Modern chassis and engine for 63 shortbed

[aboz]

can someone tell me of a modern chassis that would pretty much be ready to roll under a 60-66 series shortbed? I've heard the mid to late 80's Blazers were a perfect fit but these are getting harder to find. Also, it may be blasphemy but has anyone ever fit a more fuel efficient Honda or Toyota engine and drive train in a mid 60's Chevy truck? maybe a better fit would be a modern four cylinder Chevy engine? I'm going for fuel efficiency here not horsepower! Anyone experienced in these matters?

[Joey~AP]

Ive mated a 66 truck to a 77 Blazer chassis, but it werent easy.

Look in my sig.


Rice burner in a 60-66?

Prepare to be stoned!

[Rogue]

Maybe you need this.....
http://www.innovationretrokits.com/

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by aboz

Also, it may be blasphemy but has anyone ever fit a more fuel efficient Honda or Toyota engine and drive train in a mid 60's Chevy truck? maybe a better fit would be a modern four cylinder Chevy engine?

"Get your people back and heads down. This is gonna be a big one."

(Apocalypse Now)

[protrash64]

This isnt NASCAR......

[jchav62]

There's really not much difference between a 63-72 to chassis compared to what you call "modern". The biggest difference in the earlier years is brakes and power steering. You can easily adapt power disc brakes and power steering to the original chassis. Our truck have independent front coil spring suspension, which many newer ones still have, plus we have trailing arms and coils in the rear. Many people convert leaf spring suspensions to a trailing arm or a 3 or 4 link suspension. Our trucks already have a pretty dam good setup. If I were you, I'd convert your original chassis to power disc brakes/power steering...rather than doing a complete swap.

As for the Yamaguchi power plant...I'll have nothing to do with that! You got a lot of huevos asking about that over here...Don't you want your truck to have huevos too???

[MacAttack]

The point of these restorations - most of them anyway, isn’t fuel economy.

If I didn’t have the original 2-barrel carburator intake for my ‘283’ or it wasn’t in good shape - I’d have just gone with a small, modern four-barrel. Mine’s going to be a 25 mile per day (round trip) daily driver and at about 200 horsepower (at best) I didn’t want to go any more "pansy" than it is.

Not saying a good 230 straight six with a 1-barrel isn’t as economical as you can get (because that’s what was in my C10 before it got ripped off), but honestly - pushing that kind of weight, the poor ol’ girl wasn’t exactly greased lightning coming off a green light at an intersection.

Truth is - if I keep my foot out of it, the ‘283’ V-8 might get just about the same MPG as the ‘230’ Straight-6. We’ll see - once the new motor’s broken in.

The main point in all of this is that an electric motor could probably be adapted to drive my truck, but personally - I like being an old school throw back. Well, that and my pick-up has the aerodynamics of a Kenmore.

Mac.

[jchav62]

Another powerplant to consider is a TBI 4.3 v6 or even a TBI 350. These will give a little better fuel economy and there still American...heck they're still CHEVY.

[joe231]

sorry, couldn't help myself..................

[TimE]

What you need to consider is these trucks need torque to get them moving.

In all actuality, a decent 350 can get better gas mileage than a smaller motor dependant on your setup. I once replaced a burnt up 305 with a stock 350 in an old Camaro that I had and picked up about 4 miles per gallon as a result.

[Hipper]

smaller does not meen beter milage. I once had a 79 suburban with a 454 that got 14 mpg and couldnt sell it everyone wanted a 350 so I fanally swapped in a 350 and it got 12 mpg after that but 2 weeks later I sold it. You have to have enough motor to pull the weight and lack of aero. Just my 2 cents stick with a well tuned engine and add p/s and disc brakes if you want.

[jason65]

A Honda or Toyota motor in our style of trucks = a flaming bag of crap on your door step.

[Captainfab]

Keep the original frame, swap in power discs, power steering, and add a modern GM power train such as a 5.3 with a 4L60E. This would be a nice to drive truck with classic styling and get decent mileage.....as good as you're going to get with a 2 ton brick.

Honda or Toyota engine.....

[kizer]

I know its off topic a bit, but Just like My Jeep TJ. It has a 4.0, but the popular swap is the modern Hemi which gives it tons of extra power, but oddly enough the motor weighs aboug the same or just a hair lighter. The motor barely has to work to move the body and gives you "tons" of power and great gas milage. Sounds like a beast too. To bad I can't afford it, but anyways.

I have a Factory 66 car motor in my 65, but I also have a 89 Rebuilt 350 sitting on a stand that I havent decided if I'm going to commit to as of yet. I'd almost bet the 350 weighs pretty close to the 250 with all the added benifits of the extra two cylinders. Give it a good tune up and required top end and you'd have a decent motor.

With these trucks just like other hobbies vehicles its not about the gas milage anymore. Realiability, power and well good looks is what I think of half the time. Of course they might not all fall into the same package all the time, but sometimes you have to pick one of the three and tweak until you do.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by kizer

Reliability, power and well good looks is what I think of half the time. Of course they might not all fall into the same package all the time, but sometimes you have to pick one of the three and tweak until you do.

True dat!

Also - in these economic times, it's nice to know that you can open the hood and be able to work on (or screw up - in my case) your own stuff, versus the case of a new Caddy, where you open the hood to view a 6-foot wide plastic cover contraption.

At least if I mess my stuff up I can always get you guys (and the NAPA store) to help me get it running again - as long as I go to Wal-Mart and get those darn pics.

Mac.

[kizer]

Ah come on man. Don't be a hater.



I don't even know what I'm looking at either.

Even better
http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/0/J/9/1/ag_08sts_engine.jpg

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by kizer

Ah come on man. Don't be a hater.

[63Belair]

I didn't see if you were attempting to go with a 4-wheel drive frame for the conversion you have in mind. I think the easy solution for a 2-wheel drive is to just swap out the front end with a 77-80 2-wheel dr. 1/2 ton and use the later rearend also. If your looking for 4-wheel, the Blazer swap would be the way to go.

[aboz]

Wow!...seems I touched a nerve! OK so the chasis swap is a pipe dream...I don't have the bucks to do it anyway. It's pretty solid as is. Don't go gettin' all riled up you asphalt chewin' horsepower junkies because I love the look of my straight six all decked out in Chevy Orange like it is. There just has to be a way of getting 24-30 mpg. out of her. I'm not planning to install power steering but I did buy a power brake booster and a dual master cylinder. Install set for this month. I am however keeping the drum/drum set up. They too will soon be painted Chevy Orange. I bought a beautiful set of five lug Corvette Rally rims w/ raised white letter BF Goodrich T/A's. If that ain't All-American red neck for you, I don't know what is! Pix will be posted next week.

[ChiefRocka]

Originally Posted by Joey~AP

Ive mated a 66 truck to a 77 Blazer chassis, but it werent easy.

Look in my sig.


Rice burner in a 60-66?

Prepare to be stoned!

Originally Posted by Rogue

Maybe you need this.....
http://www.innovationretrokits.com/

Originally Posted by MacAttack

"Get your people back and heads down. This is gonna be a big one."

(Apocalypse Now)

Originally Posted by joe231

sorry, couldn't help myself..................

Originally Posted by jason65

A Honda or Toyota motor in our style of trucks = a flaming bag of crap on your door step.

Seriously......as mentioned, you can make it more economical...just keep it GM !!

[TR65]

Hey aboz,

I drive back and forth to work with a 6.2 litre 435 horse LS3 chevy motor and the average mpg today was 23.6. I am putting a 6 litre in my truck and expect to get over 20+ mpg. So you need to do three things.

1. Get a modern chevy LS motor, as someone mentioned 5.3L or bigger the better. They can be had cheaply, there are so many of them.
2. You have to slow the motor down. That requires an over-drive transmission like a T56 manual. You need the engine to run about 1300 rpm in high gear at 70 mph. (Our stock truck gearing is not suited to today's highway driving). With the high torque you can put put around in high gear at 45 mph.
3. Keep your foot out of it. (Actually I put my foot in it once per day, minimal hit on mileage)

Good luck with your truck!

TR

[19GMC63]

Originally Posted by jason65

A Honda or Toyota motor in our style of trucks = a flaming bag of crap on your door step.

[1Bad62Pro/Street]

Originally Posted by aboz

Wow!...seems I touched a nerve! OK so the chasis swap is a pipe dream...I don't have the bucks to do it anyway. It's pretty solid as is. Don't go gettin' all riled up you asphalt chewin' horsepower junkies because I love the look of my straight six all decked out in Chevy Orange like it is. There just has to be a way of getting 24-30 mpg. out of her. I'm not planning to install power steering but I did buy a power brake booster and a dual master cylinder. Install set for this month. I am however keeping the drum/drum set up. They too will soon be painted Chevy Orange. I bought a beautiful set of five lug Corvette Rally rims w/ raised white letter BF Goodrich T/A's. If that ain't All-American red neck for you, I don't know what is! Pix will be posted next week.

Your new bud.....part of the hazing process. Ha Ha......

You got to be broke in.
Sounds like you just want a cruiser. What's your trannie hooked on that inline 6? Maybe you need a Powerglide Trans!

[19GMC63]

why a powerglide?
A 700r4 or a T5 or any other OD tranny would be the ticket for him.

[Captainfab]

Originally Posted by 19GMC63

why a powerglide?
A 700r4 or a T5 or any other OD tranny would be the ticket for him.

X2.....an OD trans and maybe a little bump up in the rear gear should help the mpg's. Also you might look at upgrading the ignition system to a HEI. that alone should get you 1+ mpg....I have experienced that on a small block.