HI, i'm not sure if it's apropiate to post here but i'll give it a shot.

I have a 1955 chevy truck with a 6 cyl inline, manuel trans that i'm going to restore i needed some advice on getting this thing to run in good condition. i'm don't like the idea of the 6cyl and manuel trans. so here's what i need advice in.


new engine-

new automatic trans-



i want a truck that will be healthy and not a gas hogger.


it's not for performance!


i'm also looking into putting a air conditioning unit in it!

i want this truck to look clean not wild! > thanks on any reply<

 

Do you plan on keeping it on the stock frame? Also set a budget on the total amount you want to spend.

 

stock frame sounds good.



as for budjet i'm willing to pay any amount of money needed to get it to work properly meanig just to get it to run.

somewhere around 0 - $4,000 dollars on engine and trans



the reason i'm not concern on money is because i got my boss as a sponcer and she's real wealthy compared to my poor ***.



all she told me as long as the company logo goes on the truck.

 

I'm restoring a '53 (on the way to being finished). It's got a '95 LT1/4l60e, performance was what I was looking for It looks original but has modern suspension/drivetrain (mustang II front w/ 11" disc, 9" rear w/ 3.50 gears) and I'm installing a Vintage Air (vintageair.com) A/C unit.

 

I used to have a 51 with the 216 L6 and 3sd manual. That thing ran forever, got decent gas mileage to boot. It was primarily a work truck I inherited from my uncle. (I made the mistake of telling him I wanted it when I was 5 years old, and darn it... he remembered when I was in my early 20's.) It sat for years and then fired right up. (Just needed a new battery and a dist. cap & rotor.) I drove it for a while then parked it for five years.

I finally got rid of it as I had it in storage at a friend's shop and he was selling the place and I lost my FREE storage space. (My wife wouldn't let me bring it home.) I gave it to a buddy and he replaced the carb and its now his shop truck. That old six banger must have over 200k miles on it. My uncle got it in 1961 and all he ever did was resleave one of the cylinders and replace the piston. Other than that it was dead stock.

If its the original six and tranny, I'd seriously consider keeping it as is. If you want better mileage out of the tranny, you could always add an over/under drive to it.

 

part's are hard to get for stock replacement is there anywhere where i could find engine component's?

 

These trucks are getting popular, they make almost everything for them now aftermarket. I'm sure you could find everything to rebuild the engine, for everything else on the truck places like www.chevyduty.com or Truck Shop inc. sell parts.

 

that is a good site! thanks