Inliners International Forums General Discussion Truck Talk 1953 Chevy Truck

Well I have been looking at buying a 53 chevy truck for over 6 months now and before I wasn't going to get it since I bought a 48 chevy coupe. Well now I need a everyday driver and might buy this thing now. I looked up the number on the head and this is what I found...
3836848
GM 29
That should be the numbers to a 235 if I am not mistaken. Any info on this would be greatly appreciate.
Also I won't have but 1000 bucks to spend on fixing the engine up, interior, brakes, etc. It will need a bit of work and all new paint, etc. The guy said the engine ran when he parked it about 6 years ago so I am guessing that if I change all the fluids, plugs and wires, put a new ignition coil on it, etc it should start right up. I looked at the miles on it and it's showing 63,688. I don't know if maybe it turned over or not and there is more than that or what but that's what it shows. How would the tranny be do you guy's think? Will it need to be rebuilt or what? I don't wan't to have to put tons of money into this right now like I said. Later on I would like to change out the straight axle and put a dropped axle in or a IFS with air bags.
I plan to just drop the front down, paint it flat black, cheater slicks in the rear (wide whitewalled tires of course) and leave it at that.
Thanks a lot for any info guy's!

Shawn-

Welcome to Inliners. A thousand can go far doing a lot yourself or can be eaten up by the engine itself. You won't know that until you check it out. If it sat outside unprotected for those 6 years that could spell doom for the engine. Can you turn it over by hand at the crank balancer or is it frozen up? Pull the plugs and put some oil in the cylinders and let it sit for awhile or best if you can, pull the head. Could be all the gaskets are dried out too. If it turns freely do the changes you suggested and try firing it up. If the tranny is oil or grease packed it should be ok as long as water didn't get in it. The clutch and pressure plate may be frozen from rust though. Good Luck with this
possible new project.

Catdog, thanks for the info man! I tryed turning the fan, etc and it barely moved but it's freezing out and my hands were killing me already. I will buy a whole new gasket kit, change all the electrical, ignition coil, etc too. There is a lot of surface rust all over the valve cover and block, etc but not too bad. What about the radiator? If I get more powder coating jobs (which means more money) then I wan't to start fixing this engine up and get more performance out of it. I think it would be sweet the fix a inline 6 up to be kind of fast even though I know it won't be as fast as some small block or something.
Later on what can I do to beaf the tranny up to hold more power? Will the rear end handle it good enough? I won't drive the truck real rough or nothing, no strip, etc. I just wan't it to be able to sound loud, be fast for a inline 6 and smoke little ricers.
I am only 17 years old so of course I will wan't it to be loud, don't care about comfort, etc. heh. I can worry about all that when I am an old fart. :p
Thanks again!

Your comment about the radiator begs the question,"Was the block drained?" If not, check the block for cracks. You can have the radiator pressure checked. As to the drive line others here can be more helpful. You can check past driveline forum posts and maybe Mike G will offer advice.

Shawn the best advice I can offer would be to try and have someone with more experience help you decide what is good and what is bad with this engine before you do anything. This in no way is a slam on you. We were all new to this at one time and needed help too.

I am also concerned with the length of time the truck has been sitting and how it was left that way. Cat Dog brings up some very important things with regard to water left in the engine, parts frozen together with rust, etc. Another thing is the condition of the rubber and steel brake lines, master cyl and wheel cyls, in otherwords every important part of the truck might need money spent on it not only to make it useable but to make it safe.

I certainly don't want to condemn the truck because I haven't seen it but I would not want to see you get off to a bad start thinking this could be an easy or inexpensive job. $1000 doesn't go as far as you might think once you get into a job and worse yet if you spend some of it and find the truck is beyond what you thought you wanted to spend or repair then that money may well be lost too.

I'm sure the rest of the guys here will be willing to offer suggestions and tips as you progress so ask away! But please do yourself a big big favor and have an experienced guy look it over carefully. Maybe the local tech high school auto shop teacher or a friends father or older brother who makes a living at this can get you going in the right direction.

Mike

Mike, thanks a lot for the info man! I am going to sell my dirt bike gear and dirt bike itself and should have around 4,300 bucks then. What I am going to do is try and go back the end of this week or next and then try to turn the engine over, I am going to call the guy tonight or tomarrow and then ask him some questions. Any idea's on what I should ask him? The first thing I will do if I get it is change the entire brake system with a new master cylinder, all new lines, hoses, shoes and check the drums to make sure they are good and not out of round, etc. Then I will sand and paint the frame with JD BB paint most likely. The thing need's new windows but if I chop the top then I would need new glass anyway's so I thought I might as well chop it. If I buy it and it has to wait a few more months then that will be alright even though I would rather get it on the road soon. At the end of this month I have I think 3 weeks of spring break so I would have all day every day for 3 weeks to work on the thing as long as I order the parts and get them in before then. I won't rush it or nothing.
Alright well I don't wan't to write a book here. Anymore info or comments are appreciated!
Thanks again!

Shawn-

Today I wen't by and looked at the truck again. The frame is good, and the engine turns over. I also saw a grey box on it mounted to the fire wall and it had some performance name on it with a 12V symbol with wires comming out of it. I am guessing that he changed it to 12V already.

Here is an attempt at some pics. I turned the engine over by hand and it turns very easy. At first it made a few small scratching/grind noises when I turned it for about an inch of a turn and then stopped and turned real good.
[img] www.clubhotrod.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=99903 [/img]

[img] www.clubhotrod.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=99904 [/img]

[img] www.clubhotrod.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=99906 [/img]

[img] www.clubhotrod.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=99907 [/img]

[img] www.clubhotrod.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=99908 [/img]

Is it just me or do the pictures not come up? I took them off from another site that I put them on. Not sure. Sorry if they don't.
Ok they work for me now, I made them into links. Please let me know if they are working and let me know what you think about the truck.

Says I gotta be a member...Brian

Ok well sorry, guess they won't work. I don't have anything to host them off of.

SMF,
Go back to the site you have your pictures on. Right click on the photo then click on properties. Highlite the url in the property box. Copy it (ctrl c). Paste it (ctrl v) on your post between the img tags that you used.Preview your post and your picture will magicly appear!!

Also, please be sure your photos are reduced to at least 600x400.
Jim

Thanks, I did that and they came up with a red x in a white box. The pics are at 700X600 or something I think.

some forums block the linking to pictures.
Jim

Yeah I think CHR does that. I will try and fix it later I guess.
Thanks anyways guys.

One thing to watch out for on the 235 is the valves hanging up and bending the pushrods or breaking a rocker arm. Take off the rocker arms and tap the valves with a hammer to make sure they are nice and free. Make sure your valve train is getting plenty of oil. I would run a premium high detergent oil in the engine to catch all the crud and change the oil every 500 miles for a few changes to get all the sludge out of the motor. I like Delo 400 15w-40 in my 261. (235 is the mostly the same).

I will do that 4onthefloor. When I get it I am going to flush the radiator all out, put new antifreeze in. Run oil through with the plug open a LITTLE to get whatever is sitting on the bottom out and then fill it up run it a little, and then drain again and then start doing what you said and change the oil every 500-1000 miles.
Thanks,

Shawn-

if the block was seting dry i would flush the block frist a few times and by pass the heater while doing it or you could clog up both with all the rust that has built up in the dry block.
i know i did it once learned that the hard way.

Dear Shawn;

If the tires are up you could put it in high gear & push 'back & forth' with the plugs out.

This will make the engine turn if not frozen. You will then have a better idea.

Good luck, John M......

Ay guys. Thanks for the info. Anyways I never bought the truck now. The guy never got back to me and I was getting tired of waiting for over a month and sending him letters, etc. I bought a 1966 Ford Twin I Beam truck instead for my old metals manufactoring teacher and got a really good deal so just bought it. I was never into Fords much but glad I have one, it's a great truck and has a 302 in it (which will be stroked to a 347). Not a inline but that's ok.
Thanks again though guys!

I just picked up a 53 five window and my engine # is 3769716 and the head # is 3836848 the same as yours. From what I've read the engine is a 58-62. As far as the head it's one of the best head casting that they made. I'm guessing it's from the same year. jeff

Yeah I never got that truck. I was never able to get ahold of the owner again. I still see it all the time and it still sits behind his shop. He doesn't work out of the 3 bay shop anymore he was too old and got sick and last I heard his arthritis was very bad so now it's all vacant. My stepmother drove by a few months or weeks ago actually and said she saw him there. Oh well, I bought me more hot rods since then. A 1966 F100, 1985 C10 Chevy and a 1954 Chevy Hardtop recently. I was planning on putting in a inline 6 in my 48 Chevy coupe but I am not sure yet. I do have a 250 block here still but no head or NOTHING. Probably cheaper to build a 327 or something... ???