Hello everyone, my name is Shane and I got my newsletter yesterday along with the go ahead for my online account here, so I have been accepted to the Inliners Community. Now to glean some information from you guys and get my 292 in my '65 C20.
I got the engine in August, was finally able to get a compression check done on it, and it the numbers came back as:
#1 160
#2 160
#3 160
#4 164
#5 151
#6 155
If I remember correctly the book says they should be 130, so I guess being higher is a good thing.
Right now this truck has a BW-OD and three on the tree, but that is coming out and an SM420 with a Ranger-OD is going in. Money has been tight so I haven't done anything to the truck in a few weeks. Mainly because when I get it running I want to drive it, and the money needed is to have the driveshaft shortened and to get new Spicer u-joints. I have all of the other parts, some have been installed, some have to wait.
After I remove the 350 and current drive train, the frame will get cleaned in areas where I haven't been able to get at, and then painted. I'll touch-up what was already painted with other projects. Some wiring will be rerouted too while the extra room to move around is available.
I got this truck in 2015 and have upgraded a few items since then. First was rebuilding the transmission as there was a lot of bearing noise. Replaced the 2-row radiator with a 3-row, and new shroud. The PO had a Carter AFB on it but it wouldn't hold a setting for more than a few days so I replaced the intake and carburetor with a spread bore and quadrajet, much better. Also added in HEI. The freewheeling part of the BW-OD was a sphincter-puckering experience to say the least and the 4-drums didn't have the stopping power, so front disc went in and the braking was greatly improved (I also figured out how to properly use the overdrive unit so it didn't freewheel). The cab mounts were shot so I installed polyurethane pucks, but I am leaning towards having Steele-Rubber make me some new vulcanized rear mounts. I installed a new wiring harness from headlight to taillight, and sound deadening inside the cab. Other than that it is just driven.
Prior to getting married I pulled the heads, had some that were laying around reworked, replaced the camshaft and timing set, after the cam break-in I drove it around town for about an hour or so, fixed any leaks that were found, and road tested it on a trip to Texas. Not ideal, but it did great. Got married and towed her car home with us.
The PO redid the bed wood before I bought it but didn't seal all of the surfaces and the boards cupped really bad thanks to the hydrant incident at Big Brand Tire. But new Mar-K bed wood will be going in by next summer. That is a back burner project at this point.
This truck is our long trip vehicle so we can load the puppy-girls into the back in the camper shell, and they can sit on the platform at the front of the bed and look through the back window. Before our next trip the seat needs to be redone, as the 1965 foam has turned into an unforgiving hard surface that makes one's butt and tailbone cry for relief after a few hours driving. We've tried making supplemental cushions from mattress foam toppers to no avail, it helps, but it doesn't make it suitable for full-days of driving.
I was looking at more torque and was going to get a 396, but my Pop suggested a 292. So I got one from Yuma, AZ with 155k on it. The only inline 6 vehicle I have ever driven is my '91 Jeep Cherokee, so to say I am green when it comes to Chevy inline sixes is an understatement. My goal is to get the best fuel economy as I can from this setup, so if it requires an Offenhauser intake or a different cam so be it. I do have the lumps from Tom Lowe, but those will go in at a later time. The final drive gear will be either 3.34 or 2.58 depending on which rear axle I go with. If I stay with the corporate axle with 4.57 gears the final drive will be 3.34. If I install the Dana 60 with 3.54 gears the final drive will be 2.58. 2.58 is about what my jeep has and the jeep weighs more than the '65 does. At least that's what the registration cards say. I already know what tire size I need to run to get the highway rpm's where I want them, I just need the vacuum to be maxed out at that speed if at all possible.
So that's my introduction, glad to be here. Once I can edit some photos as was stated in the photo thread I read last night so they're downsized, I can upload them.
If your user names are the same as those at Stovebolt, I see some of you may be members over there too. Knuckles...
Have a Great Day and God Bless!!!
Shane
