Good engines/engine combos that are got in 3/4 ton 4x4 trucks? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

*FUNMUDDER* · 07-02-2005, 09:38 PM

Since no one replied in the 4x4 section, I guess I'll post this string of questions here.
What are some good engines/ engine combonations that are good in old 3/4 ton 4x4 chevy trucks? I would like to have a good deal of low-end grunt and a strong mid-range. I was thinking a 350 with a edelbrock carb and intake, some-sort of a truck camshaft, cast-iron vortec heads, and ram horn exhaust manifolds.

But then there is another side of me that says big-inch motors. Either a 455 poncho, buick or olds, or a 472-500 caddy. I would like to know what you guys are running for engines and suggestions for what to build up or what engine to swap. Money will is going to be kinda tight (I think, depends what I get for the buggy and what I have to pay the old man out of it) I was planning on running a automatic tranny, if that helps any. Thank you for the replies. I'd really appreciate them.
-Jake

Pickemuptruck71 · 07-02-2005, 09:53 PM

No substitute for cubic inches, I've had small block and big blocks in 4 wheel drive trucks, nothing beats the low end grunt of a big block.

**Hart_Rod** · 07-02-2005, 10:29 PM

HOw about this:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=162602

Rob

*FUNMUDDER* · 07-02-2005, 10:48 PM

I WISH!!!!!!!!!!!!! 454 would be waaayyyyyyy too sweet, but also way too expensive!

REMEMBER:MONEY WILL BE TIGHT!!!!!

mrein3 · 07-03-2005, 11:58 AM

Buy one with a 350 in it. Remove the 350 and make it a 383. I love mine.

*FUNMUDDER* · 07-03-2005, 03:38 PM

yeah, ive been thinking of that, but machining prices around here are outragous. It cost $200 dollars at a local machine shop to bore out a 2-cylinder John Deere engine block!
NEED SOME MORE SUGGESTIONS!!!!!!!!

**tnblazerk5** · 07-03-2005, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUNMUDDER

yeah, ive been thinking of that, but machining prices around here are outragous. It cost $200 dollars at a local machine shop to bore out a 2-cylinder John Deere engine block!
NEED SOME MORE SUGGESTIONS!!!!!!!!

hey what kinda john deere you got ?

and i plan on going with a 366or427,np465,205 in one of my 4x4s

TP from Cntl PA · 07-03-2005, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUNMUDDER

yeah, ive been thinking of that, but machining prices around here are outragous. It cost $200 dollars at a local machine shop to bore out a 2-cylinder John Deere engine block!
NEED SOME MORE SUGGESTIONS!!!!!!!!

2-cylinder blocks are harder to machine because of the long stroke with requires some specialized(AKA homemade tools/knowhow) to get the job done. A SBC would be alot less!

What 2 cylinders do you have? I currently have a '49 A that I am going to punch out pretty soon for aluminum pistons, and I also plan to install '20/'30/New Generation fenders on it and a M&W Live Hydraulic system with a Charlynn P/S unit. I grew up running 2-cylinders everything from unstyled A's to 630's, Although when I started on my own I went to IH

We lost our rented ground last year to homes and now I have JD, IH, and Oliver's ready to go when I find some more lang

*FUNMUDDER* · 07-03-2005, 09:17 PM

We have kind of an old JD tractor. It is a 48-52 model B wide front with a 3 point hitch? It looks like a factory add-on thing by the the bars were perfectly bent, or someone had a really nice shop to work in. It runs good, she is bored over .125 and has a freshly rebuilt engine. It will be up for sale in a little while. It needs paint and decals, but it looks good with faded green and yellow, and a little rust too! I was thinking of painting my truck (If i get one) JD green with emblems/trim painted yellow.

*FUNMUDDER* · 07-03-2005, 09:19 PM

You gotta love that "putt-putt" sound. Its way too cool.

*wolfthing2000* · 07-03-2005, 09:22 PM

The 383 takes the vote! I would swear by this combo in a 4x truck. Seen em run in Jeeps too! Nothin can compare!

*FUNMUDDER* · 07-03-2005, 09:25 PM

TP from Cntl PA,
What exactly is a 6ATCummins engine? I've hear of 4 and 6 BT's, but never an ATseries Those4BT's are quite a engine for their size. My dad has one in his skidder, and that thing is a brute of a engine!

TP from Cntl PA · 07-03-2005, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUNMUDDER

TP from Cntl PA,
What exactly is a 6ATCummins engine? I've hear of 4 and 6 BT's, but never an ATseries Those4BT's are quite a engine for their size. My dad has one in his skidder, and that thing is a brute of a engine!

It is a 210 cube 6 cylinder............Designed by Onan for Gen-sets and built by Cummins(Cummins eventually changed a few items on the later ones like I have). It is indirect injected with glow plugs, but runs EXTREMELY smooth unlike a 6 or 4BT............Not to mention it will run up to 4000K without ruining anything. I went with it mainly because I wanted a 6 cylinder to fill the engine compartment, and I was told they smoke pretty bad.

Well, it sounds like a IH DT-414 at idle and mid-range RPM's, and if you crank it up so the Turbo is pushing alot of boost, it sounds like a BIG CAM Cummins on a hill in a OTR tractor

Not to mention it looks like a steam engine

I will have a LONG post shortly on here about the project...........

72MARIO · 07-03-2005, 11:02 PM

383's are Awesome, My dad's got a 383 in his 73 3/4 ton. Pulls 2 tons really nice.

Robert1970C20rstbukt · 07-03-2005, 11:46 PM

You can't go wrong with a 350/SM465 or a 350/TH400 combo.

72 CustomCamper · 07-03-2005, 11:57 PM

If you want low-end grunt, I'd go with a diesel. When I got my 72 C/20 from my uncle he had installed an 86 6.2 diesel in it. Nothing but low-end grunt. And it got 22 MPG with a 4:11 rear...

Chuck

TP from Cntl PA · 07-04-2005, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72 CustomCamper

If you want low-end grunt, I'd go with a diesel.

Couldn't have said it any better

rwgregory · 07-06-2005, 03:40 AM

A few years back I helped a friend build what turned out to be one of the sweetest
engines ever for a 4x4. He had a '70 Chevy 4x4 van w/1-ton running gear. We built a
396 big block with:Edelbrock orig. Torker intake, 600 Holley double-pump, Crower Baja
torquemaster hyd. cam, minor headwork, Corvette exhaust manifolds w/2 1/4" pipe w/
crossover thru Hemi mufflers and a balanced lower-end. Also went w/low compression
flat-top pistons. This setup produced unbelievable low end grunt, decent idle, tire
smoke when you stomped on it, and ok to average fuel mileage on regular pump gas.
What more could a person possibly want??
rwgregory

*FUNMUDDER* · 07-08-2005, 09:53 PM

I think i will go with a souped sbc. easy and cheap to work with.
There aren't any sychronized granny-gear four or five speeds out there anywhere, are there?

Russell · 07-08-2005, 10:11 PM

NV4500 is a nice one, with overdrive too!

GMC AMI · 07-09-2005, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72 CustomCamper

If you want low-end grunt, I'd go with a diesel. When I got my 72 C/20 from my uncle he had installed an 86 6.2 diesel in it. Nothing but low-end grunt. And it got 22 MPG with a 4:11 rear...

Chuck

Not up here in Maine with out a heat plug in the winter. Any GM BB will do about all you ever would want. I have run 500, 472 455, 425,427 and 396 ci
motors in trucks and they would kick a** over all but the VERY expensive built 350's. Way less money for all that torque with all the GM BB's.
Like already said, there in NO replacement for cubic inch displacement.

Nice to see another Maniac on board!

*FUNMUDDER* · 07-09-2005, 08:48 PM

i've seen 455's and 500's pretty cheap in the local classifieds magazine, but i am a little weary about fuel mileage. You can't really beat a caddy engine, 495 ft lbs at 2600 rpm for a stock 500, but about 5 or 6 mpg. how bad are souped-up small blocks for fuel mileage?

GMC AMI · 07-10-2005, 05:39 AM

1982 GMC 3/4 ton with Caddy 1971 472 with stock 411 gears automatic fully loaded with an 8' heavy slate pool table and heavy factory fiberglass cap went on a round trip from the top of Maine to Southern Maine over 770 miles on 78 dollars of gas when
it cost an average 1.62 a gallon. Or simply put around 16 mpg! The great running 350 only managed 12 on it's best day! Caddy motors should have been for trucks, GM messed that one up IMO.

*FUNMUDDER* · 07-10-2005, 08:02 PM

You dont know where I can buy a flywheel for a Caddy so you can use a sm465 behind it,do you? Will a 455 flywheel bolt up, or some other flywheel?

GMC AMI · 07-11-2005, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUNMUDDER

You dont know where I can buy a flywheel for a Caddy so you can use a sm465 behind it,do you? Will a 455 flywheel bolt up, or some other flywheel?

If I knew that it would already be mine.

They are about as rare as the correct bellhousing, Caddy, Buick, Pontiac or Olds for a standard. Most do not have a large enough center hole. For automatics they have an adapter plate for around 80 bucks. IMO you would have to find an old diesel (Oldmobile) that came in a Chevy 4x4 truck. I found one many years ago and mounted a 425 BB Olds right in a 79 chevy short bed truck with the Olds mounts bolted right on the Chevy towers. GM even had the extra holes in the towers for it. It was the easiest swap I ever did. There is a Lakewood bellhousing for an Olds that will work if you have 350 bucks for it. What part of the other Maine do you live in?

07-02-2005, 09:38 PM	#1
FUNMUDDER Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 427	Good engines/engine combos that are got in 3/4 ton 4x4 trucks? Since no one replied in the 4x4 section, I guess I'll post this string of questions here. What are some good engines/ engine combonations that are good in old 3/4 ton 4x4 chevy trucks? I would like to have a good deal of low-end grunt and a strong mid-range. I was thinking a 350 with a edelbrock carb and intake, some-sort of a truck camshaft, cast-iron vortec heads, and ram horn exhaust manifolds. But then there is another side of me that says big-inch motors. Either a 455 poncho, buick or olds, or a 472-500 caddy. I would like to know what you guys are running for engines and suggestions for what to build up or what engine to swap. Money will is going to be kinda tight (I think, depends what I get for the buggy and what I have to pay the old man out of it) I was planning on running a automatic tranny, if that helps any. Thank you for the replies. I'd really appreciate them. -Jake

07-02-2005, 09:53 PM	#2
Pickemuptruck71 Coast 2 Coast in 61 mins. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canton, Illinois Posts: 33	No substitute for cubic inches, I've had small block and big blocks in 4 wheel drive trucks, nothing beats the low end grunt of a big block. __________________ 69 C20 71 C10 40 over 454, AT, 3.08 gears 71 Demon 340, 4spd, 4.56 gears 70 RoadRunner 440 6pack, 4spd, 4.10 gears 99 Dakota R/T 360, AT, 3.91 gears

07-02-2005, 10:29 PM	#3
Hart_Rod ************* Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 17,854	HOw about this: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=162602 Rob __________________ Rob - https://www.instagram.com/hart_rod_c10 As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Man Sharpens Another. Proverbs 27:17 FOR SALE: DBW pedal bracket - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=651123 FOR SALE: Hood Brackets http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=679945 1987 Silverado SWB - 34.5K original miles http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=801834 1969 SuperBurb - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=200387 1968 Farm truck - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=358692 1968 SWB - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=551258 1948 Chevy - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=122164&page=3

07-03-2005, 11:58 AM	#5
mrein3 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Center City, MN, USA Posts: 3,253	Buy one with a 350 in it. Remove the 350 and make it a 383. I love mine. __________________ '70 cab, '71 chassis, 383, TH350, NP205. '71 Malibu convertible '72 Malibu hard top Center City, MN

07-03-2005, 11:02 PM	#14
72MARIO Registered User Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Huntsville Ontario Canada Posts: 4,052	383's are Awesome, My dad's got a 383 in his 73 3/4 ton. Pulls 2 tons really nice. __________________ 1968 Suburban numbers matching all original truck now equipped with 6.0/4L80 on Accuair http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=625017 1967 C/20 6.0/4L80 Roofing Truck 1990 V2500 Suburban "Plow Truck" 2005 TAHOE DD

07-02-2005, 10:48 PM	#4
FUNMUDDER Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 427	I WISH!!!!!!!!!!!!! 454 would be waaayyyyyyy too sweet, but also way too expensive! REMEMBER:MONEY WILL BE TIGHT!!!!!

07-03-2005, 03:38 PM	#6
FUNMUDDER Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 427	yeah, ive been thinking of that, but machining prices around here are outragous. It cost $200 dollars at a local machine shop to bore out a 2-cylinder John Deere engine block! NEED SOME MORE SUGGESTIONS!!!!!!!!

07-03-2005, 09:17 PM	#9
FUNMUDDER Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 427	We have kind of an old JD tractor. It is a 48-52 model B wide front with a 3 point hitch? It looks like a factory add-on thing by the the bars were perfectly bent, or someone had a really nice shop to work in. It runs good, she is bored over .125 and has a freshly rebuilt engine. It will be up for sale in a little while. It needs paint and decals, but it looks good with faded green and yellow, and a little rust too! I was thinking of painting my truck (If i get one) JD green with emblems/trim painted yellow.

07-03-2005, 09:19 PM	#10
FUNMUDDER Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 427	You gotta love that "putt-putt" sound. Its way too cool.

07-03-2005, 09:22 PM	#11
wolfthing2000 Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,276	The 383 takes the vote! I would swear by this combo in a 4x truck. Seen em run in Jeeps too! Nothin can compare!

07-03-2005, 09:25 PM	#12
FUNMUDDER Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 427	TP from Cntl PA, What exactly is a 6ATCummins engine? I've hear of 4 and 6 BT's, but never an ATseries Those4BT's are quite a engine for their size. My dad has one in his skidder, and that thing is a brute of a engine!

07-03-2005, 11:46 PM	#15
Robert1970C20rstbukt Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Beeville, Texas Posts: 1,943	You can't go wrong with a 350/SM465 or a 350/TH400 combo. __________________ RJD 1984 Chevrolet C30 welding truck 454/SM465 1977 GMC C15 pickup 350/TH350 1970 Chevrolet C20 pickup 350/TH400 1970 Chevrolet K20 Suburban 454/TH350 1969 GMC 8500 478M V6/5 spd winch truck

07-03-2005, 11:57 PM	#16
72 CustomCamper huh ??? Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Fredericksburg,Va. Posts: 3,369	If you want low-end grunt, I'd go with a diesel. When I got my 72 C/20 from my uncle he had installed an 86 6.2 diesel in it. Nothing but low-end grunt. And it got 22 MPG with a 4:11 rear... Chuck __________________ 90 Blazer Silverado 350w/ 700R4 and 32" Kelly's "I am a bomb technician. If you see me running try to keep up!"

07-06-2005, 03:40 AM	#18
rwgregory Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Chula Vista, California Posts: 495	A few years back I helped a friend build what turned out to be one of the sweetest engines ever for a 4x4. He had a '70 Chevy 4x4 van w/1-ton running gear. We built a 396 big block with:Edelbrock orig. Torker intake, 600 Holley double-pump, Crower Baja torquemaster hyd. cam, minor headwork, Corvette exhaust manifolds w/2 1/4" pipe w/ crossover thru Hemi mufflers and a balanced lower-end. Also went w/low compression flat-top pistons. This setup produced unbelievable low end grunt, decent idle, tire smoke when you stomped on it, and ok to average fuel mileage on regular pump gas. What more could a person possibly want?? rwgregory __________________ rwgregory 67 GMC 2500 ,2w/d wide box 305 V-6, 4-speed

07-08-2005, 09:53 PM	#19
FUNMUDDER Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 427	I think i will go with a souped sbc. easy and cheap to work with. There aren't any sychronized granny-gear four or five speeds out there anywhere, are there?



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07-08-2005, 10:11 PM	#20
Russell Professional Grade Join Date: May 2003 Location: Fort McMurray, Alberta Posts: 7,915	NV4500 is a nice one, with overdrive too! __________________ 1995 Chevrolet 2 Door Tahoe (6.6L LBZ Duramax / ZF6 / NP241 with 1 ton solid axle swap)

07-09-2005, 08:48 PM	#22
FUNMUDDER Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 427	i've seen 455's and 500's pretty cheap in the local classifieds magazine, but i am a little weary about fuel mileage. You can't really beat a caddy engine, 495 ft lbs at 2600 rpm for a stock 500, but about 5 or 6 mpg. how bad are souped-up small blocks for fuel mileage?

07-10-2005, 05:39 AM	#23
GMC AMI Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: The Other Maine! Posts: 2,236	1982 GMC 3/4 ton with Caddy 1971 472 with stock 411 gears automatic fully loaded with an 8' heavy slate pool table and heavy factory fiberglass cap went on a round trip from the top of Maine to Southern Maine over 770 miles on 78 dollars of gas when it cost an average 1.62 a gallon. Or simply put around 16 mpg! The great running 350 only managed 12 on it's best day! Caddy motors should have been for trucks, GM messed that one up IMO. __________________ 1968 Chevy 4x4 307 4 speed

07-10-2005, 08:02 PM	#24
FUNMUDDER Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 427	You dont know where I can buy a flywheel for a Caddy so you can use a sm465 behind it,do you? Will a 455 flywheel bolt up, or some other flywheel?

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