Hello,
First post to the site! I am rebilding a 1950 Chevy 3100 1/2 ton pickup and am looking for engine advice (currently nothing under its hood). I was thinking of putting in a mildly rodded 292 but a local rebuilder said a 250 would be better as the 292 are notorious for cracked heads. Will also be putting in an overdrive tranny and newer rear. Opinions?
Bob

Welcome to the board!

I run a 250 in my CJ and it works out great.

Ive got a 250 block with an almost new head in MS if you're close.

Thanks,
I'm in Edmonton, Alberta so it would likely cost a fortune to ship your 250 from Mississippi.
Bob

No kidding.

Welcome to the Board.
First Off Both Blocks Run The Same Head.

The Heads That are known For cracking are the intagrated HEADS Not The Others. So if you have a 292 Go for it.

#3220 }[oooooo]

Great, exactly what I was hoping to hear. Now I just have to start looking for a 292 with a non-integrated head. Thanks for the help!
Bob

BobH

Take what ever 292 that you can find. I wouldn't to much worry about what head it has on it. You can always change it.
#3220 }[oooooo]

Keep in mind that even though they are the same every other way, they are different if you plan on adding power steering. 292 PS brackets arent too commmon so you may want to get a 250 head.

No plans for power steering so I should be ok.
Bob

BobH,

Hello from Calgary. I 'm essentially doing the same conversion and am a bit further along - check your mailbox for a message (it under "my profile")

i was considering 292 in my 57 chevy pickup - does anybody know if it will fit the engine bay - someone told me it was 32 inches from the fan to the rear of the head that would go toward the firewall. i dont have that much room from back of radiator to front of firewall. is the 250 shorter?

[what i really want is that 4.2 chevy inline and have one located but too many wire bugs i hear]

Dear Bob;

There is no substitute for CID so the 292 is your best choice. + .060 makes it 302".

The 250 heads are every where like Larry says with lots of custom options as well.

You may have to move the radiator a little and Patricks in AZ. will have all that info & parts etc.

Good luck John M.....

Hey John,
My 250 is is .040 over what's that make it?
Just wondering...

Probably 270 something?

Mike G or Larry would know.

JM.......

a 250 @ .030 is a 254 and @.060 makes it a 258.

so I'd give you a safe call at about a 255.

#3220}[oooooo]

any info on the lengths of these engines?

Go with to 292.
There is no replacement for displacement.
Be carefull with the exhaust manifold they tend to crack. This is typical on all of the chevy 6's. It took me the better part of a year to find one locally. Made a list of the junk yards that I was willing to travel to and just called them every couple of months until I found one.

Thanks T6.

I'm planning on putting a 292 in my '56 3100. The GM drawing on page 2 of Santucci's book shows the late model 6 as being shorter than the 235. I think that the radiator could be moved forward about 1.5 in. if you cut the radiator mount and rework it.

OOPs - Forgot to add that I have been told that the 292 block is about 7/8" longer and the waterpump is longer as well. I have seen a 292 in a large (1 1/2 ton?) '51 chevy. The radiator was moved forward to the other side of the mount and moved forward. Apparently there is more room behind the grill in the older trucks. Possibly if a car bellhousing was used, along with a passenger type rear mount the engine could be moved back an inch or two. As soon as I get my truck to a place where I can work on it I will give it a try. From what measurements I can make now it looks like about 3" more room is needed.

The 292 is the same length as the 250.
The water pump is slightly different because the 292 pumps more volumn. Many 292's have a three row pulley so the radiator will probably get moved forward. The 292 is 1.75'' taller. More torque in the 292 engine. It also has side (offset) mounts so you'll have to box in the frame area when mounting the engine. See Buffalo Steve in inliners 12 port ad.
cmc I think you mean the 292 is 19% lighter not shorter but I'm at work and Leo's book is @ home.
Check into a T5 or 700R4 for trannys. There are many rear ends that could work. A 10 or 12 bolt rear end 6 lug out of mid 70's chevys work well. Other 10 & 12 bolt rear ends may be 5 lugs so it depends on what you want to have. Some have H.D. brakes (2.75'' wide x 11 5/32'' round) as opposed to the std. brake shoes of 1.75''x 11'' round. Get the rear end mounting kit from Chevy Duty which comes from classis engineering in calif, It will just make the swap job easier.
Do your homework first and decide on what rear end gearing you will need w/ your new ?? tranny.
SEE:: for gearing, plug in various rear end types and transmissions as well as tires sizes to calculate the answers you need. Now you can go hunting.
http://www.smokemup.com/auto_math/index.php
gooday

Thanks for all of the advice. I am set on getting a 292 for my '50 3100 pickup, just need to find one now. I will likely get the mounts from Tom Langdon and have been told on the Stovebolt website that I will need to box the frame around the mounts. How much of the frame should I box?
Bob

1950 Chevrolet 3100 1/2 ton pickup

Bob, I have a '50 3100 also and it is a stock frame except where it's rusted bad enough to need plating. While it seems stiff it does flex some. I would at the minimum box the front end up to the cowl but make sure your spring shackles are not in need of repair first since you will be covering their mounting rivets on the inside.If it's feasible, just box the whole frame and be done with it. The 292 will have way more torque then the original 216 so you need to reduce as much flex as possible.

Having tossed around the idea of a 235 or 261 in my '50 Chev 3100 (much easier install) I have decided to go with the 292. Bit more of a challenge but will give me the performance I want. So far I have not been able to find one without an integral head, anyone have suggestions where to look in Alberta, especially near Edmonton? Thanks to the people here I know that I can swap in a head from a 230 or 250 but any older engines are tough to find here.
Bob

i've got a few extra with non integral heads, but i'm along ways away. iowa near waterloo. tom

Shipping a head from Florida to Indiana via UPS only cost me about $50 so it shouldn't be too much of a problem to have one sent to you.

I too have spares, so there are plenty of parts out there.