Grinder

Hello there Olds guru's... my name is Tony and I hail from Western North Carolina... specifically, Murphy...
I just purchased an old truck that someone else already started hot rodding... It is a 1949 Chevrolet 3100 Truck... well, someone stuffed an Oldsmobile small block with a Turbo 350 tranny into it... and, of course, I have some questions... I am primarily a Chevy man... never dealt much with any Olds motors... I have been looking into your tech section to try to identify what I have... the numbers on the top of the water pump shelf is 550355 5... from what I can see, this is a 73-74 350? But, what I am not understanding as well, is that someone put a set of heads on there that have the #10 on them... those are suppose to be 260 only heads? next, I am gonna see what intake I have as well... oh, and it has a dual jet carb on top... things here just dont add up... it runs ok, but I know it can run a lot better... it also has an HEI distributor and factory exhaust manifolds... the left manifold crosses under the motor and goes into the right manifold then exits the backside... do most people cap that and run these true dual style?
If I cant get this thing figured out, I have my eyes on a LT1 that I want to drop down in there and sell this motor/tranny combo...

olds425

Welcome to the site! I think a '73 or '74 350 would have a # 2 after the numbers not a #5. I think you may have the dreaded 260. All is not lost though, a 350 or 455 will pretty much drop right in. I have a '42 Chevy car with an Olds 350, soon to go to a 455. Some of the smarter guy's on here should know a lot more. There also is a tech link on this site that should make a better diagnosis.

Grinder

I know one thing for sure, if this is the 260, it will be a boat anchor before the end of the year... Cant have a rat rod with a 260 in it... LOL

64Rocket

I'm not knocking the OLDS, but if it was me I would put the Chevy in there. For me, same for same, such as chevy w/chevy or Olds w/ Olds. Or just to be different and upset a few chebby boys, put a 455 Olds and have some fun.
Gene

Grinder

Gene, I feel the same way you do... I like to keep make with make... but, since I am doing this truck "RatRod" style, I thought it would be fun and to keep it interesting, keep the olds for conversation sake if it was worth anything... but, we shall see if someone can help me out with figuring this thing out...

Oldsguy

I am kind of like Gene in this respect but not a purist either. It would be cool if you could find a really nice early Chevrolet six cylinder and the build yourself a nice dual carburetor log manifold for it with a set of wheel well headers exiting out the passenger side (I think). But, I think it would be nicer if you could find a nice 455 or even better an old 394 and 'tuff it up' with a batwing air cleaner, chrome goodies, etc. Welcome to CO and looking forward to some pictures of your truck.

Grinder

Thanks Dan... I am weighing my options for sure... here is a link to my FB so you guys can see the pix of the truck when I got it... She is now driveable in every way...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...4&l=b7f57e8bc6

Jamesbo

Welcome aboard neighbor.

Nice weather we're having today Huh?

citcapp

Reminds me of the work truck supplied by my employer when I became a journeyman electrician. Man that was a long time ago. Good luck, Sure would be nice with a 455

Grinder

Yeah, no doubt! I am iced in at the house... did you guys get much ice last night?

bout to make my way up to the garage to work on the Truck and Trike... I have a lot of irons in the fire... Im building a trike for the father in law and trying to get my truck where I want it in the meantime...

Grinder

If I could find a 455 that was affordable to me right now, I would probably get it... but, this LT1 that I have been eyeballin aint exactly in my price range right now either

Jamesbo

Yeah,

Last night and dis mawn'in were pretty bad but it's all melted down ere now.
Might head up to Rabun County tomorrow.

Grinder

Ahh Rabun County... that is definitely a nice area... I love to ride my motorcycle over that way and into South Carolina... just about all the ice has melted here as well... the wife made it to work around 1pm today... there was just no way to go anywhere this mawn'in, LOL