Paul,
From this and your previous issues on bearings etc, it sounds as if you
are at a real decision point. If you decide to stay with the 235, you are
into it so far now that rebuilding is the only way to go. New cam bearings,
without question, if you replace the cam. The price quoted for crank work
and bearings sounds pretty good.
You haven't mentioned anything about the top end. A good valve job,
boring and honing, pistons and rings are probably in store. You can up the
compression a bit, add an RV cam and improve breathing with a small 4-barrel
carb and headers - and maybe, with the right gearing, achieve your goals of
65 - 70 cruising and pulling El Cajon at 45. But probably not towing a
trailer with motorcycles. And A/C?!
Even devoted Inliner that I am, I would think that you would be better
off with a V8 if these are your priorities. The 3600 is a pretty hefty lump
to pull around for starters, and with the added weight (at least 1500 lbs
?) of a loaded trailer, you would be asking a lot of even a healthy 235.
You don't mention any accompanying upgrades to chassis, brakes, gearing
etc, but whether you decide on a 6 or V8, the kind of use you are describing
is not really too practical without some serious thought to improving the
basic truck suspension and safety. Remember, there' s a pretty steep grade
on the other side of El Cajon!
Certainly all the above can be accompished, given enough time and $$.
Would it still be an "Old Truck"? Depends on how you look at it. Would you
be better off buying a newer truck and keeping the old one for local
cruising? Probably dollar-wise, you would.
Keep us posted.
Jack / Winter Park FL
----- Original Message -----
From: <Hudson29@aol.com>
To: <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 3:49 PM
Subject: [oletrucks] Horses For Courses
> There is an old motor racing saying "horses for courses," that
basically
> means more power is a good thing, everything else being equal. While this
> also applies to street vehicles, the sticking point is everything else
rarely
> remains equal.
> Some have suggested that a V-8 conversion would be the way to go
rather
> than putting money into an old six that can never be more than -- well, an
> old six. There is certainly a lot to be said for the V-8 conversion and I
> gave it some thought myself. The motor is compact and fits well into the
> engine bay and parts and conversion bits are readily available.
> The short stroke V-8 can also be built to spec, from mild to wild, and
> they will probably run farther without mechanical work that the long
stroke
> six. Is a motor's sound important to you? I sure is to me! V-8 can be
muffled
> with a great variety of systems that allow some pretty impressive sounds,
> mostly in the "grunt" or "roar" category.
> These conversions require a few modifications, including, as I
understand
> it, moving or losing the stock steering column, new engine mounts,
firewall
> mods, linkage mods, radiator mods and probably more that don't tumble to
mind
> just now. Despite all the work, V-8 conversions have a lot going for them
and
> are very tempted.
> I started this piece by quoting the old motor racing saying "horses
for
> courses." Well, what course do we want to steer, and how much power is
> required to stay that course? Do you intend to tow heavy trailers? Are you
a
> participant in the stoplight grands prix? Is your motto "too much is never
> enough?" If you answer yes to these questions, a V-8 is a sure bet.
> What if these are not your requirements? What if you intend to putt
> around town, or haul only light loads? A good case can be made for
retaining
> the old six. The sixes can be pretty economical and produce enough power
for
> many uses. They also are the engine the ADs were designed to have and
require
> few modifications to use them within the 235 - 261 family. While I suppose
> that some sixes might roar, most "hum" and "sing" and I like those sounds
a
> lot.
> In my own case, I'm looking for an AD 3600 with a 65 - 70 mph cruise
with
> the A/C on and enough power to climb Cajon Pass (a locally famous landmark
> enroute from L.A. to Las Vegas) at not less than 45 mph also with the A/C
on
> and a couple of old motorcycles in the bed. Would anybody care to hazard a
> guess as to whether or not a stock 235 will have enough horses for that
> course?
>
> Paul O'Neil, Hudson29@aol.com
> 1951 Chevrolet 3600 Pickup Project, See it at:
> The Poor Man's Advanced Design Tech Tips Page
> http://home.earthlink.net/~conntest47/
> Fullerton, California USA
> AEROMARK - Need Rubber Stamps or Signs? See:
> http://hometown.aol.com/hudson29/myhomepage/index.html
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
>
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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