Suggestion on my 56 chevy truck built.....

[56ClassicTruck]

Hi all well I have 56 chevy truck that I had sences 1999 I am hoping to start working on this week its a long bed first thing I am going to cut in to a short bed here is a pic of the bed I picked up down the street from me, the guy made a trailer out of his 55 chevy truck. I gave him $500 for it needs work. And then I am going to cut front to put a 1978 camaro ln it....and the 10 bolt axsol as well. For the motor I have a 305 in it now... and I have a 350 GM crate motor that need to be rebuilt is it worth it?????? over the 305??.....for transmission I am not sheer what's in it now it has a D L1 L2?? run good....the camaro has a 350 and I got a 400 with it to so what tranny would you guys use??......



I also have 1993 Buick Road master Limited with a 5.7 and I don't now what tranny they come with but its has overdrive all low miles and work real good is this some thing that would be worth putting in my 56 chevy???????? any sugation for me???

[hotrodrookie]

Nice truck, looks like a good place to start, especially with the big back window. Make sure you get all your measurments straight cutting up that frame and welding it back together.
I don't know if I would bother with the Buick 5.7, they seem to be factory rated at 180 hp......
If it were me, and I had no other plans for the Buick then I would try and sell it and invest in a lt1 or even a newer ls engine.

[blackdiesel]

The buick should have a 700r4 tranny. THat's the tranny I would use if I planed to drive it at 65 mph or more. If I was just going to cruise around town I would stick with the 350 or 400. To bad the buick wasn't a 94 then it would have had a LT1 in it.

[56ClassicTruck]

the Buick only 180hp well man it sure runs well. And yes I what to drive on fwy any where!!! I didn't no it had the 700r tranny???? are they hard to put in???

how a bout the rear end or is the camaro better?? sorry if this questions are dumb I never don this before and just trying to get info don't want to waste my time and money and built it wrong. Looking to be headed in the right direction. Thanks you

[blackdiesel]

The rearends are probley both 10 bolts, check the gearing in each and measure wieth, to choose the right one. I would have thought the buick would have had a 350 tuneport in it in 93, but it might have had the 305 TBI which was the lower HP.

[56ClassicTruck]

Originally Posted by blackdiesel

The rearends are probley both 10 bolts, check the gearing in each and measure wieth, to choose the right one. I would have thought the buick would have had a 350 tuneport in it in 93, but it might have had the 305 TBI which was the lower HP.

THM700-R4 - 4 Speed transmission used in GM cars and light trucks with the 2.8, 3.1, 4.3, V6, Chevrolet built 305, 350 and 454 engines from 1982 to 1992.

4L60 - Early 1990's saw the 700R4 renamed to the 4L60, and "electronic" models were named 4L60E. 4L60 means 4 forward speeds, L = longitudily mounted (rear wheel drive). 60 is the strength rating (less than the 4L80

Some info I got today I think that the buick has electronic so I think I better stick with th400.

[blackdiesel]

They used the 700 behind their v-8's also even their 4x4's. They also made a 200r4. All 700's have a ele. lockup. I used the 4l60e in my38 coupe behind a LT1, and I like it better than my 700r4 in my 57. Fixen to pull the 4 speed out of dads 56 beliar and put in a 700, he has a 396 big block in it. It sounds like it wants another gear at around 65-70, so were going to give it one.

[56ClassicTruck]

Well here I go my project begins. my camaro tear down, my sub frame that I will use and the rear end to...... The motor in my truck now is a 305 and tranny is a th350, so I will rebuilt the 350 GM out of the camaro, and I will be useing the th400 tranny.

[56ClassicTruck]

Rearend

[hotrodrookie]

Are you planning on sandwiching the clip to the frame or grafting it?

[OrrieG]

You might get lucky on the engine, it looks like a crate motor replacement (Goodwrench valve covers).

[jjjmm56]

When you do your clip think about laying the stock frame on top of the camaro frame. This setup is so much easier than grafting . It took me 1 day to cut,align and tack,and then the next day welding and boxing and I did it by myself. Also doing it this way your motor and trans mounts are allready were they nee to be.

[56ClassicTruck]

Originally Posted by jjjmm56

When you do your clip think about laying the stock frame on top of the camaro frame. This setup is so much easier than grafting . It took me 1 day to cut,align and tack,and then the next day welding and boxing and I did it by myself. Also doing it this way your motor and trans mounts are allready were they nee to be.

JJJmm56, do you have any pic's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!any info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[56ClassicTruck]

Originally Posted by hotrodrookie

Are you planning on sandwiching the clip to the frame or grafting it?

Hotrod,I am not sher???? trying to get info.

[hotrodrookie]

Well theres more then one way to skin a cat, but I went with the "sandwhich" method of laying the extensions of the camaro clip under the framrails of the truck and welding them together. Alot of good info on how to do this method can be found in this thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ht=camaro+clip
Basically all your doing is measuring your original wheel base of the truck, cutting the front of your frame off, and welding the camaro clip under your frame with the same wheelbase as before.
The more time you take the happier your going to be with this. I wish i took a little longer when I did mine but it ended up working out just fine.
Boxing the front section of frame rail is always a bonus for strength and along the bottom of the rail allows you to tie the 3 different parts together with weld bead (camaro clip, framerail, and boxing plate). Im not sure what the wheelbase is on the camaro but if its close then you could possibly use the re-use the driveshaft

Also, as I mentioned more methods of madness, I personally dont have experience with grafting of these clips but I know several members on here do. It is more time consuming and takes alot more prep and thinking but in the end can give the frame a much more factory look to it.

Anyways, hope this helps, and let us know how it goes.

George

[56ClassicTruck]

Originally Posted by hotrodrookie

Well theres more then one way to skin a cat, but I went with the "sandwhich" method of laying the extensions of the camaro clip under the framrails of the truck and welding them together. Alot of good info on how to do this method can be found in this thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ht=camaro+clip
Basically all your doing is measuring your original wheel base of the truck, cutting the front of your frame off, and welding the camaro clip under your frame with the same wheelbase as before.
The more time you take the happier your going to be with this. I wish i took a little longer when I did mine but it ended up working out just fine.
Boxing the front section of frame rail is always a bonus for strength and along the bottom of the rail allows you to tie the 3 different parts together with weld bead (camaro clip, framerail, and boxing plate). Im not sure what the wheelbase is on the camaro but if its close then you could possibly use the re-use the driveshaft

Also, as I mentioned more methods of madness, I personally dont have experience with grafting of these clips but I know several members on here do. It is more time consuming and takes alot more prep and thinking but in the end can give the frame a much more factory look to it.

Anyways, hope this helps, and let us know how it goes.

George

Thanks hotrod good info looks like the way to go, I just bout the CD from limited but I think I my go your way.

[56ClassicTruck]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

You might get lucky on the engine, it looks like a crate motor replacement (Goodwrench valve covers).

OrrieG, Lucky????????????????Lucky I never get lucky what should I look for? the biock # 10066038...heads# 93417369...cam# Erson vflooh, Am I lucky????/ this the block # on my truck motor now#3970010.. what do you think?

[56ClassicTruck]

starting my tear down........................

[ChuckDriver]

Nice project! Keep the updates coming. I have a few pics in my thread that show the clip installed on my 57. I paid to have it done for me many years ago.

Good luck!

[blackdiesel]

I would look real hard at chuck's clip. It's the way I would want it, and if you were it sell it, it would make it worth more. I did my 38 coupe this way, and it's no harder than a lap job. Just takes alittle more planing.

[56ClassicTruck]

Originally Posted by blackdiesel

I would look real hard at chuck's clip. It's the way I would want it, and if you were it sell it, it would make it worth more. I did my 38 coupe this way, and it's no harder than a lap job. Just takes alittle more planing.

Yes I have read his post many time and the other on here, man this guys have some aussum projects I have read many of them before I got started, if it wasn't for this guys I may have not have started..............Thanks guys!!!!!

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by 56ClassicTruck

OrrieG, Lucky????????????????Lucky I never get lucky what should I look for? the biock # 10066038...heads# 93417369...cam# Erson vflooh, Am I lucky????/ this the block # on my truck motor now#3970010.. what do you think?

I'm probably the last guy to ask on which block and head numbers are the most "desireable". I usually buy running rigs with relatively low mile rebuilds and pull the motors, swap a cam if its stock and upgrade intake and carbs. Last motor I built from scratch was in 1973! Will be getting back into it with my 64 Chevelle 283 original engine. My comment was that it looks like it might be a low mile crate engine.

[56ClassicTruck]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

I'm probably the last guy to ask on which block and head numbers are the most "desireable". I usually buy running rigs with relatively low mile rebuilds and pull the motors, swap a cam if its stock and upgrade intake and carbs. Last motor I built from scratch was in 1973! Will be getting back into it with my 64 Chevelle 283 original engine. My comment was that it looks like it might be a low mile crate engine.

OrrieG, yes I toke the 350 motor apart and it looks like it had low miles on it just had blown head gaskets. here are some pic,s of them and the 302?? I was told it was a 350 when I bout it................