the truck 427....I've just heard always a pain in the rear to get performance parts for. The 409's are incredibly scarce and getting $5k for a core engine on evil bay. Even the 409 guys go for the 348's when they cannot find the 409's. The 348's are starting to dry up also though....especially since production was so short. If you were to go the 4th gen route....I'd go 396 over a 366. Plenty of parts available and building cost just slightly over a SBC V8

Yeah I know the feeling...I've looked up some stuff and parts are getting scare...hotrodding my 292 has been draining my wallet dry. lol But the performance is worth it...imop. Yeah at first I was thinking of a 396...then was thinking diesel..not sure.

[1963c-10]

Another oddball GM engine I considered was the old buick straight 8 and the buick nailhead. Both cool looking engines and parts seem to still be available.

Too bad your not closer, I'd give you the old 230 that's coming out this weekend. I'll find a good home for it though, seems to be an increasing number of guys wanting them. And its an unmolested & nonrebuilt engine. I don't really have the room to store another right now. And if I went the 6cyl route again, I'd probably go 292.

[TJ's Chevy]

Yeah..It would be a neat engine! Shipping would be a kill...LOL! But...I have 3 straight 6 bangers so I don't think I should get anymore.

[1963c-10]

I may just crate it up and save it for a future project. Too early to make decisions on it. There was a guy around a hour north of me that had 3- 366 big blocks for $300 each. I can get you his contact info if you want.

[1963c-10]

Was able to get a few coats of rust prevention down on the old steel shroud while moving the stepside under the carport to prep it for the engine swap. The product was still drying when I took the pics, so it looks a little grainy in the pics.
Decided to put the steel shroud in the fleetside since I'll keep the 348 just a little more stock looking. Won't have as much chrome/stainless/polished aluminum. I want to keep it closer to factory w/the painted parts and factory style steel fan. I'll run my stainless AN lines as its just what I prefer, but it'll be a fun build either way.

The shroud has cleaned up nicely, and just trying to figure out what I want to do for finish. Really considering getting some Raptor liner and the sprayer for it.

[TJ's Chevy]

Those old shrouds remind me of those big tin 55 gallon drums cut down to a fan shroud! LOL! Nice work.